I suppose that it must
be an incredibly difficult thing to
assemble interesting programs for CDs.
Somebody has to decide on a single theme
to tie the album together. Most commonly,
if the CD is not of a single large work,
a single composer will be featured.
When that isn’t the case there will
normally be a single shorter piece and
then other works from a similar style
and period will be assembled and recorded
to complement the main feature. Or,
barring that, an audience can be led
through a group of works unrelated to
each other, but all featuring a single
performer and highlighting the artist’s
virtuosity. This can often be a fun
type of album since the audience gets
to both enjoy the performer’s unusual
ability and see how different eras have
utilized the same tools to achieve their
means.
Sometimes a CD is assembled
from whatever happens to be lying around
in a group’s repertoire at a given time.
Then the group is unchallenged by having
to work up any new material and totally
unbound by actually needing to present
a coherent program to an audience.
That is what appears
to have happened on the CD titled "Michael
Haydn: Concerto in D Major for two Trombones
and Orchestra", recently released on
the Camerata Tokyo label. There appear
to have been two totally unrelated programs
half-completed and then released together
for no discernable reason. While this
is often a successful formula for live
performances, the scattershot sampler
approach is hardly ideal for building
a recording program.
Taken individually,
these are four very good performances
of four different pieces. The first
is actually a compilation of movements
from Leopold Mozart’s Trombone Concerto
in G Major and his Trumpet Concerto
in D Major. However, curiously,
it is presented as a single work, sometimes
featuring the trombone, sometimes the
trumpet. Both soloists perform their
parts beautifully, and the orchestra
does a fine job. So while this might
not have been the presentation intended
by the composer, the product is very
good. Taken in context of the entire
CD, these two works, in addition to
the Haydn concerto, would have been
ideally suited for packaging.
This is especially
true because the trombone duet, Concerto
in D Major for two Trombones and Orchestra
is so well done. The instrumentation
used is not normally utilized. This
only adds to the special nature of the
work. Michael Haydn’s concerto requires
two truly virtuoso trombonists, able
to perform rapid lip-trills and florid
turns in harmony. These two performers
do a marvelous job. The technique and
control exhibited is simply amazing.
This was the highlight of the disc.
Following half an hour
of classical-era brass music we suddenly
find ourselves in the midst of a modernist
piece for clarinet and pared-down string
section. It is a pleasing enough work,
filled with energetic and interesting
melodic lines on the clarinet. It is
all reminiscent of Gershwin, coupled
with neo-Impressionist string writing.
Certainly, taken on its own, this is
a fine piece of music quite well performed
and deserving repeated listening. Certainly
it would be appreciated as a side-piece
on a program featuring Rhapsody in
Blue.
Finally, in a complete
change of character, comes an atonal
work for piano and chamber ensemble
with several strings, brass and woodwinds.
It is a rather ominous seven movement
work based on a medieval hymn. Reminiscent
of Orff or Firebird-era Stravinsky,
this is a piece which deserves to be
highlighted. The orchestra does an outstanding
job, and the piano work is more than
adequate to the task. In all honesty,
upon initial listening, this was a work
that felt overly-derivative and lacking
character. However, on subsequent listening,
I exposed myself to each piece independently.
The thick-chords and atonal melodic
lines that seem so dissonant and difficult
when played next to the other pieces
are truly beautiful when listened to
independently. Camerata does the work
a disservice by packaging it with eighteenth
century literature. Properly set alongside
other twentieth century works, this
would be easily recognized as a work
worthy of appreciation.
Perhaps the largest
problem with the album is the title.
After all, the Wiener Concert-Verein
does justice to all four composers.
The soloists perform their parts quite
well. There is nothing wrong with any
of the particulars of any of the performances.
The problem is that "Michael Haydn:
Concerto in D Major for two Trombones
and Orchestra" implies that the program
will either be entirely this particular
work or with other similar works in
support. If the CD’s title were "Several
largely-unrelated works performed by
Wiener Concert-Verein" then it would
be easier to review the album positively
as a whole. It was somewhat disappointing,
however, to find the 20th
century clarinet piece and piano concerto
on an album heralded by its classical
trombone works. As all of the music
presented is well performed, it is impossible
for this reviewer to completely dismiss
the entire disc. It is simply my hope
that, in future releases, Camerata does
not continue to assemble ad hoc whatever
happens to be in the orchestra’s folder.
Patrick Gary