Notes and Editorial Reviews
The Three Orchestral Pieces is a tremendously complex
score. It poses high problems of balance for the conductor, despite
Berg’s notational help in the form of Haupt- and Nebenstimmen
(principal and subsidiary lines). In a sense this post-Mahlerian,
with the second movement entitled “Reigen” (“Round
Dance”) and a March as finale - the first movement is simply
marked as “Prelude”. The piece opens with a gesture
that what was to become a modernist cliché, the music
beginning from nothing, percussion murmurings, before finally
being “born”. It was hardly a cliché at the
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time of composition and Metzmacher has his excellent orchestra
play with a real sense of discovery. The second movement does
indeed contain the essence of the dance, and the finale is here
a true March, and a nightmarish one at that. The Bambergers play
as if their lives depended on it. Occasionally some detail is
lost, but that seems to be more the fault of the recording than
the conductor.
Frank-Peter Zimmermann’s 1990 account of the Violin Concerto
is technically competent and well recorded. The conductor, Gianluigi
Gelmetti, does a fine job of isolating the main and subsidiary
lines (Haupt and Nebenstimmen), and the recording quality itself
supports him in this. The opening of the second movement, which
should be cataclysmic in impact, is here just strong. Zimmermann
deals well with the violin’s difficult lines immediately
thereafter, under which the orchestra intones the sinister Hauptrhythmus.
As one listens to the performance, one becomes aware of the musician’s
goal. They have the end clearly in sight. En route, there is
a real feeling of partnership between soloist and conductor -
listen to how Zimmermann accompanies the orchestrally intoned
Carinthian folksongs, and to how the flowerings of the chorale
are managed.
Zimmermann’s Violin Concerto was originally coupled with
the Stravinsky Violin Concerto - Perlman famously coupled these
two works as well - and the Ravel Tzigane. My top recommendation
for this piece remains Anne-Sophie Mutter (CSO/Levine on DG)
but the present Zimmermann view is as solid as one can imagine
for this piece. Of vital interest, of course, is the Krasner
version, conducted by Webern on Testament.
The Lulu-Suite (sometimes also known as the Lulu-Symphonie)
is given a beautifully sensitive performance by Rattle and his
Birmingham ensemble. Rattle is very alive to the half-lights
of the quarter-hour first movement (Rondo: Andante und Hymne).
Arleen Augér is in fabulous form for the “Lied der
Lulu”, her excursions into Queen of the Night territory
miraculously managed. The final movement’s climax is not
really as powerful as I would like, although the warm recording
renders Rattle’s attempt faithfully. Rattle’s original
coupling was an inspired one, by the way: Berg Lulu-Suite,
Schoenberg Op. 16 and Webern Op. 6 (CDC7 49857-2).
Sune Bundegaard is the perfect soloist for the Seven Early
Songs. The composer Matthias Pintscher is also a fine conductor
(see review of a Barbican
concert with the BBCSO). “Die Nachtigall”, the
third song, is particularly beautiful in this account. Bundegaard’s
voice is wonderfully free, and Pintscher accompanies with a delicate
tracery of thematic fragments. If the final “Sommertage” could
glow more, this remains an immensely satisfying reading.
Another early work, the Piano Sonata, is given a rather disappointing
reading by Peter Donohoe, whose directness robs the music of
its exploratory nature and even the harmonies of their perfume.
The actual piano sound is good, but under Donohoe’s fingers
the climax threatens to disintegrate and is laborious. Infinitely
more subtle is Sabine Meyer and Lars Vogt’s ephemeral performance
of the Op. 5 pieces for clarinet and piano. These are live performances,
something I guessed before checking out the booklet, such is
the spontaneity of utterance. The explosive nature of the final
piece, and its heightened contrasts, are particularly honoured.
One of the highlights of the set, without a doubt.
Metzmacher’s Wozzeck interlude is good without being
overwhelming. Note the booklet announces this as a live performance,
then gives a string of dates for an excerpt that lasts less than
four minutes!. Ending with the Alban Berg Quartet’s Lyric
Suite is a shrewd move, though. The ABQ’s excellence
has never been in doubt, and this is their home turf. Along with
the clarinet pieces, this forms one of the set’s two high
points. The ABQ’s confidence is beyond criticism, as is
their unfailing understanding of Berg’s highly tensile
but also highly refined emotional language. The refined, airy
writing of the third movement (allegro misterioso) and the penultimate
Presto delirando are particularly spectacular in its effect.
The recording is exemplary from all angles. Tremendous - this
account alone makes the purchase price well spent.
Booklet notes by Matthew Rye are brief (less than two CD-sized
pages). As this is presumably pitched on some level as an introduction
to Berg, given the price-point, the listener would surely appreciate
greater detail, or a surer helping hand. In presenting a conspectus
over two discs that effectively spans Berg’s creative output
(‘effectively’ because, although the twofer includes
the Sieben frühe Lieder, there were literally hundreds
of earlier songs) there are inevitably omissions - most obvious
here are the String Quartet, Op. 3 and the Altenberg-Lieder,
Op. 4. Worth investigating, though.
-- Colin Clarke, MusicWeb International Read less
Works on This Recording
1.
Lyric Suite for String Quartet by Alban Berg
Performer:
Günter Pichler (Violin),
Gerhard Schulz (Violin),
Valentin Erben (Cello),
Thomas Kakuska (Viola)
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Alban Berg String Quartet
Period: 20th Century
Written: 1926; Austria
Date of Recording: 04/1992
Venue: Evangelical Church, Seon, Switzerland
Length: 27 Minutes 4 Secs.
2.
Lulu-Suite by Alban Berg
Performer:
Arleen Augér (Soprano)
Conductor:
Simon Rattle
Orchestra/Ensemble:
City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra
Period: 20th Century
Written: 1934; Austria
Venue: Arts Centre, University of Warwick, Eng.
Length: 33 Minutes 58 Secs.
Language: German
Notes: Arts Centre, University of Warwick, Eng. (12/1987 - 04/1988)
3.
Concerto for Violin by Alban Berg
Performer:
Frank Peter Zimmermann (Violin)
Conductor:
Gianluigi Gelmetti
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Stuttgart Radio Symphony Orchestra
Period: 20th Century
Written: 1935; Austria
Venue: Broadcast Studio, Villa Berg, Stuttgart,
Length: 25 Minutes 35 Secs.
Notes: Broadcast Studio, Villa Berg, Stuttgart, Germany (09/03/1990 - 09/05/1990)
4.
Pieces (3) for Orchestra, Op. 6 by Alban Berg
Conductor:
Ingo Metzmacher
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Bamberg Symphony Orchestra
Period: 20th Century
Written: 1915/1929; Austria
Date of Recording: 1995
Length: 19 Minutes 44 Secs.
5.
Early Songs (7) by Alban Berg
Performer:
Sine Bundgaard (Soprano)
Conductor:
Matthias Pintscher
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Danish Radio Sinfonietta
Period: 20th Century
Written: 1905-1908; Austria
Venue: Concert Hall, Danish Radio, Copenhagen,
Length: 15 Minutes 8 Secs.
Language: German
Notes: Concert Hall, Danish Radio, Copenhagen, Denmark (09/20/2004 - 09/21/2004)
6.
Sonata for Piano, Op. 1 by Alban Berg
Performer:
Peter Donohoe (Piano)
Period: 20th Century
Written: ?1907-08; Austria
Date of Recording: 1989
Venue: EMI Abbey Road Studio no 1, London, Engl
Length: 12 Minutes 29 Secs.
7.
Pieces (4) for Clarinet and Piano, Op. 5 by Alban Berg
Performer:
Lars Vogt (Piano),
Sabine Meyer (Clarinet)
Period: 20th Century
Written: 1913; Austria
Venue: Live Heimbach Chamber Music Festival
Length: 7 Minutes 46 Secs.
Notes: Heimbach Chamber Music Festival (09/09/2002 - 09/11/2002)
8.
Wozzeck, Op. 7: Act 3 - Interlude by Alban Berg
Conductor:
Ingo Metzmacher
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Hamburg State Philharmonic Orchestra
Period: 20th Century
Written: 1917-1922; Austria
Venue: Live State Opera, Hamburg, Germany
Length: 3 Minutes 35 Secs.
Notes: State Opera, Hamburg, Germany (09/27/1998 - 11/09/1998)
Sound Samples
Drei Orchesterstücke Op. 6: I. Präludium: Langsam
Drei Orchesterstücke Op. 6: II. Reigen: Anfangs etwas zögernd - Leicht beschwingt
Drei Orchesterstücke Op. 6: III. Marsch. Mässiges Marschtempo
Violinkonzert "Dem Andenken eines Engels" (1935): Andante - Allegretto
Violinkonzert "Dem Andenken eines Engels" (1935): Allegro - Adagio
Lulu Suite (Symphonic Pieces from the opera 'Lulu'): I. Rondo (Andante) und Hymne
Lulu Suite (Symphonic Pieces from the opera 'Lulu'): II. Ostinato (Allegro)
Lulu Suite (Symphonic Pieces from the opera 'Lulu'): III. Lied der Lulu (Comodo)
Lulu Suite (Symphonic Pieces from the opera 'Lulu'): IV. Variationen (Moderato)
Lulu Suite (Symphonic Pieces from the opera 'Lulu'): V. Adagio
Sieben Frühe Lieder: 1. Nacht
Sieben Frühe Lieder: 2. Schilflied
Sieben Frühe Lieder: 3. Die Nachtigall
Sieben Frühe Lieder: 4. Traumgekrönt
Sieben Frühe Lieder: 5. Im Zimmer
Sieben Frühe Lieder: 6. Liebesode
Sieben Frühe Lieder: 7. Sommertage
Vier Stücke für Klarinette und Klavier op. 5: Mäßig
Vier Stücke für Klarinette und Klavier op. 5: Sehr Langsam
Vier Stücke für Klarinette und Klavier op. 5: Sehr Rasch
Vier Stücke für Klarinette und Klavier op. 5: Langsam
Wozzeck · Oper in 3 Akten, Dritter Akt: Adagio (Orchester)
Lyric Suite: I. Allegretto giovale
Lyric Suite: II. Andante amoroso
Lyric Suite: III. Allegro misterioso
Lyric Suite: IV. Adagio appassionato
Lyric Suite: V. Presto delirando
Lyric Suite: VI. Largo desolato
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