Deutsche Staatsphilarmonie Rheinland-Pfalz conducted by Alexander Joel. Nicolas Altstaedt as the soloist.

I - Overture: 0:00
II - Idylle. Getragen: 4:56
III - Cadenza. Quasi rezitativo - (attacca): 12:29
IV - Menuett. Sempre un poco misterioso: 20:58
V - Finalle alla marcia: 24:41

Friedrich Gulda was a thoroughbred musician, an outstanding pianist and a high-caliber interpreter of works by Beethoven, Mozart and Bach; in 1955 he founded the «Klassische Gulda Orchester». He was already world-famous by the age of 20, thanks to the many concerts he gave. However during the 1950s, he increasingly turned towards jazz, founded a number of jazz ensembles (including the Eurojazz Orchestra) and mixed jazz and classical music in his concerts. Gulda also played the saxophone and other instruments in various events and sessions.

Ultimately, he also turned composer, as evidenced by the Concerto for Cello and Wind Orchestra presented here. One might well ask if this is not an unusual pairing, only to be greatly surprised that joining the cello and wind orchestra, guitar, double bass and bass guitar, as well as percussion also make an appearance. The concerto enjoyed its premiere in 1981 to great acclaim, initially in Villach, then in Vienna, and in the same year was recorded with Heinrich Schiff and the Wiener Bläserensemble woodwind group under Gulda’s direction.

The concerto, a showcase solo cellist’s virtuosity, is in five movements. The introductory Overture explodes with rock-infused and funky big-band jazz, though it is not long before a gently melodic classical intermezzo, which takes on the tones of Austrian folk music sets in. More big-band jazz then follows, swiftly interrupted by an intermezzo in the style of the first, although ultimately the jazz becomes dominant once more.

The second movement, Idyll, leads full into the inflections of Austrian alpine music; with the tone of alpenhorns, a resounding cello chant, interspersed with two Austrian folk dance episodes. The broad scope of the 85-beat Cadenza (cello solo), the third movement, also offers the cellist a further opportunity to improvise and demonstrate their skills.

Almost without a pause, the cantilena leads into the fourth movement, Minuet. Here, the «Minuet» movement from Gulda’s suite «Les Hommages» (1965) is reworked for a smaller ensemble in the manner of a renaissance dance. The closing movement is designated Finale alla Marcia, and features a folkloric arrangement like a jolly beer-garden concert, containing further jazz-rock elements in its middle passage, and thus referring back to the opening movement. Overall, the work shows that Gulda could also reveal great humor in his personality.

Picture: "Marilyn Monroe" (1967) by the American artist Andy Warhol.

Source: [ Ссылка ]

свернуть