Matthews: Piano Concerto; Music For Piano / Mikkola, Vass, Orchestra Nova

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Label: Toccata
Release Date: March 26, 2013

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Featuring ⌄

COMPOSER

MATTHEWS, DAVID
ORCHESTRA / ENSEMBLE

Orchestra Nova
PERFORMER

Mikkola, Vass

Product Details ⌄

RELEASE DATE

March 26, 2013
UPC

5060113441669
CATALOG NUMBER

TOCC0166
LABEL

Toccata
NUMBER OF DISCS

1
GENRE

Instrumental

Works ⌄

I. Con moto moderato

Composer: David Matthews

Ensemble: Orchestra Nova

Performer: Laura Mikkola

Conductor: George Vass
II. Tango: Tempo di tango energico

Composer: David Matthews

Ensemble: Orchestra Nova

Performer: Laura Mikkola

Conductor: George Vass
III. Elegy: Largo e mesto

Composer: David Matthews

Ensemble: Orchestra Nova

Performer: Laura Mikkola

Conductor: George Vass
IV. Allegro con spirito

Composer: David Matthews

Ensemble: Orchestra Nova

Performer: Laura Mikkola

Conductor: George Vass
I. Allegro molto e ritmico

Composer: David Matthews

Performer: Laura Mikkola
II. Andante

Composer: David Matthews

Performer: Laura Mikkola
III. Allegro

Composer: David Matthews

Performer: Laura Mikkola
Theme: Allegro

Composer: David Matthews

Performer: Laura Mikkola
Variation 1: L'istesso tempo

Composer: David Matthews

Performer: Laura Mikkola
Variation 2: Poco più sostenuto

Composer: David Matthews

Performer: Laura Mikkola
Variation 3: Vivace e leggiero

Composer: David Matthews

Performer: Laura Mikkola
Variation 4: Un poco solenne

Composer: David Matthews

Performer: Laura Mikkola
Variation 5: Presto leggiero

Composer: David Matthews

Performer: Laura Mikkola
Variation 6: Allegro moderato

Composer: David Matthews

Performer: Laura Mikkola
Variation 7: Allegro drammatico

Composer: David Matthews

Performer: Laura Mikkola
Variation 8: Scherzando

Composer: David Matthews

Performer: Laura Mikkola
Variation 9: Molto vivace

Composer: David Matthews

Performer: Laura Mikkola
Variation 10: Scorrevole

Composer: David Matthews

Performer: Laura Mikkola
Variation 11: Presto ludovicioso

Composer: David Matthews

Performer: Laura Mikkola
Variation 12: Allegro

Composer: David Matthews

Performer: Laura Mikkola
Variation 13: Allegro di galoppo

Composer: David Matthews

Performer: Laura Mikkola
Variation 14: L'istesso tempo

Composer: David Matthews

Performer: Laura Mikkola
Variation 15: Con molta anima

Composer: David Matthews

Performer: Laura Mikkola
Variation 16: Slow blues

Composer: David Matthews

Performer: Laura Mikkola
Variation 17: Allegretto con precisione

Composer: David Matthews

Performer: Laura Mikkola
Variation 18: Andante appassionato

Composer: David Matthews

Performer: Laura Mikkola
Variation 19: Poco maestoso

Composer: David Matthews

Performer: Laura Mikkola
Variation 20: Moderate blues

Composer: David Matthews

Performer: Laura Mikkola
Variation 21: Allegro

Composer: David Matthews

Performer: Laura Mikkola
Variation 22: Lento e mesto

Composer: David Matthews

Performer: Laura Mikkola
Variation 23: Quasi recitativo, con licenza

Composer: David Matthews

Performer: Laura Mikkola
Variation 24: Andantino semplice

Composer: David Matthews

Performer: Laura Mikkola
No. 1. With steady, calm movement

Composer: David Matthews

Performer: Laura Mikkola
No. 2. Esultante

Composer: David Matthews

Performer: Laura Mikkola
One to Tango, Op. 51d

Composer: David Matthews

Performer: Laura Mikkola

In his piano music, as in his symphonies and string quartets, the English composer David Matthews (b. 1943) marries the idiom of classical tradition with that of his own day. His 2009 Piano Concerto, Mozartian in spirit, contains both a tango and a blues; his Piano Sonata of 1989 includes jazz elements, and his 1997 Variations feature both further blues and a homage to Beethoven. The mood of the music on this CD ranges from contemplative introspection to fiery, rhythmic energy. David Matthews describes the Finnish pianist Laura Mikkola as ‘a marvellous exponent of my music’. This disc is released to mark David Matthews’ 70th birthday in March.

REVIEW:

David Matthews’s 2009 Piano Concerto, with string orchestra, is an approachable, joyfully tonal work that should appeal to pianists and audiences seeking a diverting, fresh 20-minute extension of the worlds of Britten and Tippett, with excellent craftsmanship and minimal complication. It would take an act of desperation not to enjoy it, and unless you are a firebreathing modernist you will.

Speaking of “firebreathing”, the earlier Piano Sonata (1989), in three continuous movements, is far more acerbic and breathlessly dramatic. Prokofieff may be a distant influence, but the language is more relentlessly dissonant, and some would call it “advanced”. It’s pretty exciting, and like most of this composer’s work is unfailingly musical.

The 1997 Variations is an imaginative and very effective set built on a theme of descending thirds very distantly related to Brahms, but its treatment is very much of our time. Always with a distant flavor of tonality in the background, the seemingly improvisatory work holds the attention until the quiet, bluesy close.

Dionysus Dithyrambs (2007, 2004) are two brief pieces inspired by Nietzsche. Scriabin lurks, especially in the pieces dealing with Nietzsche’s insanity, most obviously in the wild final piece (‘Esultante’) with its whiffs of Tristan toward the end. Tristan gets up to dance in the final piece on the program, ‘One to Tango’ (1990, rev 1993), a pleasant but not trivial coda.

This should be of interest to pianists looking for high-quality end of century repertoire.

The excellent Finnish pianist Laura Mikkola acquits herself nobly.

-- American Record Guide