John Adams — Must the Devil Have All the Good Tunes?

★★★★★

   John Adams, one of the best composers of today’s America, started his creative career in the end of the decade of sixties. Time of avantgarde ideas and great achievements of post-war music was about to an end. From the beginning of his composing he took esthetic positions of post-minimalistic style dealing with Darmstadt school ideas. As 31 years old composer in 1978 he wrote Shaker Loops for string septet in modular version, where conductor decided when musicians should move from one module to another. Five years later orchestrated this work and number of repetitions has been specified in the score. 

   His early works like Shaker Loops, Grand Pianola Music (1982) and many fragments of his first opera Nixon in China (1987) became a great success and pave his road to the fame of master of contemporary minimalism although most of his works cannot be recognized as minimal music. In the middle of second decade of his creative work he was already far from minimal ideas and in symphonic score Harmonielehre from 1985 he moved back to the expressionist means and loose tonality. Nevertheless in 1990’s he was listed in one row with masters of 1960’s generation Terry Rilley, Steve Reich and Philip Glass. Some elements of this style he was working also in next decades, i.e. using steady pulse as characteristic feature of his style, but the last decade of 20th century and two decades of new Millenium was the time of his greatest creative achievements.

John Adams —  Must the Devil Have All the Good Tunes? (2020)

   Concert compositions occupy a special place in John Adams’ oeuvres. Starting from Violin Concerto (1993) to Scheherazade 2 – symphony for violin and orchestra (2014) he presented an unusual melodic lightness and lyricism contrasted with dramatic tensions. In compositions for piano and orchestra these qualities were augmented with motoric intensity and expressive radiant harmonics interacting with variety of rhythmic patterns. In third piano concerto called Must the Devil Have All the Good Tunes? Was commissioned by Los Angelese Philharmonic and premiered March 7, 2019 in Walt Disney Concert Hall by Yuja Wang and Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Gustavo Dudamel. In November 2019 artists recorded this work for Deutsche Grammophon and in April 17, 2020 album was released.
   New piano concerto uses the same steady pulse we know as a hallmark of composers style. This is the starting point for the process of developing and expanding patterns as figurative units for motoric and intensive piano action. This virtuoso concerto continues the line of great concertos by Bartok and Prokofiev. It consists of three movements: I Gritty, funky, but in Strict Tempo; Twitchy, Bot-like, II Much Slower; Gently, Relaxed III Piú Mosso: Obsession / Swing. Firm and energetic, perfect and virtuoso music suita the diabolic name which has its root in saying of Martin Luter.
   The program of this LP comprises concerto Must the Devil Have All the Good Tunes? and as an encore China Gates (1977) for piano solo, early composition based on principles developed in minimalistic period. Perfect performance of orchestra conducted by Gustavo Dudamel and brilliant virtuoso piano by Yuja Wang gave this visionary music good premiere. For composition and for performance complete five stars.

Zubin Mehta — Maurice Ravel — Daphnis and Chloé 2nd Suite, Ma Mere l'Oye, La Valse

★★★★★

   Maurice Ravel was one of most famous composers of early 20th century. And he was really unusual one. What was common for many modern composers, he attempted to create original style and as many others he was clearly different from his contemporaries. But in opposition to trends dominating in modern music, the intellectual factor of his works was explicitly present in thematic and semantic associations. This was Ravel’s own way of creating the distance and classical stability. While inducing some elements of ancient cultures and intertextual references to historic styles, he became famous for his harmonic masterity of orchestration and color imagination. He seen music in various perspectives and this feature decided on differentiation of his oeuvres. He was also great composer of ballet music and his most popular symphonic pieces are connected to the dance. Even rare compositions written specially for orchestra have their dance context and the perfect example is La valse.

   Ravel was one of first composers writing for Sergei Diaghilev, and these cooperation gave him position of prominent composer in the world of contemporary art. As avantgardist he was recognized and valued, and his ballets gave him widespread acceptance. Diaghilev comissioned Daphnis and Chloé in 1909, before successes of Stravinsky’s The Firebird (1910) and Petrushka (1911). Later Diaghilev commissioned also works by Claude Debussy (1913) and Eric Satie (1917). So Ravel was the one who opened for impressionistic style this most famous avant-garde ballet company. He did this with one of best scores ever written for stage. Its formal integrity is based on four leitmotivs and emotional profundity on plentitude of harmonic meanings. The whole scenic work duration is almost an hour, so composer made two suites, one for orchestra and one for orchestra and choir to promote this great music also during symphonic concerts.

Maurice Ravel – Daphnis and Chloé (1971)

   Second suite is almost exact equivalent of third part of the ballet, and it was originally arranged by Ravel for large orchestra and wordless chorus. Shortly it became very popular as a symphonic piece and is frequently performed without the choir, which is quite understandable since choir parts are unisons with some instrumental parts. But as it was arranged by such master as Ravel, it is not good practice to curtail his work of human voice sound. The composer himself considered 2nd Suite from Daphnis and Chloé as a “choreographic symphony in three parts”. The music of 2nd Suite follows libretto from the morning at the grotto to the ending bacchanalia. The following movements’ titles are: Lever du jour, Pantomime and Danse générale. Recorded by Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Zubin Mehta 2nd Suite “Daphnis and Chloé” became model performance with choral parts and in perfect interpretation. Published together with ballet music Ma Mère L'Oye and La Valse, it was second “Ravel album” LAPO and Mehta recorded for Decca (after Ravel’s version of Mussorgsky’s Pictures at an Exhibition from 1967). The cover of the album features set design by Leon Bakst for the world premiere in Paris in 1912 of Daphnis and Chloé ballet.
   Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra, one of best symphony orchestras in the world its prominent position owes to great conductors and music directors. After series of famous conductors Artur Rodziński, Otto Klemperer, Alfred Wallenstein and Eduard van Beinum, in 1960 post was proposed to Georg Solti who accepted proposal, but resigned when Philharmonic Directors Board appointed 26 year-old Zubin Mehta as an assistant conductor. In effect in 1962 Mehta started his tenure and last on the director’s post to 1978. Successes of Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra in sixties and seventies were in big part effect of development leading by Zubin Mehta. Recordings are great opportunity to understand what artistic representation of these achievements was. The great test of orchestra quality is 2nd Suite “Daphnis and Chloe”. Orchestra sounds clearly independently of dynamics, with lots of space and precise articulation in pianissimo and fortissimo. Second side with even more narrative music and opulent La Valse show more perfect sound and large orchestra qualities. This is five stars, resplendent performance and old Decca pressing keeps it in almost natural state.

Zubin Mehta Conducts Arnold Schoenberg

   On turning of 19th century the idea of progress in music lead to complication of meanings and increasing difficulty. Like in science and technology value in music was observed as the effect of innovation and originality. Approaching final exhaustion of functional gravitation in modern music, in first half of 20th century composers were trying different scales and systems to find new space for their creativity.  In Arnold Schoenberg’s music earlier atonality became in 1920’s the whole new system basing on chromatic scale and the idea of series. It is commonly known as one of most intellectual ideas of 20th century music. But considering energy of Schoenberg’s music composed with twelve-tone technique, it looks to be relatively insignificant issue whether it was intellectual or not. As always in the history in the center of meaning of music is its emotional potential and possibilities of performing artists.
   Arnold Schoenberg’s idea of serial music was influential invention and made him one of most recognizable figures of 20th century culture. Such theoretical solution of the material organization was continued and developed by Schoenberg’s students Alban Berg, Hans Eisler, Anton Webern and by next generations of composers: Milton Babbit, Pierre Boulez, Luigi Dallapiccola, Hans Werner Henze, Ernst Krenek, Bruno Maderna, Luigi Nono, Henri Pousseur, Karlheinz Stockhausen, La Monte Young and many others. Schoenberg’s idea influenced philosophers and music writers, especially Theodor W. Adorno who set together Arnold Schoenberg and Igor Stravinsky in his Philosophy of New Music. Also Thomas Mann, who in novel Doctor Faustus made dodecaphonic method the base of the hero creative efforts, was strongly encouraged by Adorno.

Arnold Schoenberg - Kammersinfonie and Variations (1969) 

   The concert repertoire comprises numerous works of Arnold Schoenberg. Great part are chamber compositions, operas and vocal music. In orchestral music most famous are Verklärte Nacht (Transfigured Night) Op. 4, Chamber Symphony No. 1 Op. 9, Chamber Symphony No. 2 Op. 38, Five Orchestral Pieces Op. 16, Variations for Orchestra Op. 31, two concertos for piano and violin and some famous works like using ‘Sprechstimme’ (melodramatically-spoken-recitations) the cycle of 21 melodramas Pierrot Lunaire Op. 21 (1912) and cantata A Survivor from Warsaw Op. 46 for recitation, choir and orchestra. Chamber Symphony No. 1 Op. 9 is work of great significance for the new music. It was composed in E Major yet, but in perfect discipline for chamber orchestra, renewing symphonic form in modern context. It was clear breach in post romantic form of symphony in massive orchestration and augmented construction, giving instead great palette of new sound possibilities.
   22 years later, in September 1928 Schoenberg finished the first dodecaphonic orchestral composition, Variations for Orchestra Op. 31. This is perfect form for repeating series and changing its parameters. Polyphonic mastery and natural emotionalism are working together as in classical music. No wonder Schoenberg and his students, Berg and Webern were called the second Viennese school. These two remarkable works of great composer were recorded in 1969 by Zubin Mehta conducting Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra and published by London Records (CS 6612). The rare, hard to find album was reedited and published with new cover in 1985 by London Enterprise (414 440-1). Both performances are worth to be remembered as model renditions of these works. The album gives full vision of Schoenberg’s works, intellectually and emotionally balanced interpretations, perfect sound and proportions make this recording great chance to discover Schoenberg’s music. It surely deserves four and half of star.

Carlo Maria Giulini – Schumann – Symphony No. 3 “Rheinish” & Overture “Manfred”

   It’s an interesting coincidence of how many great conductors were primarily orchestral viola players. Of course not as many as conductors who started as piano players. Piano is the best instrument for starting the study of scores and formal structures, but still from the group of viola players come a nice group of successful conductors. Maybe the center position of violas in standard sitting of symphonic orchestra gives the best chance to observe directly the art of conducting. Especially conductor’s face expressions being the essence of communication with the orchestra are a condition of success. Maybe there is also a syndrome of the first desk, where students are remembering more part of the lesson just because they have shorter perspective and have to be more attentive. Unfortunately I do not have statistical data to prove this opinion.
   One of the greatest conductors of viola players was Carlo Maria Giulini. In fact he was one of the best at all. He started playing viola in the orchestra of Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia when he was 18 and eight years later he won the Accademia competition giving him chance to become the orchestra conductor. But before he had chance to start, he was drafted and sent to the Croatia as a soldier. Italian army occupied the Balkans as allies of the Nazis. As an declared antifascist and pacifist Giulini had never shoot to human targets and later he refused to take part in further events. In last nine months of the war he was back to Rome and has been hiding because of nazist street posters showing his face instructed he should be shot of sight.

Giulini - Schumann - Rheinish Symphony, Manfred-Overture (1982)

   After postwar Rome debut and short period of directorship in La Scala, in 1956 he started his long time association with Philharmonia Orchestra and Royal Opera House Covent Garden. Later years he was developing series of widely acclaimed performances and cooperation with the best orchestras all over the world. One of the bands he achieved his greatest successes was Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra, where in years 1978-1984 he was working as Musical Director. This was the moment in Giulini’s artistic biography when he focused on symphonic music and resigned of the opera performances. He made one exception with Verdi’s last opera Falstaff. Although this setup both as stage performances and recorded Deutsche Grammophon album aroused wide acceptance, Giulini recorded mainly symphonic works. This was even not numerous discography, only a dozen of albums, but what a renditions these recordings are!
   Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra was always playing with the kind of sound which is full of harmonics in every dynamic range and with perfect articulation making the whole sections sound like one musician – the same time powerful and subtle. This was why this orchestra gave so many possibilities for Giulini. The 1981 digital recording of two Robert Schumann’s symphonic works became a great success. The program of the Deutsche Grammophon 1982 album (Club-edition 46 373 7) are Symphony No. 3 “Rhenish” in E-flat major, op. 97 and Overture “Manfred”. Both performances are perfectly executed visionary interpretations.

Giulini - Schumann - Rheinish Symphony - Lebhaft 

   Marvelous sound and perfect proportions of orchestral sections give a chance for almost unlimited creativity. Giulini was always a creative personality and wise interpreter. In his interpretations he melted emotional contents with deep concern of musical tradition. Also these renditions of Schumann’s music are deeply serious and intellectual. In fourth movement of the Symphony, Feierlich he enhances polyphonic structures giving it more tragic tension which will be surprisingly solved in final part Lebhaft. Soft but precise articulation, full dynamic range and warm sound make this music captivating in deeper level of its symphonic narration. It was strikingly apparent then as so it is still, thirty years after publishing this famous album.