Three Georgian composers
– and three chamber compositions. Since
the names are, at least to me, unfamiliar
and the notes aren’t exactly extensive
it makes for a kind of "blind listening."
The first composer, Sulchan Nassidse,
was born in 1927 and wrote three symphonies
and two piano concertos amongst much
else. His Chamber Symphony No.3 of 1969
is a one-movement work that falls into
four sections throughout its eighteen
or so minutes’ length. The romantic
start with its Shostakovich imprint
and the hints too of neo-classicism
soon break down; the lost momentum recovers
and we hear folk dance lurching heavily
and sinuously before a very concentrated
moment of introspection and intensity
comes over the music and a rather morose
Maestoso that does gradually lighten
with little flecking and vocalised tints.
Certainly aware of Shostakovitch – and
Bartók in the animated sections
– Nassidse had also lent an ear to Stravinsky.
Loboda was born in
1956 and contributes a cryptic few sentences
concerning his Concert Ballade – or
maybe not, it’s hard to tell. From the
opening baleful bassoon this work balances
the ostensible two soloists – violin,
cello – in the orchestral sound texture,
which in this recording is quite echo-y.
Strings in the first movement are, to
me at least, unambiguously Mahlerian
whilst the glints of an emergent Waltz
in the second are as if in ghostly slow
motion. The solo strings are rather
withdrawn over the hallucinatory lightly
orchestrated chamber orchestra’s pizzicati.
The bassoon and clarinet solos add piquant
colour before the patterns of a baroque
figure lead into the Allegro agitato
– and some bristling attaca. The Passacaglia
finale has elements of mildly ironic
wind writing before growing more coiled
and intense – and ending in an Andante
sostenuto with a quiet ascending scale.
The last work is the
lightest, Zinzadse’s Miniatures. These
were arranged from string quartet by
the composer and are based on Georgian
folk songs. They are undated here but
come from varying times in his compositional
life; fresh, enjoyable, colourful and
not at all quixotic or complex. There’s
especial charm in the fourth, fine melodic
impress in the seventh (and witty pizzicatos)
and an open-air feel to the last.
This trio of Georgian
works proves diverting listening. Influences
are clear but individuality is still
potent. Good performances – occasionally
too thick an acoustic and rather skimpy
notes.
Jonathan Woolf
see also review
by Hubert Culot
Corinne Chapelle (violin), Alexander Suleiman
(violoncello)* 
