Bassoon Music Reviews

Transcription

1 THE DOUBLE REED 105 Bassoon Music Reviews By Ronald Klimko Moscow, Idaho Bassoon Studies and Cadenzas Mordechai Rechtman:Cadenzas to Mozart: Bassoon Concerto in B flat KV 191 (1997) Emerson Edition Ltd 304. (Windmill Farm, Ampleforth, North Yorkshire, England YO6 4HF) This is a very nice addition to the traditional cadenzas for the Mozart by Guetter, Ibert, etc. Mordechai Rechtman has provided us with yet another alternative very tastefully done, generally in the classical tradition throughout. There are two for the first movement: a short one before the recapitulation of the opening theme, and a more extensive one for the end of the movement. There are also fairly short ones for both the second and third movements. They all rely on development of themes from the various movements and flow quite logically to strong cadences, They are not overly difficult. The main cadenza for the first movement goes up to high d2, but fairly slowly as a part of a B flat major arppeggio. Also, the final movement cadenza has an ossia where the high c2 portion of an f major arppeggio flourish can be either left in or taken out at the discretion of the bassoonist. I strongly recommend these cadenzas to you. In my opinion they are the best cadenzas for the Mozart Concerto that I have seen since the Guetter. As is usual, Mordechai Rechtman has given us another carefully crafted piece of music for us to sink our teeth into! Milan Turkovic, Editor: Schönberg-Berg- Webern Orchestral Studies for Bassoon (1997) Universal Edition UE Wow! This collection is a MUST for the serious orchestral musician! It contains all the heavy duty works by Schönberg and Berg, with only the Webern Passacaglia Op. 1 representing that composer. (Presumeably this is because that latter composer is not technically difficult to play notewise, but only dynamic-and ensemble-wise!) The works by Schönberg include early ones, such as the Gurre- Lieder; Pelleas und Melisande, Op. 5; Wenn Vöglein klagen, Op. 8, Nr.6; and the Kammersymphonie, Op. 9; as well as the later works: 5 Orchesterstücke, Op. 16; Variationen für Orchester, Op. 31; the Violinkonzert, Op. 36, and the II. Kammersymphonie, Op. 38. The works by Berg include the Drei Orchesterstücke, Op. 6; Wozzeck, Op. 7; the Kammerkonzert, Lulu, and the famous Violinkonzert. There is an excellent Table of Contents at the beginning of the work, showing exactly where each excerpt comes from in each work. The passages are substantial in length, and generally contain both first, second, and sometimes third bassoon parts. It is clear from playing through these passages that this would be a valuable collection to have for praactice purposes. While Schönberg only takes the bassoon up to high e flat2, (Pelleas und Melisande), Berg writes the principal bassoon part all the way up to e2 in the Drei Orchesterstücke, and even f2 in Wozzeck! The bassoon parts by both composers are difficult, substantial, and would require some careful work by the most skillful orchestral bassoonist. Bravo to Milan for editing and bringing out this much needed addition to the orchestral excerpt library! Six Etudes for Bassoon after Robert Schumann s Abegg Variations adapted by Michael Sweeney (Michael Sweeney, Suite , 65 Front St. W., Toronto, Ontario M5J 1E6, CANADA, Tel: ($30.00 post paid within Canada, or $30.00 US post paid to all other countries) Toronto bassoonist Michael Sweeney has adapted this work for bassoon from the original piano score and it is a tour-de-force! The piece is originally in F major and is based on a theme containing the notes a-b flat-e-g-g, which, transposed to E flat major for the bassoon version, becomes g-a flat-d-f-f. Technically, it is an extremely demanding work. Often ascending to high e flat2, the work requires the very best in terms of both technique and romantic interpretation-somewhat in the manner of the second volume of Milde studies, but even more so. It is a definite Level IV+ overall, and would be a challenge to any bassoonist. On the plus side, however, is the beauty of the music, the excellence of the arrangement, the clarity of the notated score, and the satisfaction one might draw from working with such a beautiful, romantic work. As Michael points out in his accompanying letter: The work poses extra-

2 106 BASSOON MUSIC REVIEWS ordinary technical and musical challenges, and so could be a very useful teaching tool for exploration of the instrument and Romantic interpretive style. The variations are beautifully structured to rise at the end to a vivacissimo-but-pianissimo ending that could be a wonderful vehicle of expression for the solo bassoon, not only in the teaching studio, but on the recital stage as well. Thanks to Michael for this lovely, difficult adaptation! Music for Bassoon and Piano Adrian Williams: Sonata for Bassoon and Piano (1996) Èditions Max Eschig (215, rue Faubourg St-Honoré , Paris) (M.E. 9245) (Duration 15 minutes) I liked this work so much I performed it at the recent IDRS Conference in Tempe! It is a wonderful new work for the bassoon-quite unique and different from any other. It is in four movements, but the first three movements are connected and performed without a break; fast, slow, and fast, making it sound like a two movement work overall. The style is modern, highly expanded tonality and polytonality, but with beautiful expressive lines for the bassoon. It is definitely British in style, reminding one of Benjamin Britten. One can almost picture the cloudy, wind-swept landscape of England as one performs the work! The writing for both instruments is very demanding technicallyeven more so for the piano than the bassoon. It is definitely a Level IV in difficulty overall, requiring a good bassoonist AND pianist. The bassoon part rises to e flat2, but it is only as the top note of a scale pattern. There are also a lot of tricky rhythmic patterns and a multitude of changing meters which require careful practice with the accompanist to co-ordinate. It is an excellent piece, especially for the first three movements. The last movement is weaker structurally. It uses some of the earlier themes and pulls the work together with cyclic transformation of thematic material, but has too many tempo changes, creating a stop-start quality to the movement. I recommend it strongly, however, as an excellent new addition to the literature that is both challenging and exciting to perform. Miguel del Aguila: Sunset Song (Op. 42) for Bassoon and Piano This fine new work was one of the repertoire pieces for the Gillet Bassoon Competition in Tempe last June. It was written especially for the competition, I believe, and it is a beaut! It requires a wide range and technical ability from the bassoonist. The ca 5-6 minute work is slow, fast, slow and ABA in form, with a LOT of clever glissandos in the slow sections. The composer has indicated with swing, as in blues in the score, and those of you who heard the wonderful Gillet finalists swing this section are aware how broad the interpretation can be, leaving a lot of room for the individual! The allegro section is highly rhythmic and driving throughout, featuring a lot of repeated rhythmic patterns in both instruments. The primary theme has the bassoon soaring high over an ostinato passage in the piano. Toward the end of this section the bassoon begins to play a tango-like theme in a little slower tempo. In the end the opening A section returns with its glissando and bent notes. The work ends quietly with the bassoonist playing a high bflat3(!) on the bassoon reed alone. This is a fascinating new Latin American work for our repertoire. I recommend it strongly to you. C.G.(Sonny) Walden III: Suite for Bassoon and Piano Goethe s Revenge Hoyt Editions (706 Halladay, Seattle, WA 98119, tel/fax: (206) , TBAPLR@aol.com) ME 824 ($16.00) This is an interesting and useful 3 movement work for the bassoon and piano. According to the composer, the first movement was originally a song to a text by Goethe in response to a negative review of his Werther s Sorrow. The work itself is quite cyclic in form with themes from the second and third movements derived from the first. It is written in a highly expanded neo-classical tonal style, and is very listenable. There is free use of whole-tone scales and chord clusters, but even with this it is not overly dissonant. The bassoon part is an easy Level II+, ascending only to high g1. It could be played by a talented high school student (they must be able to tongue sixteenth notes at quarter note = 116), and indeed might be valuable as an introduction of a talented student to modern-but-accessible music. The bassoon part never leaves the bass clef, though the writing for the instrument is idiomatic and interesting rhythmically. The piano part is equally well written. There is a real need for relatively easy, but good works like this in the literature, and I recommend it strongly to you.

3 THE DOUBLE REED 107 Quenton Ashlyn (c. 1900) The Bassoon (Humorous Song with Optional Bassoon Part) Edited by Gordon Solie) Editions VIENTO (8711 SW 42nd Ave., Portland, OR , tel/fax: (503) (Available in Bass clef version: EV 705b, or Treble clef version: EV 705t $8.00) This work is another HOOT! It is a song for the bassoonist to sing, with notes on the bassoon interspersed in the text to play, and it is a humorous romp! The style is late 19th Century Victorian romantic, and the song is very easy to play and sing-even for those of us who have voices that only a frog could love! It s fun and easy to perform and would make a wonderful hammy way to end a recital or to merely entertain your friends. It s a Level II- in difficulty for both the piano and bassoon (and voice), and I recommend it strongly to you. Many bassoonists don t care for the clown reputation that we have, but personally, I feel it is a lot easier for a funny person to be taken seriously once in a while than it is for a serious person to try and be funny. If you feel the same, then you MUST HAVE this work! (Gordon s Editions VIENTO also have available the Arthur Frankenpohl Concerto for Bassoon and Band 1958, which is perhaps the only original concerto for this combination. Although I don t have a copy of it to review at present, the 13 minute work in three movements sounds like it would be of value to some of you who might be looking for this combination of instrumentation.) Music for Bassoon with Other Instruments and/or Voices Adrian Williams: My Heart is Steadfast for a choir of four mixed voices and bassoon solo (1996) Éditions Max Eschig, Paris. (M.E. 9135) This is a gorgeous piece of music. It is only seven minutes in length, but would be a very effective work on a choral program or on a bassoon recital. It is based on a biblical Psalm, and begins quietly with a bassoon solo that introduces the main theme. The choir enters imitating this theme canonically and develops it. The music then moves into a contrasting Piu Mosso section where the choir introduces a new melody which then also receives imitative development. After a dramatic climax the original music returns and the work ends quietly as it began. My Heart is Steadfast was the prize winning anthem in the 1981 Norwich Festival of Contemporary Church Music and was first performed by the Norwich Cathedral Choir with Michael Nicholas conducting on July 3, The bassoon part is a very straightforward Level III in difficulty. It is very lyrical throughout, and only rises to a c2 toward the end of the work. If you are looking for a beautiful specialized work for your next program, I am sure this work would fill the bill very nicely. I recommend it strongly to you. Clemente Imaña (17th Century Spain): Filis yo tengo (Aria for soprano, bassoon, and continuo) Editions Viento EV704 (address given earlier). This is a nice, straightforward aria in strophic (2 verses) form with a continuo part probably realized by publisher Gordon Solie. It begins with both instruments and continuo at once without any introduction, and all three parts continue to the end-unlike the typical da capo aria of the Baroque with its instrumental ritornello at the beginning and end. The soprano part ascends to high g2, and the bassoon only to high e flat 1. It is a definite Level II- in overall difficulty, and might serve well for an encore piece on a voice/bassoon recital. Joaquín García (ca ): Noble, Magestuosa (aria from Cantada de Navidad , for tenor, 2 oboes, 2 bassoons and continuo) Editions Viento EV703 (address given earlier). Joaquín García was a chapel master and composer at the Cathedral in Las Palmas, Spain, from 1735 until his death in This particular aria is from a Christmas cantata, and is written in the traditional da capo aria style preceded by a recitative for the tenor and continuo. The oboe and bassoon parts are an easy Level II. The oboe ascends only to b flat3 and the bassoon no higher than e1. The tenor part ascends no higher than g1. There is nice antiphonal interplay that goes on in the work between the 2 oboes playing in harmony and the 2 bassoons imitating in the instrumental interludes. Overall it is a very nice work that would fit well on a mixed recital program. James Caldwell: Mechanism for Bassoon and Tape (1977) (Score and DAT tape available from composer at: Western Illinois University, Macomb, IL , tel: (309) , e mail: James_Caldwell@ccmail.wiu.edu ) This is a very interesting and accessible piece of music. It was premiered by bassoonist

4 108 BASSOON MUSIC REVIEWS Mark Avery at the IDRS Conference in Evanston, Illinois, in The work is written in spacial notation for the bassoon with time indications in seconds for sustained noted and timings for events in the tape portion both notated and timed in a running account throughout the score. It would be relatively easy for the bassoonist to co-ordinate with the tape, although, according to the composer, if things get off a bit that is also ok. I like the sonorities in the piece. The electronic tape matches the fairly subdued dynamic level of the bassoon in general very well. The bassoon part is not overly difficult, about a Level III+, ascending to high d2. It also does not require any extended bassoon techniques beyond the norm. Besides the sound and quality of this piece, at just under 6 minutes in length, it would fit well as a stylistically different piece on one s recital. I recommend it strongly as a work that should reach a larger audience. J.S. Bach: Italian Concerto (arranged for 2 oboes, English horn, and bassoon by Phil Freihofner) (Available from the arranger: Phil Freihofner, 812 Erie St., Oakland, CA , tel: (510) , philfrei@aol.com $22.00 for score and parts) Phil Freihofner has done an excellent arrangement of this Baroque classic for double reed quartet. The work is beautifully printed in his own published edition. He has transposed the work from F major to G major, and it fits the instruments beautifully. The oboe parts ascend to high d3, the English horn to high a3, and the bassoon to high b2. It would take a skillful bunch of players to pull it off effectively. I would put the overall level at a III to III+ for the musicianship required. The arrangement gives all four performers interesting parts to play. The second movement is a tour-de-force for the first oboist. For those of you looking for a solid arrangement for double reeds of a great composition, you need look no further than this excellent edition. Jim Cockey: Trio No. 1 for Oboe, Violin, and Bassoon (1998)(Papa Mouse Publishing, 117 Silver Fox Trail, McCall, Idaho 83638, e mail: popmouse@cyberhighway.net) This is a very interesting new work by one of Idaho s most important composers. Jim Cockey, recently awarded the Idaho s Award for Excellence in the Arts, has written a solid, extensive 4 movement work for this somewhat unusual combination of instruments. Reminiscent of a Trio Sonata in some ways, the 30 minute work is a delightful combination of a fairly traditional melodic and harmonic style, but with rhythmic and metric intricacies that at times rival Stravinsky and Copland! The piece is fun to play. It does not overly challenge the performers in terms of range or even technique, but definitely does keep all three players on your toes with rapid changes of meter, rhythm, and-as usual the hardest of all to play - rests! I would rate it a Level III+ in dificulty because of its interesting and diverse rhythmic drive. The four movements give the entire work a symphonic scope : a moderato/fast first movement, followed by a somewhat enigmatic, short intermezzo for violin and oboe; a waltz-like second movement; a third movement Rondo-again in varying meters; and a hard driving, contrapuntal Finale. I like this work a lot, and recommend it to you. Its length might be somewhat of a drawback, but the individual movements could also be played separately and be very convincing in that guise as well. John Cage: Music for Wind Instruments (1938) C.F. Peters Editions 6738 (C.F. Peters Corp., 373 Park Avenue South, NYC, NY 10016, tel: (212) , fax: (212) ) For those of you familiar with the aleatoric style of John Cage s mature works, this early work for the instruments of the wind quintet: flute, oboe, clarinet, horn, and bassoon, should be a refreshing revelation. It is completely written out, and presents the instruments with an interesting, challenging, rhythmic, and at times highly percussive work. It is in three movements. The first is a rapid, mixed metered work for flute, clarinet and bassoon; the second is a shortish duet for oboe and horn; and the third is again fast and rhythmic for all five instruments. The rhythms are percussive and repetitive, but would be quite challenging and interesting to perform. This is a far cry from Cage s later style, and one that I frankly find more interesting from a musical point of view. It would make a nice contrasting work on a quintet program and a suitable challenge for a talented wind quintet.

5 THE DOUBLE REED 109 The Oak and the Ash (traditional English Folk Song arranged for Bassoon Quartet by Tom Godfrey) (Spratt Music Publishere, 170 N.E. 33rd St., Ft. Lauderdale, FL 33334, tel: (954) , fax: (954) $6.00) This work is a beautiful folk song nicely arranged by Tom Godfrey for 4 bassoons. It consists of three verses, each a variation of the strophic song, with a short introduction at the beginning and a piccardy third to the g minor melody at the end. All the parts are a Level II in difficulty. The first and second bassoon parts top off at f1, but all the parts are interestingly arranged and contribute to the overall quality of the work. It would be a nice addition to your bassoon ensemble repertoire. Music for Bassoon and Orchestra Ross Bauer: Icons for Bassoon and Orchestra (C.F. Peters Editions-address given earlier.) This is a MAJOR work for bassoon and orchestra. It was commissioned by the Berkeley (California) Symphony, conducted by Kent Nagano, and written as a showpiece for principal bassoonist Carla Wilson, who happens also to be Ross Bauer s wife. The 20 minute concerto-like composition in three connected movements would be a challenge for any bassoonist and any orchestra. In the taped performance of Carla and the orchestra sent to me with the score, she does an incredible job in a definitely Class IV+ level work! Bauer s style is quite international- somewhat reminiscent of the works of Schönberg and Berg, but with an American love of percussion and percussive sounds in the manner of Edgard Varése. He is on the faculty at U-Cal-Davis, and publishes with CF Peters. The bassoon part is unrelentingly challenging throughout, though it only ascends to d2 in range. But the rhythm, articulation, and bravura quality of the writing are a definite consideration in my high-level rating of the work. One of its best qualities is how the composer has skillfully composed and orchestrated the work, which is for LARGE orchestra, but scored in such a way that the bassoon can still be heard over the texture. Rarely does the orchestra over-dominate the bassoon. Bravo to Carla for a top-notch performance of the work, and bravo to Ross for providing us with this major solo work for the bassoon. If any of you are looking for a REAL challenge, and you have a concerto date with a good orchestra coming up, this might be the work for that performance. Be warned, however, you are going to need solid rehearsal time with the orchestra to pull it off as effectively as Carla and the Berkeley Symphony did! W. A. Mozart: Bassoon Concerto in F Major KV 314 (arranged from the Oboe Concerto by Mordechai Rechtman for Bassoon and Orchestra, Emerson Edition 303b-orchestral score and parts) (Also available arranged for Bassoon and Piano, Emerson Edition 303a) (Address given earlier for Emerson Editions) Israeli bassoonist/arranger/conductor Mordechai Rechtman has done an incredible job in arranging the popular Mozart Oboe Concerto for the bassoon. It fits the bassoon surprisingly well and has the potential of being a new classical showpiece for the bassoon! It is available from Emerson in two editions-for bassoon and orchestra (2 oboes, 2 horns, strings) and for bassoon and piano. On a separate sheet, Mordechai also provides the bassoonist with cadenzas for the F Major Concerto, thus giving you the option of using his cadenzas or providing your own. The work is a definite Class III+ to IV-, based on the obvious fact that Mozart is simply darn hard to play right, as we all know from our experience with KV191! There is another interesting twist to this particular Concerto, however, that makes it even more problematic for the bassoonist than KV191, in my opinion. In the tape recording that Mordechai provided for me of a performance of the work by the great British bassoonist Roger Birnstingl, accompanied by the Geneva (Switzerland) Conservatoire Orchestra, with Mordechai conducting, I noted a curious phenomenon. The oboe, with its smaller reed and aperture, can articulate with a much more legato quality than the bassoon can when both instruments articulate the same passage. Consequently the bassoon version of the work sounds somewhat over-articulated in the performance. Indeed when I tried playing through the part myself, I found it very difficult to articulate as much as the oboe would do in the work and still maintain a Mozartean delicacy and finesse. To me, the obvious solution would be for the bassoon version to articulate less in the work and slur more than the oboe would. So for my taste, I would be prone to change some of the articulations indicated in the bassoon parterring more on the legato side. Aside from this, however, this wonderful arrangement gives us bassoonists another avenue of expression in the

6 110 BASSOON MUSIC REVIEWS beautiful music of Mozart previously only available to our oboist cousins! I recommend both versions strongly to you. Andreas Aigmüller: Konzert für Fagott und Orchester, op. 69 (AMA Verlag, GmbH, Weisselinger Strasse 2-8, 5031 Brühl, Germany. Tel: / , Fax: / , e- mail: mail@ama-verlag.de This is another brand new Concerto for bassoon and orchestra that received its premiere on November 30, 1996 by bassoonist Rainier Luft and the Berlin Symphony Orchestra. The composer, Andreas Aigmüller, is an Austrian, born in I do not have the music at hand but was sent a CD of one of the Berlin performances. It is interesting to compare it to the Bauer Icons,reviewed above. They have much in common-3 movements in standard fast, slow, fast continuous structure; both bassoon parts very highly challenging-this one is probably also a Level IV to IV+m with the bassoon part ascending to high d2; both requiring large orchestral accompaniment with lots of percussion. But there the similarity ends. The Aigmüller is a much more accessible and listenable work than the Bauer. His style is somewhat more traditional- ranging from rhythmic-but-not-pointillistic atonality to an almost Rimsky-Korsakov-like rhapsodic lyricism, especially in the slow second movement. The themes are easily recognizeable and are convincingly developed, often using techniques like sequential repetition and evolution. The first movement even hints at sonata-like form with its two main themes alternating between the dramatic and the lyrical in an almost Beethovenesque way. This is indeed a fine work that deserves to reach a larger audience. The score and parts are available for rent from the publisher, and it even exists in a piano and bassoon version (#650001) for 69,90 DM. The orchestration is very colorful, reminiscent of Samuel Barber or Leonard Bernstein with doublings on piccolo, English horn, bass clarinet, and contrabassoon, presumably by the second players. The use of percussion in the work as well as its overall rhythmic interest, is very good. Once again, I recommend this fine work to you for your next concerto date with an orchestra. It will be both an orchestra-and crowd-pleaser.