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Weinberg: Complete Violin Sonatas Vol 2 / Kalnits, Csanyi-Wills
Toccata

Weinberg: Complete Violin Sonatas Vol 2 / Kalnits, Csanyi-Wills

$20.99

Details

Composer
MIECZYSLAW WEINBERG
Artist
Piano, Violin, Michael Csanyi-Wills, Yuri Kalnits
Format
CD
Label
Toccata
Released
Nov 19, 2013
Catalog #
TOCC0026
UPC
5060113440266

About

WEINBERG Rhapsody on Moldavian Themes (arr. Weinberg). Violin Sonatas Nos. 2 and 5. Sonata No. 2 for Solo Violin • Yuri Kalnits (vn); Michael Csányi-Wills (pn) • TOCCATA 0026 (70:58)

Mieczys?aw Weinberg’s output continues to emerge on CD. One of the more interesting features of the Rhapsody on Moldavian Themes is that the music has a certain Hassidic quality, meaning the use of minor keys and descending melodic passages with flatted 7ths and 6ths. Of course, much Eastern European ethnic music falls into this category, including Rumanian and Polish music, but these themes (the notes explain) were consciously chosen because Weinberg’s mother came from Kishinyov (now Chisnâu), where “Bessarabian musical folklore was strongly influenced by the huge Jewish population.” The exuberant and exciting way Weinberg manages his musical materials makes the piece more than just a trifle. The composer made this violin-piano arrangement from his original orchestral version (of which there is a fine recording by Vladimir Lande and the St. Petersburg Symphony Orchestra on Naxos 8.572779) with fingerings for the solo part provided in the published score by David Oistrakh.

The Sonata No. 2 for Violin and Piano, composed in 1944, was not premiered until 18 years later, by Oistrakh and pianist Frieda Bauer. Its opening theme sounds very much like the Rhapsody, but its development is much more along the lines of Shostakovich’s music. Happily, Weinberg avoids—consciously or unconsciously—the crudeness of much of Shostakovich’s music and the streaks of self-pity. It is serious music, yet imbued by palpable energy in the first movement and wonderful lyricism in the second. The catchy but offbeat rhythm of the last movement rides the Sonata off into an almost ferocious Finale.

This is the first recording of Weinberg’s Second Sonata for Solo Violin. Composed in 1967, annotator David Fanning explains that its overall tone is “less confrontational in character and more of a suite in overall conception.” Indeed, the music is very quirky, its seven movements given titles descriptive of musical terms ( Monody, Rests, Intervals, etc.), and so diverse that one can very well imagine the individual movements being played alone in concerts. It is, however, well written and employs a great amount of contrast within each movement, short though they are (the timings range from 1:27 to 3:38, with most of them averaging around two minutes). In places, almost aggressively abrasive dissonances give way to fascinating in brief development sections.

Weinberg’s Fifth Violin Sonata dates from 1953, shortly after he was released following a harrowing 11 weeks at the Lubyanka prison on the charge of “Jewish bourgeois nationalism.” Like in his Second Sonata, and more so in the Rhapsody, Weinberg here “absorbs folk-like intonations” into his style, but the synthesis is now more complete, showing his marked maturity as a composer. There is a wonderfully plaintive quality in the first movement, for instance, where Weinberg simplifies his style harmonically and produces a simply gorgeous spun-out melodic structure. And here, particularly, Kalnits displays an almost otherworldly sense of pathos and lyricism, which then turns into lyricism combined with forward momentum in the rapid second movement. The third movement ( Allegro moderato ) is wistful and almost nostalgic in character despite its energetic tempo, as is the Finale (note, particularly, the diminuendo on the last high note). What excellent music this is!

Kalnits is a good violinist with strong emotion and wonderful empathy for this material, though his tone tends towards wiriness and a bit of whining in the upper range. Csányi-Wills is a fine, sensitive accompanist. Together they make a strong case for most of this music becoming part of the standard repertoire.

FANFARE: Lynn René Bayley

Tracklist 15 tracks

  1. 1 Rapsodiya na Moldavskikh temakh (Rhapsody on Moldavian Themes), Op. 47, No. 3 (version for violin and piano) 09:54
    Track
    1
    Title
    Rapsodiya na Moldavskikh temakh (Rhapsody on Moldavian Themes), Op. 47, No. 3 (version for violin and piano)
    Duration
    09:54
    Composer
    Mieczysław Weinberg
    Performer
    Yuri Kalnits, Michael Csányi-Wills
  2. 2 I. Allegro 08:28
    Track
    2
    Title
    I. Allegro
    Duration
    08:28
    Composer
    Mieczysław Weinberg
    Performer
    Yuri Kalnits, Michael Csányi-Wills
  3. 3 II. Lento - 07:42
    Track
    3
    Title
    II. Lento -
    Duration
    07:42
    Composer
    Mieczysław Weinberg
    Performer
    Yuri Kalnits, Michael Csányi-Wills
  4. 4 III. Allegro moderato 05:25
    Track
    4
    Title
    III. Allegro moderato
    Duration
    05:25
    Composer
    Mieczysław Weinberg
    Performer
    Yuri Kalnits, Michael Csányi-Wills
  5. 5 I. Monody: Allegro moderato 01:24
    Track
    5
    Title
    I. Monody: Allegro moderato
    Duration
    01:24
    Composer
    Mieczysław Weinberg
    Performer
    Yuri Kalnits
  6. 6 II. Pauses: Andantino grazioso 01:32
    Track
    6
    Title
    II. Pauses: Andantino grazioso
    Duration
    01:32
    Composer
    Mieczysław Weinberg
    Performer
    Yuri Kalnits
  7. 7 III. Intervals: Presto agitato 01:32
    Track
    7
    Title
    III. Intervals: Presto agitato
    Duration
    01:32
    Composer
    Mieczysław Weinberg
    Performer
    Yuri Kalnits
  8. 8 IV. Remarks: Andantino non tanto 02:18
    Track
    8
    Title
    IV. Remarks: Andantino non tanto
    Duration
    02:18
    Composer
    Mieczysław Weinberg
    Performer
    Yuri Kalnits
  9. 9 V. Accompaniment: Allegretto leggiero 02:32
    Track
    9
    Title
    V. Accompaniment: Allegretto leggiero
    Duration
    02:32
    Composer
    Mieczysław Weinberg
    Performer
    Yuri Kalnits
  10. 10 VI. Invocation: Lento affettuoso 03:35
    Track
    10
    Title
    VI. Invocation: Lento affettuoso
    Duration
    03:35
    Composer
    Mieczysław Weinberg
    Performer
    Yuri Kalnits
  11. 11 VII. Syncopes: Vivace marcato 02:54
    Track
    11
    Title
    VII. Syncopes: Vivace marcato
    Duration
    02:54
    Composer
    Mieczysław Weinberg
    Performer
    Yuri Kalnits
  12. 12 I. Andante con moto 05:36
    Track
    12
    Title
    I. Andante con moto
    Duration
    05:36
    Composer
    Mieczysław Weinberg
    Performer
    Yuri Kalnits, Michael Csányi-Wills
  13. 13 II. Allegro molto 05:52
    Track
    13
    Title
    II. Allegro molto
    Duration
    05:52
    Composer
    Mieczysław Weinberg
    Performer
    Yuri Kalnits, Michael Csányi-Wills
  14. 14 III. Allegro moderato 04:15
    Track
    14
    Title
    III. Allegro moderato
    Duration
    04:15
    Composer
    Mieczysław Weinberg
    Performer
    Yuri Kalnits, Michael Csányi-Wills
  15. 15 IV. Allegro - Andante - Allegretto - Andante 07:20
    Track
    15
    Title
    IV. Allegro - Andante - Allegretto - Andante
    Duration
    07:20
    Composer
    Mieczysław Weinberg
    Performer
    Yuri Kalnits, Michael Csányi-Wills