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Ermanno WOLF-FERRARI (1876-1948)
Idillio-Concerto for oboe, strings and two horns Op.15 (1932) [18:53]
Concertino for cor anglais, strings and two horns Op.34 (1947) [24:38]
Suite Concertino for bassoon, strings and two horns Op.16 (1933) [19:48]
Piet van Bockstal (oboe and cor anglais)
Luc Loubry (bassoon)
Westsächisches Symphonie Orchester (West Saxony Symphony Orchestra)/Hans Rotman
No recording details
TALENT SACD DOM 2929 90 [63:30]

Wolf-Ferrari’s Idillio-Concerto for oboe, strings and two horns is a work that comes gift-wrapped "delicious". You can’t go wrong with it, unless you’re especially insensitive. Fortunately Piet van Bockstal displays no such limitations and he too revels in its lyricism, warmth and verdant welcoming power. Yes, by 1932 it might have seemed old hat but who cares about hats now, old or otherwise. This is a just a gorgeous work pure and simple – would that Leon Goossens had got his chops around it and spun his fabled legato on its lissom fabric.

Still, again, let’s forego Goossens - since he didn’t record it - and concentrate on the warm glow of this SACD performance. Lightly sprung, delicately orchestrated and excellently played, the work receives a flexible and very winning performance. We can enjoy anew the pert scherzo and the reflective and beautifully vocalised melody of the slow movement; so too the gentle end of the concerto. No one would claim it to be a work of profundity but if it’s profundity you want go and listen to Bruckner. Wolf-Ferrari’s forte was luscious, lovely melody.

That said once you’ve heard the Idillio-Concerto you’ve pretty much heard the 1947 Concertino for cor anglais, strings and two horns. This was his last completed work and is again cast in four essentially neo-classical movements and their layout is decidedly reminiscent of the earlier work. Still, easy charm is here in abundance and no sign of darkening skies. The same loping unhurried ease pervades the score, the same verismo lyricism – little fugal feints that don’t really mean it, light and spruce orchestration that never swamps the relative fragility of the cor anglais; and listen out for the perkiest of trios in the capriccio movement. The slow movement is a warm aria – not regretful, not leave taking, not lachrymose, just lovely. The finale even opens with some decidedly classical hunting horns – terrific stuff.

The final work is the Suite Concertino for bassoon, strings and two horns and it’s back to 1933 for this one. Again four movements and again simplicity of means. And once more we get more lyricism, charm, classical form, a breezy scherzo and a warm if burly aria for the bassoon. The finale even ends with naughty baroque trills for the soloist along with a plangent "back to 1740" cadence. Why don’t more bassoonists play it? You’d have to ask a bassoonist I suppose.

First class performances all round and warm SACD sound though I listened on a conventional set-up. The performers are well balanced, the sound very congenial. I happen to be partial to Wolf-Ferrari and others wouldn’t be quite so indulgent. Agreed, there’s some similar expressive ground covered in all three works. So don’t programme them together – spread them throughout the evening. You’ll enjoy them.

Jonathan Woolf

 

see also review by Michael Cookson

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