This Kancheli disc
is one of a series of twenty CDs freshly
packaged in new slip-cases to mark Ondine’s
twentieth anniversary. The originals
have been selected from the company’s
substantial back catalogue.
Largo is clearly
a favoured tempo-mood marking for Georgian
composer Giya Kancheli. Both Symphonies
4 and 5 and the second movement of the
First Symphony carry this marking.
These are all very
compact works - all shorter than 21
minutes. The First Symphony is in two
movements the first of which is very
angular, not particularly dissonant
but characterised by discontinuity of
incident - sudden protest, barking violence,
whispered consolation and strutting
arrogant confidence. The voices of Stravinsky
and especially Shostakovich are noticeable.
The Largo second movement mixes the
meditative with enigmatic Ives-like
moments and flashes of violence. Introspection
and a whispered heart-beat finally carry
the day.
The Fourth and Fifth
Symphonies of a sequence of seven premiered
by the Georgian State Symphony Orchestra
conducted by Dzhansug Kahidze during
1967-86 represent mature pre-diaspora
Kancheli.
The Fourth In Memoria
di Michelangeli was written to mark
the 500th anniversary of Michelangelo.
The message is conveyed in the dominant
gentle susurration of the orchestra
contrasting with the protesting abrasion
of the brass and bell-sonorous chaotic
explosions (11:23). The still-small
voice will not be silenced. This tension
between peace and violence is familiar
from Panufnik although in the case of
that composer the contrast tends to
be between whole movements rather than
within movements. The coaxing consolatory
message of much of this music impresses
and endears. If the sprinkling of quiet
percussion over the warm murmur of the
strings sometimes suggests Shostakovich’s
last symphony the mood is ultimately
more seraphic. A phenomenal concentration
is demonstrated by DePreist and the
orchestra - best heard in the closing
moments.
The Fifth is dedicated
to the memory of the composer’s parents.
The juxtaposition of spleen and balm
continues. Calm-imbued music is quietly
reflective with the gentle notes of
the harpsichord and the harp glinting
over a bed of slowly moving meditative
strings. This is disrupted by violent
onslaughts shuddering, slamming, blasting
and then dying away to leave that still-small
voice again. The quiet music also carries
overtones of both nostalgia and crooning
consolation (9:10). The shudders and
protest recall Mussorgsky’s sinister
imagery supercharged with violence.
The original recordings
issued on Melodiya were reissued on
Olympia CDs - now long gone. Those discs
are very special and are well recorded.
They are an authentic and exotic presence
in the Kancheli discography. If you
see them secondhand don’t miss the opportunity
to snap them up but this Finnish recording
is outstandingly good and the spirit
of these works is unfiltered. The extremes,
in which Kancheli is such an adept,
are there in full splendour.
Since the late 1980s
the composer has spent more time in
the West. Symphonies appear to have
been left behind. Now his inspiration
is gripped by a development of the meditative
stream and reflected in the many Kancheli
releases on the ECM label. Kancheli
is a fascinating character and the symphonies
although seemingly abandoned for now
are a fascinating presence.
Rob Barnett
Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra/James DePreist
