The prospect of hearing the CBSO/Rattle combination again brought
back very happy memories of their exciting and at one-time regular
performances at the South Bank. This set has a roll-call of now-famous
names and is built around the acclaimed recording of 'Stabat
Mater' and 'Symphony No 3'. It also includes a memorable complete
performance of the little-staged opera, 'King Roger', with
Sir Thomas Hampson in the title role; both violin concertos, with
Thomas Zehetmair as the soloist; the sparser Symphony No. 4 and
a selection of vocal works. This generous programming makes the
set a bargain, and it is probably the most complete survey of
this composer available on disc.
I was initially a little fearful that this quantity
of Szymanowski - no matter how well performed - would be like
an entire meal composed of nothing but Turkish Delight. However,
his output is more varied than is widely appreciated.
His musical oeuvre has three distinct periods.
The best-known lush, hedonistic and heavily ornamented style
is in fact the middle one of these. This is heavily, but not
exclusively represented, here. Prior to this, the composer was
sturdily influenced by the works of Richard Strauss and had
yet to find his own entirely distinctive voice. This less satisfactory
early period is unsurprisingly little represented, but a glimpse
into it is heard in the first part of the "Love Songs
of Hafiz". The distinctive style for which he is now
well known - largely posthumously, and significantly due to
the championing of the pianist Artur Rubinstein - evolved as
a result of on the one hand access to direct experience of foreign
cultures, particularly Turkey, North Africa and Sicily -- with
their byzantine and Islamic arts, and on the other hand of passing
the First World War in seclusion on his family's estate. The
most obvious influence is that of Scriabin but at times that
of Stravinsky and of Ravel can also be detected. It is from
this period that his best known works come: the third Symphony,
the first violin concerto, the opera "King Roger".
In the 1920s, his music turned homeward for its inspiration,
as the composer took up residence in the Tatra Mountains - later to become home to his compatriot and fellow composer
Gorecki. The composer had lost his family land and wealth in
the wake of the Russian Revolution, and now had to live much
more modestly earning his living through concert tours as a
pianist. His works from this time reflect a leaner mood and
a sparser approach; the ballet Harnasie, set in the Tatra
Mountains; the second violin concerto and the Symphonie Concertante
- written for his own more modest pianistic abilities rather
than for a virtuoso soloist. This third, and perhaps less known,
aspect of his composing is reasonably well represented in this
survey, providing a balancing contrast to the works of the middle
period. Perhaps its culmination is in the "Litany to
the Virgin Mary" (1933) which brings a simple clarity
which is very moving, and which has clearly had a big impact
on subsequent composers of "religious minimalism"
such as Gorecki (q.v.) and Arvo Pärt.
The fourth disc, which is basically the emotional
heart of this set, balances the sensual third Symphony, 'Song
of the Night' which sets poetry by the Sufi mystic Rumi
with exotic orchestration against the explicitly religious work
"Stabat Mater" from the composer's more austere
late period. Both these differing works are sensitively performed,
giving the listener an excellent insight into the contrasting
aspects of this composer's work. Rattle's interpretation won
much praise when this recording was first issued. The inclusion
of an additional late religious work, "Litany to the Virgin
Mary", which is very beautifully sung, is a further bonus
- extending the idiom developed in the "Stabat Mater".
The opera King Roger, set in 12th century
Sicily, re-casts the age-old theme of a contrast between conventional
morality (as personified by the King) and sensual abandon
(as personified by a young Shepherd). There is a genuine - almost
Shakespearian - sense of dramatic tension which develops as
the scenes unfold over the course of three acts (spread over
two discs) and 89 minutes. The helpful and informative accompanying
notes give the complete lyrics. Following this through the recording
and its notes, I found it a moving work and one which as a result
I would welcome the opportunity to see on the stage. Thomas
Hampson is excellent in the title role, but the counterfoiling
role of the Shepherd is also sung very well by the Polish tenor
Ryszard Minkiewicz.
The Violin Concerto No 1 is perhaps Szymanowski's
best known and most frequently performed work. His writing for
the violin was inspired by his close friendship and longtime
collaboration with Pavel Kochanski, who was permitted to compose
his own cadenza for the first concerto. It is a rich and intricate
work, in one seamless piece. The influence of Scriabin can sometimes
be noticed. It is more surprising that this work was composed
in wartime. By contrast, the second violin concerto was composed
much later and in a simpler, more conventional style - although
again in one continuous movement. Again, there is an improvised
cadenza premiered by Kochanski. However, as with other late
works, the influence of folk tunes and dances is seen, especially
in the finale. The fourth symphony, which is effectively a simple
piano concerto, is from the same period (1932) and sound-world
as the second of the violin concertos (1932-33). It is sparser
and more taut than the middle period works and has a relatively
restrained solo part. Influences from folk dances can be observed
in the finale section and in the solos for both piano and violin.
The first disc of the set is the most varied and
contrasting, containing vocal works from all three of Szymanowski's
compositional periods. 'Love Songs of Hafiz' - settings
of erotic poetry by a Persian poet for high voice and orchestra
- starts in the early period of his compositional output, with
the influence of Strauss very clear. The 'Songs of a Fairy-tale
Princess' - settings of poetry by the composer's sister
Zofia – show the composer starting to shift to the style of
his middle period, with some overtones of Stravinsky, especially
in the vigorous 'Dance' which concludes this short sequence.
Separating these two works is the ballet for tenor, chorus and
orchestra 'Harnasie', written late in Szymanowski's career
and set in the Tatra
mountains. It is contrastingly robust, with scenes of robber's
dens, drinking halls and peasant dances, which have a raw energy
and driving force at variance with the languor found at times
in some of his earlier works.
As
a survey, whilst perhaps not perfect, this set is very useful
and very good value. The recordings are predominantly from the
mid-1990s, and do at times sound a little dated. However it provides
an informative and educational insight into this particular composer
and the combination of thoroughness and value cannot be beaten.
Julie Williams
Iwona Sobotka
(soprano) 
