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
for details
Piet van Bockstal (oboe and cor anglais)
