Sonata, 1920; For Violoncello and Piano by Kurt Weill; Sonate dans le caractère d'une scènelyrique; pour violoncelle et piano by Marcel Mihalovici; Sonata; For Violoncello and Piano byJohn LessardReview by: Peter FarrellNotes, Second Series, Vol. 41, No. 1 (Sep., 1984), pp. 168-169Published by: Music Library AssociationStable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/940952 .

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MLA Notes, September 1984 MLA Notes, September 1984

Many of the same comments apply to a Suite by Adolph Busch: it is entirely idio- matic, as would be expected in a work by a master violinist, but comes across as dated and somewhat derivative in nature. No doubt because the work was composed when Karl Doktor, violist of the Busch Quartet, spoke of Reger's playing themes from a proposed fourth suite for viola, it is remi- niscent of Reger, though not nearly as ab- struse harmonically. This well-crafted work develops considerable excitement by means of the building of phrases.

The violist Guillermo Perich has pro- vided a transcription of Soulima Stravin- sky's Piano suite for the right hand, a short (eight-minute) work of a lightweight, easy character. It consists of a prelude and five dances based upon a twelve-tone row (quoted before the piece). This is a fairly interesting idea: different characters and meters vary a common harmonic-melodic underpinning. Of the dances, four-March, Valse, Gavotte, and Sarabande-are in some variant of ABA form, a possible defect. Of difficulty to the performer are frequent double stops of the diminished octave and unorthodox spellings (a perfect fifth of F# and Db) which result from the use of a tone- row. Although much of the suite is thus not idiomatic, it is of sufficient interest to merit attention.

Motum III by Alain Voirpy is a "sound- effect" piece: it revels in the sound of beats caused by quarter tone double stops and in loud, jagged, dissonant, interjecting chords. It employs a panoply of modern string techniques, including every type of glis- sando, playing on and behind the bridge, left-hand pizzicato during a bowed trem- olo, and scurrying passages in all registers. However, this appears not to be merely a bag of tricks, but a sensitive work full of nuance. It is not overly difficult and is blessed by shortness. It might be an appro- priate representative modern piece for a student or audience. The publisher has kindly provided a four-page spread, elim- inating page-turn problems.

Perhaps the most successful of these six works, by virtue of variety, interest, and suitability to the viola, is the Six etudes of Nancy Van de Vate. Each etude explores a clearly defined and different stylistic and technical area, and lasts no more than a minute and a half or so. Thus, number one is singing and rhapsodic, the second mostly

Many of the same comments apply to a Suite by Adolph Busch: it is entirely idio- matic, as would be expected in a work by a master violinist, but comes across as dated and somewhat derivative in nature. No doubt because the work was composed when Karl Doktor, violist of the Busch Quartet, spoke of Reger's playing themes from a proposed fourth suite for viola, it is remi- niscent of Reger, though not nearly as ab- struse harmonically. This well-crafted work develops considerable excitement by means of the building of phrases.

The violist Guillermo Perich has pro- vided a transcription of Soulima Stravin- sky's Piano suite for the right hand, a short (eight-minute) work of a lightweight, easy character. It consists of a prelude and five dances based upon a twelve-tone row (quoted before the piece). This is a fairly interesting idea: different characters and meters vary a common harmonic-melodic underpinning. Of the dances, four-March, Valse, Gavotte, and Sarabande-are in some variant of ABA form, a possible defect. Of difficulty to the performer are frequent double stops of the diminished octave and unorthodox spellings (a perfect fifth of F# and Db) which result from the use of a tone- row. Although much of the suite is thus not idiomatic, it is of sufficient interest to merit attention.

Motum III by Alain Voirpy is a "sound- effect" piece: it revels in the sound of beats caused by quarter tone double stops and in loud, jagged, dissonant, interjecting chords. It employs a panoply of modern string techniques, including every type of glis- sando, playing on and behind the bridge, left-hand pizzicato during a bowed trem- olo, and scurrying passages in all registers. However, this appears not to be merely a bag of tricks, but a sensitive work full of nuance. It is not overly difficult and is blessed by shortness. It might be an appro- priate representative modern piece for a student or audience. The publisher has kindly provided a four-page spread, elim- inating page-turn problems.

Perhaps the most successful of these six works, by virtue of variety, interest, and suitability to the viola, is the Six etudes of Nancy Van de Vate. Each etude explores a clearly defined and different stylistic and technical area, and lasts no more than a minute and a half or so. Thus, number one is singing and rhapsodic, the second mostly

pizzicato, the third a scherzando with ri- cochet bowing, and so forth. The sixth is the longest and most dramatic, building to a fine climax in order to close the entire work.

JUDSON GRIFFIN New York City

Kurt Weill. Sonata, 1920; for violon- cello and piano. Totowa, NJ: Euro- pean American, 1982. [Score, 46 p.;

10.00]

Marcel Mihalovici. Sonate dans le caractere d'une scene lyrique; pour violoncelle et piano. Paris: Heugel (Presser), 1980. [Score, 27 p., and part; $19.50]

John Lessard. Sonata; for violoncello and piano. Dobbs Ferry, NY: Joshua (General Music Publishing), c1981. [Score, 24 p., and part; $10.00]

These three sonatas for cello and piano are all impressive works by significant twentieth-century composers. Each in its own way is a statement of a distinctive mu- sical personality.

Kurt Weill's Sonata (1920), never before published, is one of the composer's earliest works, written while he was still a student and long before he developed his charac- teristic approach toward music composi- tion or created the stage works for which he is so well known. A large work of three contrasting movements, the Sonata is pos- sessed of a soaring lyricism, based on a harmonic background of extended chord structures. Obviously the work of a certain musical genius, the Sonata exemplifies the young composer's confrontation with the problems of structure and musical logic consequent upon the renunciation of tonality.

Marcel Mihalovici's Sonate dans le car- actere d'une scene lyrique, op. 108, is the ma- ture work of a significant French composer of Rumanian origin (b. 1898), whose music is a synthesis of French and East European elements. This sonata is in one continuous movement of sixteen to seventeen minutes duration, free and improvisatory in na- ture, an idyll with an impressionistic pa- tina, lyrical with euphoniously dissonant

pizzicato, the third a scherzando with ri- cochet bowing, and so forth. The sixth is the longest and most dramatic, building to a fine climax in order to close the entire work.

JUDSON GRIFFIN New York City

Kurt Weill. Sonata, 1920; for violon- cello and piano. Totowa, NJ: Euro- pean American, 1982. [Score, 46 p.;

10.00]

Marcel Mihalovici. Sonate dans le caractere d'une scene lyrique; pour violoncelle et piano. Paris: Heugel (Presser), 1980. [Score, 27 p., and part; $19.50]

John Lessard. Sonata; for violoncello and piano. Dobbs Ferry, NY: Joshua (General Music Publishing), c1981. [Score, 24 p., and part; $10.00]

These three sonatas for cello and piano are all impressive works by significant twentieth-century composers. Each in its own way is a statement of a distinctive mu- sical personality.

Kurt Weill's Sonata (1920), never before published, is one of the composer's earliest works, written while he was still a student and long before he developed his charac- teristic approach toward music composi- tion or created the stage works for which he is so well known. A large work of three contrasting movements, the Sonata is pos- sessed of a soaring lyricism, based on a harmonic background of extended chord structures. Obviously the work of a certain musical genius, the Sonata exemplifies the young composer's confrontation with the problems of structure and musical logic consequent upon the renunciation of tonality.

Marcel Mihalovici's Sonate dans le car- actere d'une scene lyrique, op. 108, is the ma- ture work of a significant French composer of Rumanian origin (b. 1898), whose music is a synthesis of French and East European elements. This sonata is in one continuous movement of sixteen to seventeen minutes duration, free and improvisatory in na- ture, an idyll with an impressionistic pa- tina, lyrical with euphoniously dissonant

168 168

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Music Reviews Music Reviews Music Reviews Music Reviews

harmonies. It makes full use of the possi- bilities of the cello, the piano, and their combination, so it is demanding on the re- sources of the performers.

John Lessard (b. 1920) is a contempo- rary American composer influenced by the French neo-classic tradition, a member of the so called American "Stravinsky School." This fine, terse Sonata is the carefully structured work of a master craftsman. Ex- cellently written for the medium, the tech- nical demands are moderate.

Each of these three sonatas is beautifully engraved and printed. Fortunately, each publication presents the music as the com- poser wrote it, free from the subjective interpretations of some performer-editor.

PETER FARRELL University of California, San Diego

Stanley Weiner. Sonatina for 2 violas, op. 77. [s.l.]: Edizioni nuova musica (Rarities for Strings Publications, Cleveland), c1981. [9 p.; $6.00]

Stanley Weiner's three-movement Sona- tina is cast in a conservative idiom, notated in the key of G (even if it rarely sounds so). Although there are some high position work, double stops, and other virtuoso writing, it remains within reasonable tech- nical limits. The first movement is contra- puntal; the second is a species of siciliano, but in ' time; the last and hardest move- ment is fast, with changing meters. While perhaps not interesting enough to perform in concert (what viola duos are?), this may be just the thing that would be fun for two violists seeking an accessible modern id- iom.

Eugenio Cavallini. Divertimento for viola and strings. Edited by Giovanni Antonioni. Cleveland: Rarities for Strings Publications, 1981. [Score, 18 p., and parts; $12.00]

Owing to the dearth of nineteenth-cen- tury viola repertoire, the violist eagerly ap- plauds the appearance of music from this era. Since Italian viola music is especially scarce, the publication by Rarities for Strings of the Divertimento by Eugenio Cavallini is a singular event. Expectations may run even higher upon reading the publisher's note:

harmonies. It makes full use of the possi- bilities of the cello, the piano, and their combination, so it is demanding on the re- sources of the performers.

John Lessard (b. 1920) is a contempo- rary American composer influenced by the French neo-classic tradition, a member of the so called American "Stravinsky School." This fine, terse Sonata is the carefully structured work of a master craftsman. Ex- cellently written for the medium, the tech- nical demands are moderate.

Each of these three sonatas is beautifully engraved and printed. Fortunately, each publication presents the music as the com- poser wrote it, free from the subjective interpretations of some performer-editor.

PETER FARRELL University of California, San Diego

Stanley Weiner. Sonatina for 2 violas, op. 77. [s.l.]: Edizioni nuova musica (Rarities for Strings Publications, Cleveland), c1981. [9 p.; $6.00]

Stanley Weiner's three-movement Sona- tina is cast in a conservative idiom, notated in the key of G (even if it rarely sounds so). Although there are some high position work, double stops, and other virtuoso writing, it remains within reasonable tech- nical limits. The first movement is contra- puntal; the second is a species of siciliano, but in ' time; the last and hardest move- ment is fast, with changing meters. While perhaps not interesting enough to perform in concert (what viola duos are?), this may be just the thing that would be fun for two violists seeking an accessible modern id- iom.

Eugenio Cavallini. Divertimento for viola and strings. Edited by Giovanni Antonioni. Cleveland: Rarities for Strings Publications, 1981. [Score, 18 p., and parts; $12.00]

Owing to the dearth of nineteenth-cen- tury viola repertoire, the violist eagerly ap- plauds the appearance of music from this era. Since Italian viola music is especially scarce, the publication by Rarities for Strings of the Divertimento by Eugenio Cavallini is a singular event. Expectations may run even higher upon reading the publisher's note:

harmonies. It makes full use of the possi- bilities of the cello, the piano, and their combination, so it is demanding on the re- sources of the performers.

John Lessard (b. 1920) is a contempo- rary American composer influenced by the French neo-classic tradition, a member of the so called American "Stravinsky School." This fine, terse Sonata is the carefully structured work of a master craftsman. Ex- cellently written for the medium, the tech- nical demands are moderate.

Each of these three sonatas is beautifully engraved and printed. Fortunately, each publication presents the music as the com- poser wrote it, free from the subjective interpretations of some performer-editor.

PETER FARRELL University of California, San Diego

Stanley Weiner. Sonatina for 2 violas, op. 77. [s.l.]: Edizioni nuova musica (Rarities for Strings Publications, Cleveland), c1981. [9 p.; $6.00]

Stanley Weiner's three-movement Sona- tina is cast in a conservative idiom, notated in the key of G (even if it rarely sounds so). Although there are some high position work, double stops, and other virtuoso writing, it remains within reasonable tech- nical limits. The first movement is contra- puntal; the second is a species of siciliano, but in ' time; the last and hardest move- ment is fast, with changing meters. While perhaps not interesting enough to perform in concert (what viola duos are?), this may be just the thing that would be fun for two violists seeking an accessible modern id- iom.

Eugenio Cavallini. Divertimento for viola and strings. Edited by Giovanni Antonioni. Cleveland: Rarities for Strings Publications, 1981. [Score, 18 p., and parts; $12.00]

Owing to the dearth of nineteenth-cen- tury viola repertoire, the violist eagerly ap- plauds the appearance of music from this era. Since Italian viola music is especially scarce, the publication by Rarities for Strings of the Divertimento by Eugenio Cavallini is a singular event. Expectations may run even higher upon reading the publisher's note:

harmonies. It makes full use of the possi- bilities of the cello, the piano, and their combination, so it is demanding on the re- sources of the performers.

John Lessard (b. 1920) is a contempo- rary American composer influenced by the French neo-classic tradition, a member of the so called American "Stravinsky School." This fine, terse Sonata is the carefully structured work of a master craftsman. Ex- cellently written for the medium, the tech- nical demands are moderate.

Each of these three sonatas is beautifully engraved and printed. Fortunately, each publication presents the music as the com- poser wrote it, free from the subjective interpretations of some performer-editor.

PETER FARRELL University of California, San Diego

Stanley Weiner. Sonatina for 2 violas, op. 77. [s.l.]: Edizioni nuova musica (Rarities for Strings Publications, Cleveland), c1981. [9 p.; $6.00]

Stanley Weiner's three-movement Sona- tina is cast in a conservative idiom, notated in the key of G (even if it rarely sounds so). Although there are some high position work, double stops, and other virtuoso writing, it remains within reasonable tech- nical limits. The first movement is contra- puntal; the second is a species of siciliano, but in ' time; the last and hardest move- ment is fast, with changing meters. While perhaps not interesting enough to perform in concert (what viola duos are?), this may be just the thing that would be fun for two violists seeking an accessible modern id- iom.

Eugenio Cavallini. Divertimento for viola and strings. Edited by Giovanni Antonioni. Cleveland: Rarities for Strings Publications, 1981. [Score, 18 p., and parts; $12.00]

Owing to the dearth of nineteenth-cen- tury viola repertoire, the violist eagerly ap- plauds the appearance of music from this era. Since Italian viola music is especially scarce, the publication by Rarities for Strings of the Divertimento by Eugenio Cavallini is a singular event. Expectations may run even higher upon reading the publisher's note:

it states that Cavallini was a prize pupil of and successor to Alessandro Rolla, a very great violinist and champion of the viola (see especially his concertos and Duo concertante for violin and viola).

Cavallini's Divertimento comprises a po- lonaise preceded by an adagio in a style typical of Italian opera of the period. Mu- sically it is naive. The orchestral share of the duties is kept to a bare minimum, to the point of comically direct and even clumsy modulations and tick-tack accom- paniments. The part assigned the solo vi- ola, unfortunately, lies so consistently high that it would suit the violin with very few changes and may very well sound better for it: in the adagio (five of the eighteen pages of score), the C and G strings are avoided entirely! In spite of this tessitura, it is fairly easy to play; that is, easy until page twelve, from which point until the end the diffi- culties are formidable. Alas, the editing is of no help. It consists of arbitrary finger- ings and bowings, which provide neither real technical help (they tend to disappear in the hardest places) nor stylistic guid- ance. There are also quite a few errors in the accompaniment, although these should be easy to spot. It must be allowed that the tunes in this work are quite attractive, but in view of its musical inconsistencies and especially since it is not appropriate for the viola, it will no doubt return to the obscu- rity from which it came.

JUDSON GRIFFIN New York City

Robert Moevs. Trio; for violin, vio- loncello, and piano. Bryn Mawr: Presser, 1982. [Score, 20 p., and parts; $12.50]

Robert Muczynski. Second piano trio, op.36. Bryn Mawr: Presser, 1982. [Score, 32 p., and parts; $15.00]

These two piano trios by American com- posers resident at major universities attest to the stylistic and expressive diversity common not only to this country and its ac- ademic institutions, but also to the century as a whole-a period of wide-ranging mu- sical vitality whose incredible richness is too often ignored in our passionate devotion to personal ideologies. While not arguing that either work constitutes a major contribu-

it states that Cavallini was a prize pupil of and successor to Alessandro Rolla, a very great violinist and champion of the viola (see especially his concertos and Duo concertante for violin and viola).

Cavallini's Divertimento comprises a po- lonaise preceded by an adagio in a style typical of Italian opera of the period. Mu- sically it is naive. The orchestral share of the duties is kept to a bare minimum, to the point of comically direct and even clumsy modulations and tick-tack accom- paniments. The part assigned the solo vi- ola, unfortunately, lies so consistently high that it would suit the violin with very few changes and may very well sound better for it: in the adagio (five of the eighteen pages of score), the C and G strings are avoided entirely! In spite of this tessitura, it is fairly easy to play; that is, easy until page twelve, from which point until the end the diffi- culties are formidable. Alas, the editing is of no help. It consists of arbitrary finger- ings and bowings, which provide neither real technical help (they tend to disappear in the hardest places) nor stylistic guid- ance. There are also quite a few errors in the accompaniment, although these should be easy to spot. It must be allowed that the tunes in this work are quite attractive, but in view of its musical inconsistencies and especially since it is not appropriate for the viola, it will no doubt return to the obscu- rity from which it came.

JUDSON GRIFFIN New York City

Robert Moevs. Trio; for violin, vio- loncello, and piano. Bryn Mawr: Presser, 1982. [Score, 20 p., and parts; $12.50]

Robert Muczynski. Second piano trio, op.36. Bryn Mawr: Presser, 1982. [Score, 32 p., and parts; $15.00]

These two piano trios by American com- posers resident at major universities attest to the stylistic and expressive diversity common not only to this country and its ac- ademic institutions, but also to the century as a whole-a period of wide-ranging mu- sical vitality whose incredible richness is too often ignored in our passionate devotion to personal ideologies. While not arguing that either work constitutes a major contribu-

it states that Cavallini was a prize pupil of and successor to Alessandro Rolla, a very great violinist and champion of the viola (see especially his concertos and Duo concertante for violin and viola).

Cavallini's Divertimento comprises a po- lonaise preceded by an adagio in a style typical of Italian opera of the period. Mu- sically it is naive. The orchestral share of the duties is kept to a bare minimum, to the point of comically direct and even clumsy modulations and tick-tack accom- paniments. The part assigned the solo vi- ola, unfortunately, lies so consistently high that it would suit the violin with very few changes and may very well sound better for it: in the adagio (five of the eighteen pages of score), the C and G strings are avoided entirely! In spite of this tessitura, it is fairly easy to play; that is, easy until page twelve, from which point until the end the diffi- culties are formidable. Alas, the editing is of no help. It consists of arbitrary finger- ings and bowings, which provide neither real technical help (they tend to disappear in the hardest places) nor stylistic guid- ance. There are also quite a few errors in the accompaniment, although these should be easy to spot. It must be allowed that the tunes in this work are quite attractive, but in view of its musical inconsistencies and especially since it is not appropriate for the viola, it will no doubt return to the obscu- rity from which it came.

JUDSON GRIFFIN New York City

Robert Moevs. Trio; for violin, vio- loncello, and piano. Bryn Mawr: Presser, 1982. [Score, 20 p., and parts; $12.50]

Robert Muczynski. Second piano trio, op.36. Bryn Mawr: Presser, 1982. [Score, 32 p., and parts; $15.00]

These two piano trios by American com- posers resident at major universities attest to the stylistic and expressive diversity common not only to this country and its ac- ademic institutions, but also to the century as a whole-a period of wide-ranging mu- sical vitality whose incredible richness is too often ignored in our passionate devotion to personal ideologies. While not arguing that either work constitutes a major contribu-

it states that Cavallini was a prize pupil of and successor to Alessandro Rolla, a very great violinist and champion of the viola (see especially his concertos and Duo concertante for violin and viola).

Cavallini's Divertimento comprises a po- lonaise preceded by an adagio in a style typical of Italian opera of the period. Mu- sically it is naive. The orchestral share of the duties is kept to a bare minimum, to the point of comically direct and even clumsy modulations and tick-tack accom- paniments. The part assigned the solo vi- ola, unfortunately, lies so consistently high that it would suit the violin with very few changes and may very well sound better for it: in the adagio (five of the eighteen pages of score), the C and G strings are avoided entirely! In spite of this tessitura, it is fairly easy to play; that is, easy until page twelve, from which point until the end the diffi- culties are formidable. Alas, the editing is of no help. It consists of arbitrary finger- ings and bowings, which provide neither real technical help (they tend to disappear in the hardest places) nor stylistic guid- ance. There are also quite a few errors in the accompaniment, although these should be easy to spot. It must be allowed that the tunes in this work are quite attractive, but in view of its musical inconsistencies and especially since it is not appropriate for the viola, it will no doubt return to the obscu- rity from which it came.

JUDSON GRIFFIN New York City

Robert Moevs. Trio; for violin, vio- loncello, and piano. Bryn Mawr: Presser, 1982. [Score, 20 p., and parts; $12.50]

Robert Muczynski. Second piano trio, op.36. Bryn Mawr: Presser, 1982. [Score, 32 p., and parts; $15.00]

These two piano trios by American com- posers resident at major universities attest to the stylistic and expressive diversity common not only to this country and its ac- ademic institutions, but also to the century as a whole-a period of wide-ranging mu- sical vitality whose incredible richness is too often ignored in our passionate devotion to personal ideologies. While not arguing that either work constitutes a major contribu-

169 169 169 169

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