Algirdas MARTINAITIS (b. 1950)
Seasons & Serenades: Works for String Orchestra
The Three M’art Comedy Seasons for violin & string orchestra (2014) [21:59]
Artizarra for string orchestra & harpsichord (2001) [5:07]
Serenade for Mistress Europe (1999) [18:31]
Birds of Eden (1981) [8:43]
Valse Triste for soprano & string orchestra (2020) [6:25]
Chant de la Lointaine for soprano, string orchestra and piano (2014) [12:23]
Rūta Lipinaitytė (violin), Asta Krikščiūnaitė (soprano), Daumantas Slipkus (harpsichord & piano)
St Christopher Chamber Orchestra/Modestas Barkauskas
rec. February 2020, Lithuanian National Culture Centre Recording Studio, Vilnius, Lithuania
ONDINE ODE1398-2 [73:08]
Another delivery of discs to review and another discovery, for despite my recent interest in the music of the Baltic States I had not, as Ben Lunn’s booklet notes suggest I perhaps should have, previously come across Algirdas Martinaitis. I’m very pleased that I have, however, since his music is hugely enjoyable. There is a massive input of energy in these works; their propulsive nature makes for compulsive listening and the desire to replay the disc as soon as it comes to an end.
Ben Lunn’s notes give the listener a good background to Martinaitis’ place in the music of his country and what to listen out for in the works. I have to say, however, that I couldn’t hear the references to Vivaldi in the first of them, The Three M’art Comedy seasons, where he indicates that I should, but I put that down to my inability. I just enjoyed them for what they are, a fascinating and refreshingly different set of pieces full of inventive episodes that forge ahead with an urgency at times reminiscent of John Adams’ Short Ride in a Fast Machine.
Artizarra for string orchestra and harpsichord has the same drive at the beginning but the music then slows right down into almost slow-motion mode to conclude with an abrupt full stop. It is interesting that Ben Lunn describes the harpsichord’s role as purely ornamental, as I couldn’t pick it out at all - which either signifies that it is time for hearing aids or to change my equipment!
Serenade for Mistress Europe is a lively, enjoyable piece for string orchestra with several amusing episodes and shows how adept the composer is in writing for this kind of ensemble. Interestingly, he employs a number of false starts and ends, teasing the listener into thinking things are about to start when they aren’t or to end when they don’t. At one point close to the end, he has the orchestra play off key, an unusual idea that seems to suggest a kind of innocence, before a choir enters to join the orchestra for the closing seconds.
Birds of Eden, which the composer has reworked for string orchestra from his original work for four electric cellos (I’d like to hear that), reminded me of Rautavaara’s Concerto for Birds and Orchestra, though in Martinaitis’ case the bird sounds are entirely the work of the instruments rather than using actual recordings of birdsong. The effect within this short eight-minute work is very successful, the chattering birds against a background of longer and gentler bird sounds making for a beautifully rounded work of considerable impact.
The final two works on this fascinating disc are for soprano with string orchestra with the addition of a piano for the last work. They are both settings of texts by Lithuanian diplomat Oscar Vladislas de Lubicz Milosz. The achingly beautiful Valse Triste is followed by Chant de la Lointaine which title possibly reflects Milosz’s yearning for home while in France as Lithuania’s representative at the League of Nations. Once again, Martinaitis shows his facility for writing for the voice, which is powerfully telling despite the language barrier.
This recording is a worthy introduction to this composer’s works which should spark an interest in his other writings, as they are all thoroughly satisfying and tuneful with an intriguing mix of the satirical and the deadly serious, weaving humour and plangent tones in equal measure. I hope Ondine’s work in bringing this to public attention results in listeners seeking out more of his compositions; it has certainly done that for me.
Steve Arloff
Previous review:
Christopher Little
