RIMSKY-KORSAKOV
Capriccio Espagnol /
Overtures
Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov
(1844-1908), the creator of Scheherazade,
was a naval officer who later became a venerated professor of composition at
the Saint Petersburg Conservatory. Largely self-taught and drawing inspiration
from folk music of Russian and neighbouring Central Asian peoples, he became
the longest-lived and most successful of the “Mighty Handful” clique of
composers. His orchestral works are known for their extraordinary colour and
imaginative use of instrumental resources. In his Capriccio Espagnol (Spanish
Caprice), authenticity however takes a distant second place to a Russian’s
stylised impression of sunny Spain
and its dances. Its sultry serenade and hot-blooded fandango however leave an
indelible impression.
His Russian Easter Overture quotes from Orthodox liturgical themes and
is a stand-alone showpiece of grandeur, pomp and pageantry. If the Overture On Russian Themes sounds
familiar, that is because it uses the iconic Slava theme that appears in Mussorgsky’s opera Boris Godunov and other melodies to be found in Borodin’s Second Symphony and Tchaikovsky’s 1812 Overture. Rimsky-Korsakov’s little
march Dubinushka (Little Oak Stick) was adapted from a
student’s song used in anti-Tsarist rallies. The much-recorded Seattle Symphony
under long-time music director Gerard Schwarz put their stamp on further
overtures to three operas, completing this enjoyable musical showcase of Slavic
nationalism.
SCHUBERT Operatic
Overtures
Haydn Sinfonietta Wien /
Manfred Huss
BIS 1862 / ****
Franz Schubert (1797-1828) may have been the
world’s greatest songwriter but how many people know of his operas? He never
got to hear most of these within his short lifetime, which makes one wonder why
he composed operas in the first place. As a composer, Schubert lived in the shadow of Beethoven, while opera in Vienna
Other than Der
Teufel Als Hydraulicus and Die
Zwillingsbruder which last all but 3 minutes, all of the overtures are
longer than Mozart’s overtures and contain a similar dramatic intensity as
Beethoven’s overtures, and implicit humour of Weber’s overtures. Des Teufels Lustschloss, composed at the age of just 17, demonstrates a
penchant for the sturm und drang
(storm and stress) that is stirring.
As he matured into his 20s, one begins to
discern a more individual voice. The opening of Alfonso Und Estrella, while casting a backward glance at Don Giovanni, looks forward to Verdi and
even Bruckner. The string tremolos and brass chorale of Fierabras (1823) could have come from the pen of Wagner. These
overtures were performed on period instruments, which account for an anaemic
and strident quality to the sound. Putting aside issues of authenticity, it
would have been nice to experience these on modern instruments.
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