Complete Music for Violin and Piano
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SCHULHOFF COMPLETE MUSIC FOR VIOLIN AND PIANO Bruno Monteiro violin · João Paulo Santos piano Erwin Schulhoff (1894-1942) Erwin Schulhoff Complete Music for Violin and Piano Complete Music for Violin and Piano The Czech composer and pianist Erwin Schulhoff came from a family of German descent. From an early age, he displayed musical talent and accomplishment and was encouraged to pursue official studies in music, which he began at the Conservatory in Suite for Violin and Piano WV18 Sonata for Solo Violin WV83 Prague when he was 10 years old. Piano and compositional studies then followed in 1. Präludium: Stürmisch 4'03 10. Allegro con fuoco 2'17 Vienna, Leipzig and Cologne, where his teachers included, among others, Willi Thern, 2. Gavotte: Mäßig 4'03 11. Andante sostenuto 5'20 Max Reger, Fritz Steinbach and (for a short time) Debussy. The culmination of these 3. Menuetto 4'15 12. Scherzo: Allegretto grazioso 2'44 years of study came as Schulhoff received the Wüllner and Mendelssohn prizes, both 4. Walzer 4'02 13. Allegro risoluto 3'05 awarded in 1913. 5. Scherzo 5'49 Historical events that shaped Europe in the first half of the twentieth century Sonata No.2 for Violin and Piano also exerted an important influence on Schulhoff’s professional life and creative Sonata No.1 for Violin and Piano WV91 choices. The post-Romantic influence, evident in the first phase of Schulhoff’s work, WV24 14. Allegro impetuoso 6'42 was substituted by a radically different style due to a profound alteration of the 6. Wuchtig 6'36 15. Andante 5'10 composer’s personal convictions after his experience fighting on the front lines in 7. Ruhig 4'35 16. Burlesca: Allegretto 2'41 World War I. Political and musical options would become quite salient in this new 8. Scherzo: Bewegt 2'52 17. Allegro risoluto 3'53 creative phase, which lasted until the beginning of the 1920s. 9. Rondo: Nicht zu schnell 7'41 Residing temporarily in Dresden, Schulhoff came into contact with a series of figures associated with the artistic trends of the avant-garde, offering him the new musical solutions he was seeking. He would work, throughout the following years, Bruno Monteiro violin · João Paulo Santos piano in two extreme aesthetics: atonality and the rhythmic emancipation associated with the Second Viennese School, and at the same time, the absurdity and spontaneity of the Dada movement. Jazz was another important discovery from this time and its influence would be notable and lasting for Schulhoff. The return to his native land, in 1923, would mark a new phase, characterized by the discovery and cultivation of Czech folk music. Schulhoff synthesized this music Total time: 76'36 with other elements, like jazz or the neoclassical style. The compositions written Recording: 26-28 April 2016, Igreja da Cartuxa, Caxias, Portugal during this phase are among his most frequently performed works. It was during this Producer: Bruno Monteiro Engineer and Editor: José Fortes time that he received the greatest professional recognition on an international stage. Artists photos: Inês Monteiro (Bruno Monteiro); Alfredo Rocha (João Paulo Santos) Cover: Garden Wall, by Antonin Slavicek p & © 2016 Brilliant Classics The final part of his career, beginning in the 1930s, is marked by ever-increasing with whom Schulhoff was in contact, even though briefly. In the editorial preface to difficulties that resulted from his Jewish heritage and his decision to sound his this sonata, Vlastimil Musil describes it as “a work that bears the mark of Schulhoff political choices clearly through his music. Having obtained citizenship in the Soviet searching for his own musical language.” Union, he was unable to flee Czechoslovakia, where he was captured by the Nazi The influence of Debussy can be witnessed immediately in the first movement, regime. He died in a concentration camp in 1942. precisely in the exploration of unconventional harmonies. The Allegro risoluto displays a sonata form, alternating the initial motive, with its dotted and marked rhythm, with Suite for Violin and Piano WV18 another, of a lyrical character. The second moment is almost an aria for the violin, After rejecting 20 previous works, this piece was designated by the composer as op. cantabile and expressive, accompanied by the piano. The final two movements are less 1 and dates from 1911. This work exhibits eighteenth century influences. In terms harmonically daring, and, from a formal point of view, recognizable as belonging to of form, it is reminiscent of the classical structure of its genre: a prelude followed by the traditional genres of scherzo and trio, and rondo. The middle section of the scherzo three dances, closing with a scherzo. From a stylistic point of view, the late-Romantic does not leave much room for tranquility between its two anxious external sections. model is quite evident in a work that, while tonal, explores chromaticism. Curiously, The piano harmonies in the final Allegro molto again recall Debussy. The compound this suite was only published in 2004. meter of the Rondo’s first theme dominates here, exploring, once again, the alternation The prelude, espressivo, explores a brief rhythmic motive, played by the violin, between passages of highly contrasting character. which is, at times, echoed by the piano. The first two dance movements,gavotte and minuet (with trio), display the perfection and elegance traditionally associated with Sonata for Solo Violin WV83 the classical canon in terms of both rhythm and stylized character, and could hardly Schulhoff’s return to Prague in 1923 corresponds to a new phase in his career, defined remind one more of this genre. The personal stamp of Schulhoff is apparent primarily by both professional recognition – especially as a virtuoso pianist and performer of in the intermediate sections of these movements: the high pedal tone of the violin contemporary repertoire – as well as by the new creative options in his compositions. in the gavotte and the trio of the minuet. The waltz, obeying the expected ternary The manuscript of this sonata contains the annotation: “Paris – London, January rhythm, is already freer in terms of style. In the original score, the Scherzo bears the 1927.” It was published the following year. indication, “Dance of the little devils,” an effective description of its main theme’s While other works from this time show a notable influence from jazz, the personal character. The lyrical trio brings contrast to this movement. discovery of traditional Czech music is more evident here. The entire sonata is characterized by its constant exploration of the technical and expressive capacities Sonata No.1 for Violin and Piano WV24 of the violin. The first of these traits is evident in the virtuosic and energetic opening This sonata, still from the pre-World War I period (1913), already displays movement. The Andante cantabile adds an expressive aspect to the discourse. The considerable differences from the previous work, above all in terms of harmony. presentation of all twelve tones of the chromatic scale in its initial theme recalls the The influence of new musical languages is apparent here, especially that of Debussy, Second Viennese School, an important influence on Schulhoff during the post-war period. In the Scherzo, the repeated passages in perfect fifths are rapidly intercut with Erwin Schulhoff Integral da obra para Violino e Piano a new motive that brings contrast, especially in terms of texture, using melody and – Compositor e pianista checo de descendência alemã. Revelando, desde cedo, briefly – pizzicato. The reiterated use of the augmented fourth in the final movement particular interesse e talento musicais é encorajado a prosseguir estudos oficiais de reflects the inspiration from traditional Eastern European music. By this time, the música, que inicia no Conservatório de Praga aos 10 anos. A formação em piano e influence of Janácˇek was very important for Schulhoff, who had, in 1925, dedicated em composição prosseguem em Viena, Leipzig e Colónia tendo como mestres, entre his duo for violin and cello to the older composer. outros, Willi Thern, Max Reger, Fritz Steinbach e (num breve período) Debussy. O culminar destes anos de estudos vem com o prémio Wüllner e o prémio Mendelssohn Sonata No.2 for Violin and Piano WV91 para piano, ambos em 1913. The second sonata for violin and piano was composed in November of 1927, but was A vida profissional, bem como as opções criativas de Schulhoff serão extremamente premiered only in 1929. The influence of folk music is clearly discernible here in the influenciadas pelos acontecimentos históricos que marcam a Europa na primeira work’s dance-like character. metade do século XX. A influência pós-Romântica, evidente numa fase inicial, será The first movement, full of vigor, thrives on the exhaustive exploration of its substituída por um estilo radicalmente diferente, fruto de uma profunda alteração initial rhythmic cell, a motive that permeates the entire work. This implacable energy de convicções pessoais após a experiência na frente de combate durante a Primeira is not limited to the violin, but also infects the piano, which continues the frenzy Guerra Mundial. As opções políticas e musicais tornar-se-ão muito claras numa nova of sixteenth notes over a melody that, for a brief instant turns more lyrical, but fase criativa, que durará até ao início dos anos 20. immediately returns to the initial idea. In 2011, the violinist Daniel Hope described Temporariamente instalado em Dresden, Schulhoff toma contacto com uma série the Andante of this sonata as “the most powerful and dramatic slow movement de personalidades ligadas às correntes artísticas de vanguarda, que lhe fornecem a imaginable.” This dramatic character results from the slow pulsation and unchanging inspiração para as novas soluções musicais que procura.