George ENESCU (1881-1955)
Piano Trio in A minor (1916) [21:08]
Piano Quartet No 1 in D major, Op 16 (1909) [37:09]
Stefan Tarara (violin); Molly Carr (viola); Eun-Sun Hong (cello); Josu De Solaun (piano)
rec. 15-20 January 2017, Palau de la Música de València, Spain
NAXOS 8.573616 [58:18]
In his recent review of this CD Philip Buttall described the genesis of the works in some detail as well as an apt discussion of their musical substance. My impressions will supplement his, as I can only agree with his assessments. This is also my first acquaintance with these pieces, which have received several earlier recordings.
Neither of these compositions reminded me of the Enescu I knew before—basically his Romanian Rhapsodies and Third Violin Sonata—that are redolent with the sound of his native folk music. Both the Piano Trio and the Piano Quartet No. 1 owe a debt to Enescu’s teacher, Gabriel Fauré, but are convincingly individual works in their own right. Indeed, with the piano’s rolling arpeggios accompanying the soaring melody of the strings at the beginning of the trio I hear Fauré’s influence a great deal. There is also more than a hint of Brahms in this piece, too, but nothing specifically comes to mind. At the same time, as Buttall has noted, Enescu employs some whole tones reminding me that he was also influenced by French Impressionism. With all of these influences, though, the work holds together well and is successfully crafted. The briefer second movement is a theme and variations which I find most attractive. One wonders that if Enescu had seen this work through to completion, this movement might have been more extensive. As it is, it has merely three variations and lasts under six minutes. Interesting that the third variation is indicated as “tempo di Siciliano” while it is the second variation which most recalls the Sicilienne from Fauré’s Pelléas et Mélisande with the cello’s songful theme. The start of the finale, on the other hand, seems like a direct descendent of Chopin’s Funeral March from his Second Piano Sonata, as the piano has loud chords in the bass with its heavy tread accompanying a forceful, tragic-sounding melody in the strings. As the music progresses it lightens up and dances, fully affirming the designation of “Vivace amabile.” The musicians, not specified as a trio as such, perform Enescu’s work as if they had been playing together for years. They clearly have the full measure of the music without any member unduly dominating.
Enescu’s First Piano Quartet is an equally appealing companion to the trio. While the trio is more of a transitional work, the quartet seems more solidly in the Romantic tradition. The first movement begins with a unison melody by the quartet that in its darkness recalls Fauré’s own Piano Quartet No. 1, but then takes off in another direction with a Romantic theme. Later the piano has a tune that sounds a lot like Rachmaninov, but there is substantial variety of moods in the movement with lighter passages, including pizzicato and simpler piano figures. The music becomes incisive, vigorously leading to a coda that forcefully concludes the movement. The second movement begins with a tender cello solo that Richard Whitehouse in the liner notes aptly describes as “a noble cello threnody.” The movement is marked “Andante mesto,” which suits its pensive mood well. Enescu utilizes chromatic and modal harmony, recalling such French antecedents as César Franck. The finale then comes as quite a jolt after the work’s earlier movements and those of the Piano Trio. It is designated “Vivace” and its rhythmic, vigorous style provides more than a hint of the composer’s Third Violin Sonata to come with its Romanian folk influence. The movement contains contrasting, lyrical themes before concluding the work in high spirits. If I had to choose one section of either work here, it would be this ebullient finale. The musicians’ esprit de corps in this piece and throughout the disc is palpable.
While there are other recordings of this music available, excerpts of which I auditioned, none seem superior to the performances here. Naxos has contributed its usual succinct, but substantial notes on the works and performers with colour photos of the latter. Fans of Enescu may obtain this product with confidence.
Leslie Wright
Previous review: Philip R Buttall
George
ENESCU (1881-1955) Piano Trio, Piano
Quartet No 1 - Stefan Tarara (violin) Molly Carr (viola) Eun-Sun Hong
(cello) Josu De Solaun (piano) rec. 2021 NAXOS 8.573616 [58:18]
[LW]
Enescu chamber music in spirited and persuasive performances.
