荣誉会员
UID17027
好友
回帖0
主题
精华
积分87205
阅读权限225
注册时间2002-12-20
最后登录1970-1-1
在线时间 小时
|
楼主 |
发表于 2004-12-5 10:33:00
|
显示全部楼层
Stephen Dodgson in 2001. Phot Keith BramichEngaging and colourfulBernard Roberts plays music by Stephen Dodgson,
reviewed by MALCOLM MILLERThe engaging and colourful Piano Sonata No 7 by Stephen Dodgson, who celebrated his eightieth birthday earlier this year, received its London première and second performance at an inspiring recital by the distinguished pianist Bernard Roberts. Dodgson's new work, with its great sense of improvisatory fantasy and lyricism, was ideally programmed between Beethoven's two Op 27 sonatas and the Schubert B flat sonata D 960. The concert took place on Sunday 14 November 2004 before a capacity audience at the Church of the Christian Community, Glenilla Road, London NW3, the main concert presented this year by the Glenilla Arts Society, of which Bernard Roberts is President and a frequent performer, to the delight of the mainly local audience members. As Dodgson himself explained, the new sonata was commissioned by the Basingstoke Concert Club of which Bernard Roberts is also President, and for whom he gave the world première on the previous evening, as part of its fiftieth season.There is a long standing performer-composer relationship between Bernard Roberts and Stephen Dodgson: Roberts had recorded all six of Dodgson's solo sonatas and his most recent release is a CD of the three piano trios and recent set of piano Bagatelles (Claudio Records). In all Dodgson's works, including those for guitar and harpsichord for which he is well known, there is a strong sense of logical conceit, of structural balance and argument leading to some sort of resolution. Yet in this seventh sonata there are signs of greater simplicity and lyrical poetry, its harmonic language following his earlier tonal centred chromaticism, more lucid here than ever in its allusions to Prokofiev and Copland. All three movements of approximately equal duration are flowing, expressive and full of idiomatic pianistic gestures and an individual harmonic and textural syntax within a broadly neo-classical frame. The first movement is introduced by a short slow preamble to set the harmonic mood, a mixture of dissonant bite and widely spaced enriched consonant chords. The rising scalic first subject, treated in counterpoint, is contrasted by a jaunty, rhythmic second subject, and after their development, the recapitulation leads to a climax in the highest registers. The slow movement with its barcarolle-like rhythm, has a pastoral quality, trilling gestures accompanied by sliding drone-like bass, the airy textures giving way to a stronger chordal theme which builds to a climax before resuming the earlier calm. The last movement articulates a confrontation of two themes in contrasting metres, resolved by the eventual appearance of a third theme, and leading to a strong conclusion. It is a work that requires an interpreter of the depth and understanding of Bernard Robert, whose precise and lucid touch projected the harmony and thematic process with resonant colours and bite.Earlier we heard the contrasting Op 27 sonatas, beautifully controlled and shaded with luminescent tone. The E flat sonata flowed with a sense of inner repose and conviction, the lilting calm of the first subject contrasted by ebullience in the central arpeggio section. The mystery and delicacy of the Scherzo's dialogue of high and low arpeggios was highlighted in the caressing emphases, contrasted by a pointed Trio. A rich warm tone in the slow movement melody created a beguiling, artfully shaped phrase, aptly preparing the effervescent and punchy fugal finale, in which the cyclic return of the slow movement's theme underlines the proto-Romanticism of this work which echoes that of its companion sonata, the Moonlight. Here the intensity of touch and rhythmic control enabled the music to speak through its dark harmonies and dissonances, the sparseness of its textures, with the flowing arpeggios providing a romantic backdrop. After the elegant minuet, the finale's explosive power was unleashed with impressive panache and energy.The climax of the concert was Bernard Roberts' eloquent and riveting interpretation of Schubert's great B flat sonata, in which the expansive canvas of the work, particularly in contrast to the earlier Beethoven, emerged with impressive detail and control. The slightly emotional detachment made for a classical interpretation of this work in which everything was in place, with a powerful effect arising from the accumulation of expressive gesture as in the dramatic first movement with its antimony of melodic motif and ominous bass trill, and the Andante sostenuto, where the dramatic switch from minor to major as the plangent theme resists despair and turns to the warmer affirmation of hope takes place over the steady rhythmic framework of the ostinato octaves. The crystalline textures in the Scherzo delicately pointed in the upper registers, flowed easefully into the rhythmic polyphony of sinewy octave counterpoints in the trio, while attention was arrested with the finale's call to attention, so reminiscent of the Trout Quintet, a single note which propels the main urgent theme, that transforms rapidly into its dance-like variant, poised between major and minor, a characteristic doppelganger effect. Bernard Roberts has an ability to make one hear fresh details in a familiar piece, and his recital helped explain his reputation as one of Britain's leading interpreters of Romantic and modern piano music. With the Glenilla Arts Foundation series now in the planning for next season, one hopes for another chance to hear him soon again.Copyright © 16 November 2004 Malcolm Miller, London UK |
|
发表于 2004-12-5 10:13:00
