Volume 28 Issue 1 | September 20 - November 8, 2022

Koschei’s subjects, enhance the drama.
The pairing with Stravinsky’s equally
groundbreaking ballet Apollon Musagète,
written 18 years later, works brilliantly.
Like The Firebird, it draws on ancient tales.
But these tales are from Greek mythology.
In The Firebird, goodness must overcome
evil to triumph. Here, goodness prevails
unchallenged. Instead of conflict there’s
serenity. Instead of mystery, there’s clarity.
It’s all conjured up luminously by Gimeno
and the exquisite strings of the Orchestre
Philharmonique du Luxembourg in gorgeous,
sweeping brushstrokes.
Pamela Margles
Nazareno – Bernstein; Stravinsky; Golijov
Chris Richards; Katia and Marielle
Labèque; London Symphony Orchestra; Sir
Simon Rattle
LSO Live LSO 0836 (lso.co.uk)
! Sir Simon Rattle
and the LSO have
released, concurrent
with their
Stravinsky: Early
Ballets collection,
a record offering a
brief survey of the
Afro-Latin influence
on “serious” music of the last century. It
includes two curiosities for clarinet: Prelude,
Fugue and Riffs (1949) by Leonard Bernstein,
and Ebony Concerto (1945) by Stravinsky.
Both were commissioned by Woody Herman,
and each lasts under ten minutes. They
remain somewhat overlooked, perhaps on
account of their offhand treatment of the solo
instrument, or the fact that they both feature
big band, not full orchestra. The two works
are given a lively ride by LSO lead clarinetist
Chris Richards and the decidedly non-orchestral
backup, mainly of brass and saxes.
Most of the disc is taken up by Nazareno
(2009) a beautifully rendered adaptation
(by Venezuelan composer Gonzalo Grau)
of Osvaldo Golijov’s scintillating La Pasión
según San Marcos (2000); this new rendering
omits the vocals of the original cantata.
Commissioned by Katia and Mireille Labèque,
it’s scored for two pianos, Latin percussion
section, plus winds and cello. Without text,
I still hear how the music conveys the story
of the Christian sacrifice. Powerful rhythmic
dances abound, but behind the upbeat samba
movements lies a much more sombre tone,
especially in the slow ballad Sur. I won’t be
surprised if a choreographer selects this score
for a new dance work. It might serve as an
answer to Stravinsky’s pagan vision of the
sacrifice, made roughly a century ago.
The LSO, or the sections performing on this
disc, give the selections punch and vigour.
The soloists and percussionists are stars.
Max Christie
Mythes
Ariane Brisson; Olivier Hébert-Bouchard
ATMA ACD2 2842 (atmaclassique.com/en)
! The flute has had
a long and illustrious
history as
far back as prehistoric
times and
its appeal is again
showcased on this
attractive ATMA
recording featuring
transcriptions of compositions performed
by flutist Ariane Brisson and pianist Olivier
Hébert-Bouchard. Brisson was selected
as “Découverte de l’année” at the Prix
Opus 2019-2020 Gala and Grand Prize
winner of the Prix d’Europe competition in
2013, while award-winning pianist Hébert-
Bouchard is a founding member of Trio
Émerillon and Prisma.
As the title implies, the disc partly pays
homage to the worlds of fantasy and magic
as seen through the eyes of five composers.
It opens with Ralph Vaughan Williams’
haunting The Lark Ascending, music inspired
by George Meredith’s 1881 poem of the same
name. Here, the listener is immediately struck
by Brisson’s warm and sonorous tone with
Hébert-Bouchard providing a solid and sensitive
partnership.
Ravel’s Sonatine was completed around
1905, and although originally scored for solo
piano, the combination of flute and piano is
an appealing one, particularly in the vivacious
finale animé. Both Janáček’s Pohádka
(A Tale) from 1912 and Debussy’s renowned
Prélude à l’après-midi d’un faune clearly
prove that skilful arrangements can be as
convincing as the originals.
The three-movement Mity (Myths) by
Karol Szymanowski was inspired by Greek
mythology and was originally scored for
violin and piano. Here, Narcissus, Pan and
the dryads all make an appearance in this
highly impressionistic score. Once again,
Brisson and Hébert-Bouchard prove a formidable
pairing.
These are challenging times, so Mythes just
might be a perfect means of briefly escaping
into a better place – a welcome addition to the
catalogue.
Richard Haskell
Souvenirs d’Auguste Descarries
Isabelle David
Leaf Music LM250 (leaf-music.ca)
! The name
Auguste Descarries
is probably not
a familiar one to
Canadian music
lovers outside
Quebec, but during
his lifetime he
enjoyed a considerable
reputation as a conductor, composer
and pedagogue. Born in Lachine in1896, he
studied piano and organ in his youth and
began studying law at the Université de
Montréal. Yet upon winning the Prix d’Europe
from the Académie de musique du Québec in
1921, he set off to study music in Paris where
he remained until 1929. Upon his return, he
established himself in the local music scene,
his endeavours included private teaching,
choral conducting at the Église Ste. Viateur
and helping to create the music faculty at the
Université de Montréal in 1950.
This recording on the Leaf Music label
features 14 of his compositions written
between 1918 and 1956 performed by Isabelle
David whose grandmother had the good
fortune of being one of his pupils. And who
better to address this unfamiliar repertoire?
David has devoted four years to the study of
Descarries’ piano works.
These are musical gems, very much in the
manner of late-19th-century French piano
music. Do I hear echoes of Fauré and a nod
to César Franck? What strikes the listener
almost immediately is the wide range of
contrasting moods among them, from the
introspection of Au gré de l’onde and the
pathos of Nostalgie to the buoyancy of Étude
en sol majeur. Throughout, David displays
a natural affinity for this music, her performance
poised and elegant. Her formidable
technique is evident in such pieces as the
virtuosic Rhapsodie canadienne (transcribed
by David herself) – clearly, many of these
compositions were not intended for amateurs.
Souvenirs is a delight – a grand merci to
David, not only for a fine performance, but
for bringing to light a composer whose music
most certainly deserves greater recognition.
Richard Haskell
MODERN AND CONTEMPORARY
Personal Noise
Sarah Plum
Blue Griffin BGR619 (bluegriffin.com)
! This fantastic
new release by an
ardent proponent
of the contemporary
violin repertoire,
violinist Sarah
Plum, is a musthave
for everyone
who loves meaningful
sonic adventures. Personal Noise
features works for violin and electronics,
delivered via the imagination and composing
pen of Kyong Mee Choi, Jeff Herriott, Mari
Kimura, Eric Lyon, Eric Moe, Charles Nichols
and Mari Takano.
Works on this album came as a result of
a personal connection between Plum and
each composer and were either written for or
commissioned by her. The exciting mixture of
electronically processed sounds and extended
contemporary violin techniques is further
56 | September 20 - November 8, 2022 thewholenote.com