Bartok, Music for Strings, Percussions and celesta
Bartok. Divertimento
LINNCDK 233
Sir Charles Mackerras
Scottish Chamber Orchestra
For the two Bartok pieces the choice of sound take is more appropriate. The atmosphere of this music is dryer and lends itself well for an analytical sound take. I read a good article lately explaining that conductors like close miking recording because this is what they are hearing (and of course the audience likes to be in the 9th row, and musician likes to be in the ensemble). Hopefully in the future we will have a technology that permits us from the same recording to actually select our own virtual position for listening.
I really liked the fact that even the Kodaly was played by a smaller chamber orchestra. This makes the inner details stand out that are sometime harder to hear with an army of violins in front. A good example is that the middle lines (alto, clarinet, oboe, etc.) are much easier to hear.
The recording has a good energy throughout the frequency spectrum. The celesta and harp fills in the high frequencies in the Bartok, and there is a lot of mid bass energy in the Kodaly and first Bartok.
It is not a recording with a huge dynamic range, but it contains a lot of sharp transient in the first Bartok. All the complex rhythms are well recorded, and sound very sharp and well defined. The second movement of the music for strings, percussions and celesta is probably the best example of this.
I attribute a large part of the success of this recording to the conductor sir Charles Mackerras. What a dynamic and youthful approach to the music for a conductor of his age. The dances of Galanta are memories of Kodaly’s childhood and the conductor really emphasizes the childish and magical side to this music.
I think the strings of this orchestra are better than the winds, and this is OK for the Bartok music. But in the Kodaly I would have wish for a stronger wind section.
At the beginning of the Kodaly, very strong entrance of the cellos, just on that first note your know the music will be well played throughout. At :50 good sensation of space between the oboe solo in the (center) back and the lower strings (front right).
Starting at 1:20 long clarinet solo, it lacks projection and the color of the instrument lacks density for my own taste. I have to confess I hate the English school of clarinet playing so call me biased.
At 3:33 good ff of the whole orchestra, and again there is a solidity and focus in the string sections. Starting at around 5:24 a flute solo emphasizes the folk and simple side of Hungarian music. All this section brings a smile to the listener. But behind this apparent simplicity lies a lot of work. The tempo is very fluid and we feel the orchestra responding to every small changes of the conductor. I think this is probably the result of long preparation and the choice of a smaller ensemble.
At 8:25 another light section with flute, glockenspiels supported by lower strings. There is a lot of high frequency information and this is a pleasure on fast speakers. At 9:30 another good orchestral ff with a good projection by the trumpets. At 9:40 again outstanding strings with precise pizzicato which sound loud because the musicians are so synchronized.
At 11:30 I still think the woodwinds lack in body, but at 12:30 the horns and lower strings impress, very nice and full sound. At 13:00 a fast section likes a whirlwind carrying tremendous energy. It is difficult to relate the age of the conductor to the result, but some people seem nearly eternally youthful.
After a sudden stop, the flute then the oboe and finally the clarinet exchange the solo melody. The passage from one instrument to another is extremely smooth (both in pitch, and in term of the new sound mixing with the previous instrument). And the clarinet player is very agile in a series of trill that climb higher and higher. The piece closes with an energetic last outburst.
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Before going into details about the two Bartok, I want to again comment on the very high level of playing by the strings in this recording. These 2 pieces require a large range of playing style, from very soft and airy to harsh and violent. Of course there is also all kind of more modern effects (glissandis, multiple note clusters, micro-tones, etc.). All this is done effortlessly, clearly and with energy. This is string playing of the highest order.
Bartok Music for String, Percussions and Celesta
Andante Tranquillo
As per Bartok’s instructions in the 4 movements we hear 2 small string orchestras on each side with the percussions piano and celesta in the middle. The beginning is at the limit of pp. The string playing is exquisite in terms of texture, intensity and coordination. The conductor is in full control of the long slow crescendo that builds over several minutes. The size of the image helps all kinds of effect like at 3:36 the strings in the high of the right being answered by strings on the left several octaves lower. We hear very well the precision of the bows by strings playing in unison and suddenly dissolving notes from right to left. The climax at 4:34 lacks a bit of solidity, is this recording choice, or more the way the hall reacts? Transparency and solidity of the image of the piano at 6:24, and then the celesta shines with its otherworldly tone. At the end only a few strings left and last note again reach the limit of audibility.
Allegro
Very aggressive string playing with players digging with their bow, it does not sound like the same group than the first movement which is of course what Bartok intended. All the nice ethereal playing is replace by and aggressive and angry sound.
The piano is really played as a percussion instrument fusing with the other members of its group. At 2:17 the analytical sound take permits to hear each notes of chords played by piano, string pizzicato and celesta and harp. At 2:26 a series of chord clusters by various instruments resound around the listeners, the multi-channel gives the impression of hearing the chords both from inside and outside. At 3:20 long section in pizzicato supported by the harp, again fantastic clarity on all the small details.
At 4:30 change toward legato playing starting with lower strings using a musical sequence repeated faster and faster. At 5:40 tympani and piano in the lower register creates a pulsating effect. At 6:33 the piano steals the show and breaks an anticipating ending with the help of percussions. But the strings manage to regain the upper hand in a series of whirlwinds that close the movement.
Adagio
The famous Adagio (famous in reference to the movie The Shining) is a very atmospheric piece. I listened to it several times with all the light closed, you must not be depressed to do this! The movement starts with wood blocks were each attack has a very sharp transient that resonates across the listening room. After some great playing by the altos, the string orchestra to the right finally intervene at 1:23. Gong at 1:40 that resonates for many long seconds, this is particularly audible in the surround channels. At 2:14 the music reflects a feeling of waiting for something to happen, this music has a very delicate texture with harp and glockenspiel. At around 3:00 the waiting is over and many chords are forcefully played followed at 3:30 by a kind of musical explosion with many glissandos repeated on harp, glockenspiel, strings and piano. There is a high content of high frequencies absolutely delightful on electrostatic speakers. This episode is resolved by series of repeated pattern (sanity coming back?) particularly at the piano. I will repeat myself but at 6:22 again fantastic string playing.
Allegro Molto
Long pause before the timpani’s strike that starts the fourth movement. Strangely in the first few bars, the strings lack the precision they have elsewhere. Since this is the only weak passage of the whole SACD, I suspect they simply did not have recording time to redo this passage. At :40 excellent entrance of the piano with a more distant sound take (better sound perspective). Again there is a distinct feeling of the piano as a percussion instrument, with sharp transient at the start of each notes. At 1:37 the tempo picks up in a kind of dancing fugue, excellent control of the tempo by the conductor. At 2:50 is a kind of battle between strings and piano, but finally percussions overrun everything. At 3:00 section were different instruments such as the xylophone exchange short interventions. At 4:00 a slower section for the strings, it is in that kind of passages that the close sound take is less appropriate and makes the strings loose a bit of their warmth. At 5:50 the tempo picks up again and there is a nice strong punch at 6:11. This is followed by another delicate section (harp and glockenspiel), the piece closes on a final suspension that the conductor controls through a slow down followed by the final few chords.
Bartok Divertimento
Allegro Non Troppo.
The divertimento may seem relatively serene compared to the music for strings, percussions and celesta. However this music was made up at the beginning of the Second World War. But one should not judge the full music only by the beginning of the first (and third) movement.
The beginning of the movement opens in a neo-classic way, this is the most “ordinary” Bartok that I know! This is one of the last composition of his Switzerland period, written at the end of 1939. As the movement begins the listener must readjust its sound perspective since the presentation is now of one string orchestra with the violins on the left and the cellos on the right.
At 1:05 the music becomes almost chamber like with only a few strings soloists. At 1:40 the "true" Bartok starts to manifest itself. At 3:30 a simpler theme with a taste of folksong never very far in any music by Bartok. At 5:00 the music borders on atonality with angry chords, we are far from the idyllic tone of the beginning. At 5:45 the main theme returns but less assured, in a kind of clumsy way. At 6:30 another angry episode followed at 7:30 by a dubious transition towards (7:55) the return of the main theme but transformed like it has been stretched in time. The movement dies out with a rhythmic repetition which disappears in the distance.
Adagio
Very bleak, a movement that I would describe as lunar landscape empty cold and without life. The movement starts with an oscillatory sound with the lower strings supported by micro-interventions of the violins. The sound opens, but gradually over several minutes. At 3:55 evocation of a religious hymn by the lower strings, this gradually increase in intensity. This song is attacked (?) by very aggressive interventions of the violins. Towards 6:10 is an episode which I would say evocative of a kind of madness (despair?). The movement finishes by a very long descent towards the emptiness. I will be frank to say that I would not listen to this music every evening! But the composer was trying to reflect on what was occurring in the reality of late 1939.
Allegro assai
The third and last movement opens with a traditional melody, but quickly things become more agitated and this movement can be qualified with the term dance-like. At 1:00 the main theme is kind of broken in pieces, this will be repeated in the whole movement where many kind of rhythmic variations will be applied to the theme.
At 1:51 a kind of solemn fugue is followed at 2:15 by a variation where the rhythm is shortened. At 2:30 cello solo which is then join by the violin which becomes the soloist. Fast passage of arpeggios followed at 3:40 by very fast tempo that becomes almost a joke on the main theme. At 4:20 another variation where the cellos play the topic in a jerky way, this is taken by all the orchestra. After an almost complete stop (oops the movement is not finished) a species of fugue starts at 5:30 and slides down (repeated descending not pattern) then at 5:55 gradual deceleration until a full pause. At 6:20 the main theme begins again with pizzicato and glissando in an increasingly playful manner. At 6:42 whirlwind of the strings with fast and savage playing. Then the lower strings do fast runs from low to high, to finish with a last salutation.