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John CORIGLIANO The Red Violin OST,  Joshua Bell (violin) Esa-Pekka Salonen conducting the Philharmonia Orchestra SONY SK 63010 [66:12]  

 

Crotchet (UK)


Some years there was a vogue for what were termed portmanteau films - films that were composed of two or three or more separate stories linked by a single theme that might have been quite tenuous such as passengers on a train or ship or visitors to a holiday camp; or it might have been an object a valuable possession passing through several owners and generations such as a Yellow Rolls Royce. Here we have an obvious choice - a valuable violin - the sort of possession that just cries out for the portmanteau treatment. Maybe it has been done before? I am not sure. Anyway it gives the producers and Joshua Bell the excuse - pardon me, the opportunity - to play music from many different periods and many styles as the violin passes through many hands through three centuries, beginning in Cremona where the violin is made, thence to Vienna at the height of its musical fame and then on to Oxford; next comes modern-day communist China and, finally, Montreal. On the way Corigliano ensures that Bell has plenty of opportunities to display his considerable virtuosity with the usual pyrotechnics.

I have to say that this score, for me, is a perfect example of the old adage, the whole is better than the sum of its parts. I am therefore taking the unusual step of splitting this review into two parts. First I will review the underscoring music and then the 17 minute composition, The Red Violin, Chaconne for Violin and Orchestra, which appears to have been assembled (an unkind word because as you will note this is a worthy composition in its own right) from the OST music.

The score, for solo violin and strings with spare use of percussion, starts with a female voice wordlessly intoning Anna's Theme which reminds me very much of Alfred Newman's love theme from Love is a Many Splendoured Thing. For a moment, I thought I was back aboard Titanic with James Horner and when Bell enters beneath in support and continues alone before being supported by the strings of the orchestra I felt I was in Schindlers List country. The music here is reflective and towards the end, beautifully rippling, but rather melancholy. The slow Main Title music written for strings prolongs and intensifies this feeling of melancholy rising to a tragic/passionate reiteration of Anna's Theme. "Death of Anna", placed on high strings suggests something profoundly evil or tragic. I have not seen the film (to the best of my knowledge it has not arrived in the UK yet) but it suggests to me thousands of bats screeching in a cave but it might also denote death from a plague? "The Birth of the Red Violin" is another cue that begins in the shadows which gradually lighten as the strings ascend; and one can guess at the skill and dedication invested in the creation of the violin. "The Red Violin" cue which ends the Cremona sequence is Bell's chance to show off some virtuosity.

The Vienna music opens in a more cheery mood. The style is Haydn or Mozart. Bell is allowed once more to do some double stopping and other technical displays as he stands in for Kaspar's audition and then we have a gently ornamented Baroque evocation of a "Journey to Vienna." A ticking metronome dictates the pace and development of "Etudes" (which is intrusive for repeated playings; this is a bad production judgment because this track contains some of Bell's most impressive playing). Appropriately mournful music accompanies "Death of Kaspar".

The Oxford sequence begins with the most extrovert and cheerful music of the whole score. "The Gypsies" gives Bell the opportunity to play gypsy-style and he clearly enjoys himself here. Ethnic instruments used in the backing help sustain an authentic feel and the music is influenced by Bartók and Kodály. "Pope's Gypsy Cadenza" speaks for itself. "Coitus Musicalis" wistfully recalls Anna's Theme with Bell pensive against high strings, then long held cello and middle string chords. Thi is one of the warmest and most appealing tracks with a lovely solo cello meditation.

"Victoria's departure" throws us into sadness and despair once more. "Pope's Concert" is impressive fast-tempo virtuosity. In "Pope's Betrayal" Bell develops Anna's theme disconsonantly then rebelliously for much of its length before an abrupt crescendo suggesting Pope's betrayal brings in the orchestra.

The China sequence opens quietly with the soloist playing long held chords in the violin's high register. Again the mood is sad and reflective in the "Journey to China" as though the music is weighed down by so much sorrow. "People's Revolution" is a modern Chinese (political?) folk song for children's voices and accordion seguing into a plaintive and infinitely sad comment by the strings reflecting on the way the tune was originally treated in years gone by and the feeling is intensified by another recollection of Anna's theme as the cue's second half, "Death of Chou Yuan" is reached.

The music grows darker and more tragic yet in the Montreal sequence for the "Moritz Discovers the Red Violin" cue - ghostly string slitherings give an eerie effect. "Moritz's Theme" is sadly but beautifully reflective - the Bartókian influence is here again. "The Theft" uses low strings and harp in suitable sinister, tension-filled mode with percussion punctuation. The final cue "End Titles" recalls the main theme as another Bell cadenza before the strings creep softly in with consolatory and compassionate commentary. A nice affecting ending to a score that demands some commitment from the listener. I have enjoyed it more on repeated listenings. But be warned, this music is preponderantly dark and melancholic.

Soundtrack

Reviewer

Ian Lace

The Red Violin - Chaccone for Violin and Orchestra.

Corigliano's 17½-minute work drawn from his music for the film is much more impressive. It is more richly scored, more varied in its emotional range and more colourful in its orchestration. Once more Bell meditates with a solitary female voice on Anna's Theme after a powerful orchestral opening. Then a sublime episode speaks of pastoral serenity; it is as though a flock of birds has risen abruptly skywards after feeding on the ground, disturbed by grumbling bassoons and bass drum before the violin and strings, and, later, woodwinds enter in Lark Ascending mode to restore peace. An ecstatic climax is reached rejoicing Anna's theme. As the brass enters the tempo quickens and the colours intensify as excitement mounts and the brass chases the strings with laconic, often violent, percussion punchings. A huge frightening climax is reached and the music fractures like shattered glass, an amazing moment this. Now we enter a remote and quite chilly fantasy region, the violin morosely reflecting at the top of its register, the orchestra's deeper voices maintaining an eerie low pedal point. Again the writing, in this part of the work, is imaginative with some very interesting touches - slightly atonal (I was reminded a little of Gary's abduction music from John Williams's Close Encounters at one point.) The music gradually regains its warmth and becomes more romantic and ardent. A harsher, crueller tone sometimes interjects. The music continues through another impressive show-piece cadenza for Bell and on through some very colourful and bizarre territory to reach a blazing conclusion.

Chaconne -

Reviewer

Ian Lace


Reviewer

Ian Lace

Soundtrack

Chaconne

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