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"GRAMOPHONE" "PHONO FORUM" "RÉPERTOIRE" "RITHMO" "CD COMPACT" "GAZZETTA DI PARMA" "PIANO JOURNAL" |
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the header) is one of those works whose stature has hitherto been funded on hearsay and legend, much like the cases of Ives' Fourth or Havergal Brian's Gothic Symphonies, or Sorabji's Opus Clavicembalisticum, until these works were recorded. Like the Sorabji, Skalkottas' cycle represents the fullest panoply of pianism its composer was capable of at the time, though in the Greek's case this manifests itself by way of an equally exhaustive range of styles, from high serialism (albeit Skalkottas' own complex brand, not his teacher Schoenberg's) to ragtime, simple diatonicism to crunching chord clusters that belie the date of composition-the summer of 1940. Twenty-two of the pieces here receive their first ever outing on disc, but in a very real sense these are almost all first recordings since-as Christophe Sirodeau's extremely detailed (if at times somewhat apologetic) booklet essay reveals-the present issue uses Skakottas' two manuscript scores rather than the various error-strewn published versions. (A definitive edition is clearly essential.) Examination of these manuscripts has clarified for the annotator many aspects of the music previously misinterpreted as eccentricities on behalf of the composer-even by wellintentioned friends and colleagues-and revealed the underlying presence of the Golden Section in much of the cycle's structure. Sirodeau's explanations of this for many listeners esoteric subject (likewise of the composer's love of number games also evident in abundance) are detailed and invaluable, though some may find them confusing. In the end, as with the dozens of motivic interconnections between the pieces, what counts is that the listener hears the cycle as a coherent whole without necessarily being able to pinpoint how the effect is achieved. This ultimately depends on the performance, which is magnificently realised. Given the use-and general unavailability-of the original scores one cannot fairly compare Samaltanos' accounts with those of the few pieces that have been recorded before, except to hazard a general view that his are never disadvantaged. He is certainly the best recorded and, Paris- and Moscow-trained, clearly possesses a formidable technique. His playing is crisp and focussed, forceful and delicate as required. Only when further recordings of the same scores occur will one be able to judge adequately how much real interpretation of his is present (as, for example, in the infamous Catastrophe in the jungle, No.4) with its clusters and wild expressionism. At this juncture, though, Samaltanos is as committed a premiere advocate as the composer could have wished for. Hearing these accounts one wonders how these marvellous works could have lain unplayed for so long. The Golden Section also seemingly explains the odd disposition of the works across the two discs. The first lasts just over three-quarters of an hour, ending with the best-known and mostplayed piece of the 32, the Passacaglia, No.15. The remaining seventeen-plus the Four Studies (1941) and First Suite (1936)-are crammed onto a 74-minute Disc 2. There is much to be said musically for starting the release with the major item and Sirodeau regards the Passacaglia as 'the culmination, the real heart of the cycle' with its centre 'placed asymmetrically, between the Passacaglia and the Nocturne.' I cannot say that I entirely agree, though prefacing the 32 Pieces with the First Suite would seem to provide the set with a chronological and temporal balance (with discs of 62' and 57'). There is, as Sirodeau concedes indirectly, an argument for splitting the cycle after the Nocturne (No.16) which would accord with its two apparent diurnal progressions: from the initial Andante religioso to the Nocturne, and from the ensuing seventeenth piece, Dawn Serenade of a Young Girl to the final set of dances. The Passacaglia is undeniably one of the cycle's peaks, but I prefer to see it as the third of a series of longer items that tend to cluster towards the centre of the cycle. This cluster begins with the Intermezzo (No.13), reaches its peak with the Berceuse (No.20, the longest piece of all at 8' 32", which Sirodeau himself admits to be "the emotional summit of the cycle") and concludes with the Menuetto (No.23). This group is even framed by two 'serenades' of medium length: Little Serenade (3' 22") and Italian Serenade (2'40"). Dividing the set after the Berceuse would provide two discs of 66' and 54' apiece. 2-4 and other piano pieces are slated for a further release) make less of an impression than they otherwise might do. Both repay perseverance, the Studies in particular for their harder-edged, more homogeneous textures giving an indication, perhaps, of the direction Skalkottas' piano writing might have moved in, just as the Suite shows where the 32 Pieces came from. BIS' sound is stunningly clear and immediate, as if Samaltanos really was in the room with one. And when all is said and done, his storming rendition of the Suite's Presto-Prestissimo finale is a brilliant conclusion to what was 2001 's finest piano release. Tempo Magazine |
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(1904-1949), der als Schuller Jarnachs, Schonbergs und Weills zwar die westeuropaischeTradition kannte, daheim aber in eine- wohl erzwungene- Isolation geriet. Eine erstrangige Aufnahme macht mit der gut 95 Minuten langen"Musik fur Klavier" vertraut, 32 Stucken von 1940, einem zentralen Werk des Komponisten, der ein eigenes System derZwolf-tonigkeit fand. Die Begegnung mit dieser Musik,die zum grossten Teil erstmals aufgezeichnet wurde, ist eine Sensation. Es offnet sich ein freitonal entworfener Kosmos der Vielgestaltigkeit, zwischen Ragtine und "Berceuse" ein mit Reminiszenzen nicht geizender Reigen,der bei allem Stilpluralismus von tiefer Geistigkeit getragen wird. Die 2169 Takte (!) , nach dem goldenen Schnitt konzipiert, formen einen der komplexesten Klavierzyklen des 2O. Jahrhunderts. Irrwitzig schwierig,voller Erinneruhgen in gebrochenen Klangen wie aus weiter Ferne.Auch die vier spater entstandenen Etuden und die erste Suite ( eine Aufuahme mit anderen Suiten wird folgen) dokumentieren einen gestalterischen Ernst, der in gewisser Nahe zu Busoni steht. "verruckte Kinonacht"zwischen Tag und Traum erinnert fuhlt, hat sich intensiv mit den Editionen und ihren Fehlern beschaftigt. Er spielt mit einer Vehemenz und Souveranitat, wie man sie sich haufiger wunschen wurde. Seine Interpretation macht in ihrer Differenzierungskunst zwischen impressionistischer Tonung und eruptiver Jagd deutlich, wie hoch Skalkottas einzuschatzen ist. Das Beiheft liefert dazu fundierte Informationen. FONO FORUM Sept 2001 Interprétation 5/5 Son 5/5 |
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qu'élève de Jarnach, Schönberg et Weill connaissait la tradition occidentale, mais il se trouva par force isolé du monde. Dans cet enregistrement de première classe on peut faire connaissance avec les plus de 95 minutes que constitue "Musik für Klavier", 32 Pieces pour piano de 1940, une oeuvre centrale de ce compositeur qui avait trouvé son propre système de dodécaphonie. La rencontre avec cette musique qui, pour la plupart des pieces, est en création [premier enregistrement], est sensationelle. On découvre un cosmos d'atonalité libre, plein de spiritualité profonde, avec de multiples liens entre "Ragtime" et autre "Berceuse" en rondes de réminiscences généreuses que donnent toute la pluralité des styles. Les 2169 (!) mesures concues et construites selon le Nombre d'Or, forment un des plus complexes cycles pour piano du 20ème siècle, rempli de folles blagues, plein de souvenirs, d'accords brisés comme venant du lointain. Les 4 Etudes et la Première Suite (les autres suivront dans un prochain enregistrement) nous documentent sur une sérieuse créativité, avec certaines connexions proche de Busoni. "folle nuit cinématographique" reliant le Jour et les Rêves, a réalisé un effort éditorial intensif concernant l'exactitude du texte déformé par des éditions éronnées. Il joue avec une véhémence et une souveraineté telle qu'on voudrait en rencontrer plus souvent. Son interprétation, avec son art de la différenciation, entre une coloration impressioniste et une sauvage chasse éruptive, montre clairement combien hautement il faut considérer Skalkottas. Le livret donne en plus des informations fondées. FONO FORUM Sept 2001 Interprétation 5/5 Son 5/5 |
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couplings overal title of his 32 Piano Pieces - can assume its place among the major piano cycles of the 20th century. Formidably difficult technically, its apparently disparate content - there is not the conceptual focus of, say, Messiaen's Vingt regagds sur l'enfant Jésus - may have militated against its wider recognition. So itis a tribute to Nikolaos Samaltanos, in this first complete recording, that he projects the work as an integral entity. and as the compendium of mid-century pianism that the composer intended. Achieving equal conviction across such diversity is a tall order, given the absence of a performing tradition against which to assess an interpretation. ... The powerful rhetoric of the Passacaglia (No 15)and sombre poetry of Nachtstück (No 16), a double-apex on all levels, are impressively wrought, while the relative nonchalance of the closing divertissement (No 25-32) is dispatched with élan. ... Other recordings will surely follow: Geoffrey Douglas Madge gave a superb performance in Berlin last year, but he will be hard pressed to match the scintillating virtuosity of Samaltanos in Katastrophe (No 4) or the Etüde Phantastique (No 19). Skalkottas'mature piano writing?the pungent character of Scoenberg's Opp 23 and 25 allied to Busonian textural richness, while the Etudes take pianism of the 32 pieces in an even more uncompromising direction. Wide-ranging sound, lacking only the last degree of clarity in the more heavily chorded pieces,and detailed notes from Christophe Sirodeau. GRAMOPHONE November 2001 |
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Contraint pour vivre à monnayer
ses talents de violoniste au sein de Gerard Honoré |
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una persona formada, no se pierda este notabilisimo album. Mas de la mitad del disco se graba por primera vez y sus dos horas y pico de musica le descubriran a un artista inmenso. Como Pessoa, el griego Nikos Skalkottas (1904/49) pertenece a la periferia geografica de las vanguardias, lo que le ha impedido formar parte de las estrellas consagradas internacionalmente. Pero no se engane, como Pessoa, Skalkottas deberia figurar en el panteon del siglo xx. Esta antologia para piano solo le abrira un mundo. Luego debera usted investigar por su cuenta. Suele decirse que Skalkottas es un discipulo de Schonberg, pero, aunque estudio en Berlin entre 1921 y 1933 (con Schonberg entre 1927 y 1930), la personalidad del musico griego es suficientemente solida como para no deberle nada. Bueno, un poco. Cierta teorizacion de la serialidad dodecafonica viene indiscutiblemente de Viena, pero Skalkottas la adapta a sus propios deseos expresivos de un modo perfectamente heterodoxo. No solo porque piensa por su cuenta, sino porque en el se produce la curiosa posibilidad de no ver contradiccion entre Schonberg y Stravinsky. Tras su regreso a Grecia, Skalkottas tuvo los tipicos encontronazos de la gente excepcional en los paises miserables (que tan bien conocemos les espanoles) de manera que su obra no tuvo la menor repercusion. Su muerte, cuando solo contaba 45 anos, no contribuyo a mejorar las cosas. Pero en el ultimo decenio comienza a valorarse su music a y hay ya algunas ediciones a las que acudir en busca de mayor informacipn. Y placer. Seguramente el musico que mas se le asemeja (no formalmente sino existencialmente) es Alban Berg, y no dudo en compararles tambien en la altura de su arte. Ciertamente, las piezas breves que se recogen en este album no permiten mas que un primer encuentro poetico, hay que escuchar luego su music a sinfonica o de concierto, pero en la variedad, el humor, la inventiva y la gracia(en el sentido schilleriano) de estas obras se encuentra in nuce el alma de Skalkottas. Datan de 1940/41 y han tardado sesenta anos en grabarse Aunque la interpretacion de Samaltanos no puede compararse con nada... porque nadie mas ha interpretado en disco este repertorio, debe de ser muy bueno, como se deduce de mi entusiasmo. CD COMPACT Sept 2001 |
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discipulo de Arnold Schoenberg y Kurt Weill, lo es, segun la mas reputada voz critica de la musica griega, el musicologo Harry Halbreich. Si este comentarista, que ha escuchado con mucha atencion (a veces transmutada en resignacion) las dos horas que duran estos discos, hubiera de emitir su opinion al respecto. en su desconocimiento total deI asunto y con solo la impresion de la escucha, habria de manifestar que algo de ello debe haber, pues en esta pequena parte de la Obra de Skalkottas (que a pesar de su corta existencia escribio mas de 100 composiciones, entre musica orquestal, de camara e instrumental) hay muchas buenas ideas, y bastante musica. Como es logico, las influencias de la Escuela de Viena son notorias, pero nunca se transforman en dogma: hay en su musica (al menos en la parte que se incluye en este disco) mucho de Bartok y Stravinsky, entremezclados con la fina y distanciada ironia de Weill. O sea, esta bien conocerla. Por otro lado, me ha dado la impresion de que, como era de esperar, esta muy bien defendida por el joven pianista ateniense Nikolaos Samaltanos, que asume el asunto con claras intenciones apostolicas. En fin, para curiosos y hartos del repertorio pianistico habitual. |
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Il nome di Nikos Skalkottas, compositore greco, scomparso nel 1949 all'età di soli quarantacinque anni, anche per i più assidui frequentatori di concerti, suona come sconosciuto, ma chi abbia avuto occasione di avvicinarsi alla sua musica, cosa oggi resa fortunatamente possibile grazie ad una serie di dischi della BIS, non potrà non averne subito il fascino. Una storia, quella di Skalkottas, abbastanza singolare, nei modi in cui la sua formazione musicale, avvenuta in Germania sotto la guida di vari musicisti, tra cui anche Schoenberg (che lo ricorderà come uno dei suoi allievi più dotati) e Kurt Weill, agisce sopra una natura nutrita di umori mediterranei e al tempo stesso sollecitata intimamente da una visione di estrema chiarezza. Da ciò un risultato di straordinaria originalità che sembra sottrarsi ad ogni tipo di riferimento troppo determinato; come si può ben cogliere dalla produzione pianistica di cui un cofanetto di due dischi propone le opere principali, in particolare una composizione colossale rappresentata dai «32 Pezzi» (1940), quasi un'ora e mezzo di musica, organizzata secondo rapporti e proporzioni interne, il gioco della sezione aurea ad esempio, che sottendono la presenza decantata della classicità; e tuttavia tale misura segreta trova invece come un contrappasso liberatorio nella densità contrappuntistica, una trama quanto mai complessa, resa inquieta da addensamenti armonici inconsueti, squarci di espressività diretta che la stesso urgenza dell'impianto ritmico, nella predilezione verso l'ostinato e pure nutrito dall'humus folclorico sembra esasperare. La tecnica dodecafonica si plasma con libertà inedita e mai esclusiva, così che l'orizzonte viennese, evocato talora da certe movenze berghiane, pare dilatarsi verso tante altre direzioni, con diramazioni bartokiane e stravinskiane, ma pure - e questo è l'aspetto più avvincente della musica di Skalkottas - con premonizioni, nel modo di far fermentare la materia sonora, che ci portano addirittura a Ligeti e a Xenakis. Musica difficilissima per le quasi insormontabili asperità della scrittura pianistica, ha trovato nel giovane pianista greco Nikolaos Samaltanos un interprete tanto intensamente coinvolto quanto ardimentoso ed efficace. |
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imperturdadle virtuosity of Nikolaos Samaltanos, when who defics resson (and Gunter Schuller!) by playing some of the wilder ones right up to the "downright impossible" speeds suggested by the composer. Pianistes apart they present quite a test to follow and would need an agilo page-turner to keep up! I cannot vouch for having heard every note, but Samaltanos's pedalling is duly sparing and he maintains delicacy and clarity in a piece like Fantastic Etude at crotchet = 182 ( Schuller advises on 112)... PIANO JOURNAL - Autumn 2001 |