The Max Factor: A Conversation with Busoni Sonatinas 11 an Editorial tribute Rachrnanlnoff - Basil Maine [Musical Opinion Opera Reports from Lennox Berkeley: Around the World Archives: a memoir by John McLeod VI] Mark Ooran on Richard Whitehouse on Yehudi Menuhin centenary Schoenberg and John Pickard's Symphonies appreciation other matters Contents

April-June 2016 Number 1507 • Volume 139 www.musicalopinion.com

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Features Ronald Corp: composer, conductor 8 - and more Roderic Dunnett Lennox Berkeley - a Memoir 12 John McLeod Yehudi Menuhin - a centenary 14 appreciation and reminiscence Robert Matthew-Walker A Conversation with Rachmaninoff 16 A conversation with Rachmaninoff : page 16 Basil Maine Remembering Alberto Ginastera 18 - a centenary tribute I NTH E J U LY - S E PT E MBE R 2016 I SS U E I Barbaro Nissman Including: Joseph Horovitz at 90 • BBC Proms highlights· Max Reger Centenary· I Wolfgang Holzmair 21 and programming the art-song today Composers of Barnes • David F Glolightly: My First Symphony, 'The Middlesbrough' • Andrew Davidson Gregor Tassie on Boris Tischenko • Robert Thompson at 80 • The Symphonies of John Pickard: 22 _ Extended CD Review Section· Hurstwood - a New Carbon Fibre Pia~o_---i an overview Richard Whitehouse LL.;;;;;_"'. Ferruccio Busoni - The six Sonatinas: 24 MUSICAL OPINION Back. Issues Advertisements An Artist's Journey 1909-1920- 1 Exford Road Display Advertising: conclusion. His language and his world London SE12 9HD Shirley Hawke 01424855544 Chris Monk Jeni Slotchiver Tel: 0208857 1582 Tel: 01424 422105 Music Matters 30 [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] Mark Doron www.musicalopinion.com 453 Battle Road, Design and Editor St Leonards on Sea, Produdion Reviews Robert Matthew-Walker Opera 35 East SussexTN37 7BB Yellowduck Design Ltd Tel:01424422105 Recitals 46 Subscriptions [email protected] ~o~ 51 Shirley Hawke In the last issue, Jan-March 2016 Festivals at Home and Abroad 55 01424855544 • English Music: lan Venables at sixty Printed by [email protected] Music from Birmingham 59 The Manson Group Ltd Music from Manchester 61 payable in advance. • Music Matters Annual UK: f28.00 Orchestral 63 The whole of literary Annual overseas: f48.00 or • Joseph Horovitz at 90 matter in Musical US$80 payable by cheque Opinion is copyright Cover or credit card through our • The Cala Story © 2016 photo website. Sally's Weekend Out

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MUSICAL OPINION QUARTERLY APRIL-JUNE 2016 Remembering Alberto Ginastera - a centenary tribute

Barbara Nissman

t's hard to believe that April 11, 2016 brilliance of the orchestration, his affinity conductor wanted to rehearse with only Imarks the 100th birthday of the Argen- for the instrument, the richness of the the piano soloist, the harp and the tine composer, Alberto Ginastera. His colour palette, but most importantly, his percussion section, which was certainly a music still sounds as young, fresh and unique gift to take us on a magical journey good idea considering the difficulty of joyful as the first time I heard it. I was a within his fertile musical imagination and these parts. Ginastera was in the hall freshman university student, and it seem- make us respond emotionally. listening and every one of us was amazed ed as if every pianist in the school was My first encounter with Alberto Ginast- by what we heard. The Concerto had learning Ginastera's First Piano Sonata. I era was in 1971. He had been invited as seemingly morphed into another self- was immediately smitten. The infectious the featured composer to the University of contained composition. It was after that Latin American dance rhythms coming Michigan's Contemporary Festival. I had first rehearsal that Alberto said, "Batbara, from the practice rooms were irresistible. just learned and been invited to perform the work / write for you willbe a concerto This was pure "gut" music: music that his First Piano Concerto, written in 1961. for one piano and percussion" (as teased the brain, went directly to the heart The Concerto contained all the elements opposed to the Bartok concerto for two and was felt strongly in the pit of the that initially attracted me to his First Piano pianos and percussion). How exciting! As stomach. I confess that I was initially drawn Sonata, written nine years earlier: sharp far as we both knew, no one had yet to its visceral energy, its brilliant virtuosity contrasts, sudden accents, syncopations, written a work for that medium. and natural pian ism, and those strong, Latin rhythms, motoric rhythmic energy, As the years passed we spoke many driving rhythms. This was fun music- and a respect for form and structure, times about "our concerto," but there were sheer magic- and so well crafted. combined with an even wider palette of always other commissions awaiting Ginastera had an instinctive knowledge orchestral colours and fantastic effects. The completion. The Papal Vuh, his orchestral of the keyboard. He possessed an un- rock group Emerson, Lake and Palmer also depiction of the birth of the world accord- canny ability to exploit a wide range of its responded to its energy and orchestrated ing to Mayan texts, a commission from coloristic and rhythmic possibilities, as well the toccata finale for one of their popular Eugene Ormandy and the Philadelphia as its lyrical and percussive qualities. albums, thus bringing Ginastera's music to Orchestra, was long overdue. Ginastera Similar to Liszt, he always knew what was an even wider audience. was notorious for writing slowly. The innately "pianistic," what would work and We first met at rehearsal. I remember birthing process of any new work took fit comfortably under the hand. Whether him sitting alone in the empty hall, many years to come to life. Then sadly, he was writing a string quartet, a concerto listening; he seemed to be enjoying Ginastera become ill with terminal cancer. for harp, piano or violin, or exploring the himself. I also recall that he did not look at Because of these circumstances, my possibilities of the human voice in one of all as I had imagined. He was impeccably "piano concerto" evolved into the short his remarkable operas, this talent was dressed in a well-cut pinstriped suit and Third Piano Sonata,Op. 55, written in 1982. always evident. I knew that he had studied could have easily passed for a rich South Ginastera had intended to write an Adagio the piano, but wondered after hearing his American banker. The conductor had introduction, but unfortunately died before Harp Concerto if he had ever studied the stopped the rehearsal and was asking him it could be realised. The Third Piano harp- what it could do and couldn't do. about specific measures in the hard-to- Sonata in one movement became his final I asked him, to which he laughed and read orchestral parts- what note did he work. replied, ''Yes, and the things they said it want here, how should it be played? What I remember most from all of our couldn't - but really could do. That's the Observing Ginastera as he listened, I musical discussions over the years was creative imagination and also the realised that this composition, written ten how important form and structure were to technique." years earlier, was very distant from his Ginastera's craft. '/\ work without form is a One of his masterpieces, the Variac- memory and consciousness. It was as if he work de-formed," was one of his favourite iones Concertantes, featuring twelve were hearing the work for the first time. sayings. It is not surprising that Ginastera members of the orchestra as soloists, And, totally amazed by its wonderful produced three Piano Sonatas based on perfectly manifests his skillful virtuosity. As effects, he was thoroughly enjoying the the classical sonata form - the perfect he himself said: "t write as a spiritual experience. After that performance of the home for those strong musical contrasts. necessity ... and above all/ want my work First Concerto, he promised to write a His sense of structure reaffirms my belief to be understood. The music must reach Piano Concerto for me. That was the that any performer must start work at the the public through an interpreter; and a beginning of our friendship. instrument initially with an understanding successful work, / think, must emerge as Five years later in 1976, we met again of the larger design. Then, all the details a virtuoso piece for the players." when he invited me to perform the First can follow. Ginastera talked often about We hear in all of his music the Concerto at his 60th birthday celebration contrast within music as a vital element. "In extraordinary virtuosity of his craft: the in Geneva. At the first rehearsal, the aesthetics, os in nature, there exists the

18 APRIL-JUNE 2016 MUSICAL OPINION QUARTERLY low of contrasts: day and night, the sun and the moon, block and white, allegro and adagio. We must return to contrasts within music" Always in evidence in everything Ginastera wrote is the knowledge he acquired by studying the piano music of Liszt, Bartok and Prokofiev. His love and respect for these composers and the piano always shines through - quite amazing considering that he was not a virtuoso performer himself. I discovered that fact when I asked him if he played his First Sonata; he nodded his head but with a grin on his face added, "one chord per second" Yet, he seemed to know intuit- ively what would work at the instrument. As with Liszt's piano music, no matter how technically challenging the writing seems at first glance, once its difficulties are overcome, the notes fit under the hand but sound more difficult than actually written. Ginastera told me about the first time he heard Arthur Rubinstein perform Bartok's Allegro Barbaro in Buenos Aires. He said that was the encouragement and freedom he needed to go deeper into the folk music of his native Argentina. Bartok's influence can be prominently heard in the toccata finale of the First Piano Concerto; A solid inner pulse is preferable to a in his music, but according to his daughter, Bartok uses a similar rhythmic motive in metronomic approach and will provide the Georgina, this city boy from Buenos Aires the finale of his Second Piano Concerto. flexibility needed for this music to take never liked being around horses - a Ginastera's delightful Rondo on Children's flight and soar! holdoverfrom his military service when he Themes, composed for his two children, is It is evident that only a "man of Latin was assigned to work with horses. reminiscent of the Rondos written by America," as Ginastera liked to call himself Ginastera's cultural heritage and its folk Bartok, and the second movement of could have written this music. He influences provided the strong foundation Ginastera's Second Piano Sonata clearly transports the listener to a world of magic of his compositional style and identity. He had its inspiration in the "Night Music" and fantasy, filled with unusual colors and was able to expand his musical vision from movement from Bartok's Out of Doors. effects. It's very similar to the imaginary Argentina out to the world in his later The percussive qualities and the motoric world described in the books of the Latin works, but at heart he always remained energy heard in both Prokofiev's and American writer Caries Casteneda. Influ- "0 man of Latin America." (Ginastera Bartok's music impacted Ginastera's piano enced by what Kodaly and Bartok ach- moved from Buenos Aires to Geneva in writing. Rhythmic energy creates the ieved with their use of Hungarian folk- 1970 after his marriage to the cellist, momentum and excitement necessary to material, Ginastera also creates his own Aurora Natola and remained there until his propel the music forward. The piano writ- brand of "imaginary folklore" Folk material death in 1983.) ing is filled with strong, shifting syncopated was the inspiration, the catalyst, the The guitar is very much linked to accents, sharp contrasts, typical Latin jumping off point for his very personal Ginastera's Latin-American identity, and its dance rhythms, possessed of a vitality, language. He wrote about what he knew- chordal structures and patterns are an passion and energy that constantly build in the sounds of the pampas (the Argen- essential part of his compositional lang- intensity driving us irresistibly to the last tinian countryside) are part of Ginastera's uage. Ginastera uses the open strings of note of the composition. What this man color world: the "night" sounds (later in life the guitar as his signature, in quite the managed to do with rhythmic variants is expanded to include also the primitive same way as a painter might sign his nothing short of miraculous! However, this cultures of the Mayans, Aztecs and the canvas.This pattern or a variant of this motif music should not feel restricted by the Incas and the sounds of their ancient can be found somewhere in practically metronome. It needs the freedom to instruments and habitats), the Latin dance every composition he wrote. I remember phrase and breathe within a natural rubato, styles. The gaucho (the Argentine cowboy) when I first played the First Piano Sonata while accommodating its subtle harmonic, becomes a mythical hero. Incidentally, for Ginastera; the only two words he wrote melodic and structural marking points. Ginastera might have enjoyed the gauchos into my score were "coma quitarra," ••

MUSICAL OPINION QUARTERLY APRIL-JUNE 2016 19 written in the second movement's presto Also of interest: Ginastera was a great they were on their honeymoon. The misterioso. He wants this rhythmic figure recycler. Sometimes themes would appear pianist was the late Hilde Sorrier, nervous played as a gesture. The individual notes and reappear again and again. Recently, I about receiving her commissioned piano are of less concern than the total effect of listened to a performance of his Pomp- concerto on time. She did receive the imitating the guitar's sound and strumming eono No. 3 for orchestra and in the 2nd Second Concerto in time for its premiere effects. movement was surprised to discover the but as Ginastera told me when he gave The American composer Aaron Cop- trombone motif from the finale of his First me a copy of the score, "/ decided to land on a fact-finding tour of Latin America Piano Concerto. It is also used in another moke this concerto os difficult as / could met Ginastera for the first time in 1941. In orchestral work, Ollontay. If Ginastera liked to soy thonk you for oil those phone coils." a letter that Copland sent back to the something, he didn't want to discard it. The I remember thinking at the time, "that's States, he called Ginastera the "white Estoncio theme from his popular ballet first one of his works that I won't be studying!" hope" of Latin American music. Because appeared in his Cancierto Argentina for How wrong I was about that because I of Copland, Ginastera would come to piano written 6 years earlier. have just recorded the work. But it is America in 1945 on a Guggenheim grant Speaking of the Concierto Argentina: difficult, probably the most difficult work for and also attend Copland's symposium in on a recent trip to Philadelphia, I was piano that Ginastera ever wrote. Not only Tanglewood. The timing could not have surprised to discover a manuscript copy of is it pianistically challenging, but more been more perfect. Juan Peron had just this early piano concerto, written by cerebrally conceived than most of his other come to power in Argentina, and in 1945 Ginastera in 1935. Ginastera subsequently works with increased emphasis on retro- Ginastera was forced to resign from his withdrew the work from publication but grade, inversion, canon, mirror form, teaching post for signing a petition in later in his life reviewed the manuscript mathematical patterns, polytonality etc. support of civil liberties. This was the right and did have intentions of revising the Some of the twelve-tone language is not time for Ginastera and his family to leave work but died before he had the time to easy to master. The work pays homage to the country and get away from the do so. It is indeed an honour that Aurora two musical masters: Beethoven and dictatorship government. Natola-Cinastera, the widow of the Chopin. Ginastera begins with one and Copland and Ginastera maintained a composer, granted me the exclusive right ends with the other. The Second Concerto long and lasting friendship. We could very to perform and record this early work is still "undiscovered," but it is a great well nickname Ginastera, the Copland of along with his First and Second Piano concerto that deserves to become a staple Latin America! In Copland's music, we hear Concertos, thus presenting a historical of the twentieth-century piano literature. the wide-open expansive spaces of America continuum of Ginastera's special relation- What one realises from studying all of - the freedom of the landscape. Ginastera ship with the piano concerto. Ginastera's piano works is how passionate makes us hear the Argentinean country- The three Piano Concertos represent he was about the piano and its repertoire. side, the pampas, and his rnusic gives us different stylistic periods in Ginastera's He managed to constantly challenge the a feeling for the land, its people and its compositional life. The early Concerto performer with his craftsmanship, always heroes (even though Ginastera always contains all the elements found in his early expanding the colour possibilities of the remained a city boy from head to toe.) piano music and reminds me of the instrument. With his joy and passion, he And years later when Copland would write Donzos Argentinos. The piano's entrance transports us to another world - a world his ballet Rodeo, we would be able to hear in the beautiful slow movement recalls the of magic! We can't help but respond Ginastera's influence on his music! clarinet opening of Rhapsody in Blue; emotionally to music that goes straight to What stands out in my rnemory from perhaps this is another one of Ginastera's the heart. I remember Ginastera telling me my visits with Ginastera and his late wife, jokes. The work is nah/e but still filled with that music that begins in the brain can the cellist Aurora Natola at their gracious youthful passion and is a real audience- never get to the heart - it must begin with home in Geneva, was the sound of pleaser. the heart - always. I agree and perhaps laughter. Ginastera had a wonderful sense For me, the First Piano Concerto rep- that is why Ginastera's music conveys such of humour. He was gifted at making funny, resents the real masterpiece of all the unbounded joy far more successfully than witty remarks, but always with a straight Piano Concertos. This was the first work for most music. face and a mischievous twinkle in his eye. the piano that Ginastera returned to after The sheer physical act of playing his We can also see this humour in some of his the success of his popular First Sonata, piano music has a cathartic effect, prov- compositions. He liked to drop occasional nine years earlier. Essentially,the Concerto iding a release of raw, earthy emotions that "quotes" in his music. Quite appropriately, is a bigger version of his Sonata, enhanced seem to transcend thought. The driving a quote from a Paganini caprice can be greatly by the added color resources of the intensity, the excitement of this exuberant, heard in his very difficult Violin Concerto, orchestra, especially its percussion section. unrestrained music burst forth to engulf and a quote from Beethoven's Fourth The undiscovered masterpiece is the the listener, communicating with a direct- Piano Concerto is heard in the slow move- Second Piano Concerto. I remember the ness that so often eludes many of today's ment of the First Piano Concerto where first time I heard about this work. I was composers. How wonderful to rediscover the pianist is also waging its own war with visiting with Alberto and his wife Aurora at a composer who can make us feel, who the orchestra. He carries this practice much their beautiful apartment in Geneva. They puts us back in touch with our passions further in his Second Piano Concerto that were recently married, and they were both and reaches deep inside our soul. He has not only includes quotes from Beethoven, sharing with me a funny story about a left a rich legacy that, fortunately, will last but also Stravinsky, Brahms and Chopin. pianist who kept calling every day while much longer than his 100 years. •

20 APRIL-JUNE 2016 MUSICAL OPINION QUARTERLY