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Roberto
GERHARD (1896-1970)
Symphony No. 4 ‘New York’
(1967) [26:04]
Violin Concerto (1942-5) [34:03]*
Yfrah Neaman (violin)
BBC Symphony Orchestra/Colin Davis
rec. 1972, London. ADD
originally released as Decca Argo ZRG701
LYRITA SRCD.274 [60.10]
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In this disc Lyrita
steps about as far away as you can go
from their accustomed heartland. This
is music of dissonant discontinuity
and conflagration – especially in the
symphony. Its upheavals and eruptions
are expressed in pointillistic silvery
fragments and vertiginous stop-starts
and mood-swings. sample
We are immersed in this pool of imaginative
effects immediately in Gerhard's Fourth
- and final completed - Symphony.
It stutters, creeps, excoriates and
bawls. Previously recorded by Naive
and by Chandos this its world premiere
recording. In that sense it is an awesomely
honest document recorded in the last
year of Gerhard's life. In addition
however it shouts the ultima thule
of 1970s exclusivity and ivory towers.
The Violin Concerto
is written in more beguilingly compromising
tones. Here there is a connection with
melody and an evident allegiance for
the long melodic line even if it does
have an astringent after-taste. Yfrah
Neaman with his unmistakable silver
thread of tone is as dedicated and fluent
an interpreter as his BBC colleagues.
In the finale Gerhard gives us a buzz-saw
pell-mell climactic display - not above
borrowing from Sarasate in mood rather
than detail. Overall the concerto can
be loosely and rather unsophisticatedly
bracketed with the two Rawsthorne concertos,
the Frankel and the Fricker; the latter
reissued this month on Lyrita. The silence
at the end of the concerto demands a
burly if misty-eyed cheer from even
the most impassive of listeners.
The BBCSO and its then
conductor Colin Davis put this music
through the hoops. Did anyone at the
time think that these works would be
recorded more than once. In the studio
they must have thought they were recording
these works for all time. The results
certainly suggest that.
The completely satisfying
notes are by MusicWeb writer Paul Conway
one of the rising and risen authorities
on twentieth century British music.
Paul’s
article on the Gerhard symphonies
is well worth your attention … and mine.
However don’t miss Guy
Rickard’s article while you are
here.
Rob Barnett
Also Available
SRCD.2271
John Ireland Sextet, Trios and Sonatas
for clarinet, cello & violin
Yfrah Neaman / Julian Lloyd Webber /
Eric Parkin
SRCD.2217
Sir Michael Tippett The Midsummer
Marriage - Opera in Three Acts
Chorus & Orchestra of Royal Opera
House/Sir Colin Davis
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