The Voice of the in Times of Oppression

Ásdís Valdimarsdóttir viola Marcel Worms The Voice of the Viola Mieczysław Weinberg (1919-1996) in Times of Oppression Sonata for viola and piano op. 28 (1945)

Ásdís Valdimarsdóttir 1 5'44 Allegro viola 2 7'06 Allegretto Marcel Worms 3 6'55 Adagio piano

Dick Kattenburg (1919-1944) Sonata for viola and piano (1944)

4 9'31 Allegro moderato

Max Vredenburg (1904-1976)

5 6'34 Lamento (1953)

Dmitri Shostakovich (1906-1975) Sonata for viola and piano op. 147 (1975)

6 8'41 Moderato 7 7'54 Allegretto 8 12'09 Adagio

total time: 64’37 The Voice of the Viola in Times of Oppression

The viola is surely not the most assertive instrument Mieczysław Weinberg (1919-1996) with the hammer”, who in contrast with Weinberg, did among the string family. It reaches neither the extreme Sonata for viola and piano op. 28 (1945) study with Shostakovich. Weinberg does not have as his height of the violin nor the rumbling depth and the The Polish-Russian, Jewish composer Mieczysław top priority the comfort of the listener. From his music strength of the cello and contrabass. Its role is more Weinberg was born in Warsaw. After the Nazi invasion of comes forth a strong inner strength, and the atmosphere integrating than leading or polarising; and in brilliance, Poland in September 1939, Weinberg fled to the Soviet tends towards the obsessive without thereby losing its maneuverability and sound projection the violin wins Union. He studied composition in Minsk, but had to flee integrity. A distinctly lyrical aspect provides balance to hands down. But if a composer wants to express his further to Tashkent in Uzbekistan after the German army his compositions. feelings with maximum intensity and depth, he chooses began its advance against the Soviet army. Shostakovich Weinberg’s style is modern in comparison with that of the viola remarkably often. The loss of a loved one, a had heard in the meantime of the exceptional talent of most of the Russians of his generation, and is strongly repressive political system, persecution and war were the young Weinberg, and arranged that the composer coloured with Jewish melodies and rhythms. That also more than once the motivation for the composing of music could establish himself in Moscow in 1943. The two applies to his Sonata op. 28, originally written for clarinet with the viola as the most important voice for expressing became friends, and influenced each other’s work. and piano in 1945, shortly after the Second World War the underlying emotions. The dark, somewhat veiled Like Shostakovich, Weinberg also suffered under the had led to millions of Russian victims. The first movement sound of the instrument makes it particularly suited to repressive climate in the Soviet Union, and thanks only to opens with a melodious theme on the viola after which such a role. On this CD, the first of two, we have recorded his friend could he be released from prison in 1953. And a subtle dialogue with the piano begins. The abrasive a number of compositions for viola and piano in which just as Shostakovich, Weinberg had to navigate with his harmonies and the abundantly present irony make one oppression, both personal and political, has played, compositions within the boundaries the regime permitted; think of Shostakovich. directly or indirectly, an unmistakable role. boundaries that were not always clear. The middle movement has a pastoral feel, and contains During the relative leniency of the 1960’s his music was unmistakable Klezmer melodies. It is these kinds of Jewish played by prominent musicians as Mstislav Rostropovich elements in Weinberg that so appealed to Shostakovich – and Emil Gilels. Only since the beginning of this century himself not Jewish – and influenced him. is Weinberg’s music performed with some regularity also The last movement is atypically an Adagio, thereby in the West. But many of his symphonies, concertos, receiving a character normally reserved for a middle operas and a large part of his chamber music still await the movement. Just as in Shostakovich’s viola sonata, a renown they deserve. reference to the opening motive of the Moonlight Sonata Weinberg’s music is if possible even more intense than can be heard. The alternation of minor and major in the that of Shostakovich. Relentless repetitions remind one of strongly recitative-like final segment refers, as earlier in the music of Galina Ustvolskaya, “the woman the middle movement, to Klezmer music. Dick Kattenburg (1919-1944) to the French signature quality of his music. Being a Jewish In the first movement, strongly tonal passages alternate Sonata for viola and piano (1944) artist, he fled from the Nazis in 1941 to Indonesia but was with twelve-tone themes. The friction between these two Until recently, Dick Kattenburg was known only for a there interned in a camp. He survived his captivity, moved elements lends to the opening a particularly somber and sonata for flute and piano, which he wrote at age 17 for to and in 1946 became music critic for Het desolate character. Ima van Esso, the mother of conductor Ed Spanjaard. But Vrije Volk, a position he had already fulfilled in Paris before The second movement is a Scherzo and uses material thanks to Kattenburg’s niece Joyce Bergman-van Hessen the war for the NRC, the Nieuwe Rotterdam Courant, a from Shostakovich’s unfinsished opera The Gamblers, after a sizable number of other works came to light in 2004. Dutch liberal newspaper. He made a name for himself a play by Gogol. The humor in this movement, as so often Among them is the Allegro moderato for viola and piano, as composer with his film music for, among others, De with Shostakovich, leaves a bitter aftertaste. meant to become the first movement of a complete sonata. Branding from Joris Ivens and Spiegel van Holland from In the finale the composer cites passages from all his Of the following Scherzo only a few dozen measures were Bert Haanstra. fifteen symphonies as if, with death in sight, he wants to composed. Dick Kattenburg was picked up in 1944 during Max Vredenburg was the director of Youth and Music contemplate his life’s work in bird’s-eye view. There are, a razzia and he died, only 24 years old, in Auschwitz. Holland (the Dutch branch of the worldwide Jeunesses musically and emotionally, strong connections between That he was highly talented, is already proven in the musicales) from 1953 to 1969 and was in this period one Beethoven and Shostakovich, and not for nothing does oeuvre he left behind. His style is transparent and light- of the founders of the National Youth Orchestra. Beethoven appear in this last segment. Striking are the hearted, rather French than German, and is clearly the Vredenburg wrote Lamento in memory of his sister Elsa. citations from the beginning of Beethoven’s Moonlight work of a composer who loved dance music and jazz. Sonata: the repeated notes of the famous opening motif The title “the Dutch Gershwin” fits him wonderfully. The immediately give a marche funèbre character to this (very) viola sonata predominantly lets a more serious side of the Dmitri Shostakovich (1906—1975) last passage. composer be heard, who already shows himself to be well Sonata for viola and piano op. 147 (1975) The premiere of the sonata took place on 1 October in control of polyphony. Shostakovich’s Sonata for viola and piano op. 147 was his 1975, almost two months after the death of the composer. last composition and the composer – who suffered lung Fyodor Druzhinin, violist of the celebrated Beethoven cancer – was very aware of that. Notwithstanding that the Quartet, rendered the work, dedicated to him, for a Max Vredenburg (1904-1976) pressures of the Soviet regime on the composer (whose sold-out hall in the Philharmonie of – still at that time Lamento (1953) work, according to those in power, was too ‘formalistic’ – – Leningrad, Shostakovich’s hometown. Druzhinin was Max Vredenburg studied theory and composition with read: too complicated) did not lead to his banishment or rewarded with a standing ovation as he held the score of Henri Geraedts in Den Haag. In 1926 he set out for Paris, even his liquidation, the last stages of Shostakovich’s life the work aloft and showed it to the audience. in those times the mecca of the new music. Lectures by were far from uncomplicated. And that is audible in this Paul Dukas and encounters with Albert Roussel were key strongly autobiographical work. Ásdís Valdimarsdóttir - viola Ásdís Valdimarsdóttir is one of Iceland’s most widely travelled classical musicians. Her musical education took her to The Juilliard School in New York at the age of 18 where she earned a Masters degree. Her most influential teachers there were Paul Doktor, Felix Galimir and the members of the Juilliard String Quartet. After spending 5 years studying in the USA she wanted to get to know the music life in Europe, so she moved to Germany and joined the Deutsche Kammerakademie Neuss. During her time there she studied with Nobuko Imai in Detmold and participated in many master classes, courses and festivals such the Marlboro festival in the USA, Lockenhaus in Austria and Prussia Cove in the UK. Ásdís’ main interest as a viola player has always been playing chamber music. She moved back to the USA to be a founding member of the Miami String Quartet, but ultimately preferred to live in Europe. She moved back to Germany and became the principal viola of the Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie Bremen, joined the Belcanto String Ásdís Valdimarsdóttir and Marcel Worms Trio and the Mutare Ensemble and worked frequently as a guest of the and the Chamber Orchestra of Europe. Chilingirian String Quartet in 2003 in order to have at the Royal Northern college in Manchester and is now In 1995 she moved to London to join the Chilingirian more time to raise her two children and is now based in on the faculty of the Royal Conservatory of The Hague. String Quartet, with whom she travelled extensively, Amsterdam. She enjoys a mix of Chamber music, teaching She has been invited to perform and teach at many music taught at the Royal College of Music, played and and solo performing. She is a member of the Endymion festivals around the world such as the Festival Inverno taught at festivals and courses around the world and Chamber music Ensemble (London) and the Erard at Campos De Jordao (Brazil), International Masterclass made numerous radio and CD recordings. She left the Ensemble (Amsterdam). Ásdís taught for several years Apeldoorn (NL) and the Kuhmo Festival (Finland). Marcel Worms - piano countries, in Russia, the Middle East, the Far East, the Marcel Worms (1951) studied at the Sweelinck United States, Africa, South America and Cuba. Conservatory in Amsterdam with Hans Dercksen. He also As part of the Van Gogh exhibition in Washington D.C. had lessons with the Russian pianist Youri Egorov and with and Los Angeles, Marcel Worms made the CD Pictures Alicia de Larrocha. After graduating in 1987, he specialised at a Van Gogh Exhibition, which was also performed in in the study of chamber music with Hans Broekman and these cities. 20th century piano music with Alexandre Hrisanide. At the request of the Kunsthal in Rotterdam, he put Marcel Worms remains active as a chamber music together a program around Picasso that also appeared player and soloist. In 1990 he premiered early works of on CD as part of this exhibition. A program of tangos Schoenberg in a recital at the Icebreaker in Amsterdam from Latin America and Europe was heard, among other and in 1991 he performed the complete pianoworks of places, in China and in Argentina, and it appeared on CD Janáček. Since 1992 he has performed the program for the BVHaast label. Recorded at the Zeeuwse Concertzaal, Middelburg, Jazz Infl uences in 20th Century Piano Music. It has been Since 2002, the pianist has been active with the piano February 17 and 18, March 16 2018 released on the BVHaast label. works of Federico Mompou. In 2007 he released two CDs Mixed and edited by Concertstudio (NL) Mastering: Walter Calbo In 1994, Mondrian’s memorial year, Marcel Worms with this composer’s music and organised a three-day Musical director: Jakko van der Heijden performed the program Mondrian and the Music of his Mompou Festival in Amsterdam. In 2009 he debuted Viola: Giovanni Pistucci, Napoli ca 1930 Time. Marcel Worms performed this program in the on CD some 40 unpublished works of Mompou that had Piano: Steinway D Netherlands and many other European countries, in been rediscovered the year before in Barcelona. Pianotechnique: Joost van Hartevelt, De Hamernoot, Middelburg Russia (at the Hermitage in St. Petersburg and the Pushkin In 2012 Marcel Worms recorded on one CD both Bach’s Liner notes: Marcel Worms Museum in Moscow) and in the United States (including Goldberg Variations and Metamorphosis by Philip Glass. Translation: Elizabeth Gaskill the National Gallery of Art, Washington D.C.). Furthermore he released CDs with classical music of Photography: Mick Stirling In 1996, Marcel Worms initiated a unique Blues project: the Caribbean and with music of the Baltic countries, Layout: Meeuw Special thanks: Hotel aan de Dam, Middelburg and Maroeska Metz when he fi nished this project in 2017 over 200 Dutch including the complete works for piano by Arvo Pärt, and foreign composers, from more than 50 countries on On his latest CD’s he recorded the complete cycle all continents, have contributed a work for solo piano. The Seasons by the Latvian composer Pēteris Vasks, The project has been recorded on eight CDs. Since 1998, piano music of Erik Satie and music by and inspired www.marcelworms.com Marcel Worms presented his project in most European by Chopin. www.zefi rrecords.nl