MARBECKS COLLECTABLE: Shostakovich/Schoenberg: Chamber Music

"In Shostakovich's chronology, the Quintet and the Trio on this disc were written after his initial venture into the String Quartet (No 1 in 1938), but before he had embarked on the remainder of the magnificent cycle. The five movement Piano Quintet of 1940 is an intriguing work. The mood changes of the composer, from his deep Russian angst to bitter humour show from movement to movement in this highly varied piece. Overall the introspection and sombreness in the work outweigh the lighter moments. The opening Prelude leads into a slow Fugue which has as its basis a theme to be used later in the Fifth Symphony. The quirky Scherzo with percussive piano is typical of the composer who then writes a plaintive melody in the Intermezzo and concludes with another highly personal and utterly typical ending. A fascinating piece, and one to return to. Lovers of chamber music who do not know the work should investigate its combination of string quartet and piano and the extra tonal variety it offers. The recording is clear and well-balanced and the performance is excellent.

The other major work on the disc is the Second Piano Trio that was dedicated to a close friend of the composer who had recently died. Inevitably this musical epitaph is highly charged. The opening Andante, sparely written and doleful, leads to a bustling, slightly sardonic, second movement scherzo. The Largo, an elegy for the two strings with a minimal part for the piano, is followed by an Allegretto with Hebrew themes dominant. A powerful, almost sinister ending to an intriguing work.

Four short waltzes using material from music Shostakovich wrote for films (of over thirty in all) complete the disc. Combinations of flute, piccolo, clarinet and piano make up a charming interlude in typical encore pieces that show the composer's lighter side.

The three Schoenberg pieces that make up the second disc are a curious mixture. The Kammersymphonie (Chamber Symphony) Op. 9 was originally written by Schoenberg for 15 solo instruments before being scored for full Orchestra. Anton Webern's arrangement for flute, clarinet, violin cello and piano inevitably then must lose some of the original's complexity and colouring, though, perversely, the remaining lines can arguably be said to be more distinct. This is a competent but uninspiring performance that fails to engage the listener as it should.

The Ode to Napoleon Op.41 is a single movement serial piece for four strings and piano with a reciter, whose part is carefully notated in sprechgesang with its demanding time variations. Based upon a polemic by Lord Byron targeted at Napoleon when he decided to call himself Emperor, Schoenberg in 1942 updated the subject of the tirade to Adolf Hitler. The work is approachable and has considerable interest- if to a minority. However, as Byron's words are not included with the disc notes (though these are written in three languages), one wonders how much effect they would have on a non English-speaking listener. We in the UK complain quickly if - for instance - an English translation of German lieder is not available. As reciter, Thomas Allen is recorded set well forward and his diction is impeccable though the subject matter called for more of a ranting, less beautiful delivery. The tempo throughout was on the brisk side and the instrumentalists meet the challenge head on. For collectors seeking a recording of this work it can be safely recommended.

From the slightly known to the virtual 'pop' piece - in Schoenberg's terms, that is. It is strange to think that a piece written over a hundred years ago (1899 to be exact) is still not universally accepted. The knee jerk reaction is to the name Schoenberg rather than to his music, some of which is approachable to the listener willing to keep an open ear and mind. Like Verklärte Nacht, for instance, which is a work with some sublime moments of great beauty. It is more generally heard in its larger scale form than, as here, in its original string sextet version. The reading is intense and powerful and technically impressively played with a brightly lit recording typical of the entire disc. Another recommendation."
(MusicWeb May 2000)

Note: Cover may differ from that shown