JOAN MANEN Violin Concerto No.3, Symphony No.2 / Review

JOAN MANÉN

Violin Concerto No.3

Symphony No.2

Barcelona Symphony Orchestra

DARRELL ANG, Conductor

Naxos 8.574274-75 (2 CDs)

 

At the rate he carries on, Grammy-nominated Darrell Ang might very well become the most recorded Singaporean conductor of all time. For the Naxos label, he has done sterling work in introducing the lesser-known music of French and Spanish composers. Following up on his earlier and much-acclaimed recording of Spanish violin concertos with Yang Tianwa and the Barcelona Symphony is this album dedicated to Catalonian composer Joan Manén (1883-1971).

 

It is unfathomable how Manén, a contemporary of Igor Stravinsky (1882-1971), is almost unknown despite having written much good music. He was a virtuoso violinist (considered a younger rival of Pablo de Sarasate), pianist and conductor who made the first recording of Beethoven’s Violin Concerto. Second only to cellist Pablo Casals as the most famous Catalan musician, the two major orchestral works in this album suggested he also had Beethovenian ambitions.

 

His Violin Concerto (1941), nicknamed “Iberico”, plays for some 43 minutes. Only Beethoven, Brahms, Elgar and Reger wrote longer violin concertos. Its description sin tono (without tonality) is curious, meaning that it does not have a definite tonal centre. Far from being atonal, it is a lush Romantic work with memorable melodies. The opening movement plays for almost a half-hour (echoing his famous predecessors), while the brief second movement serves as an enlace (link) to a rather short-winded finale. While not as overtly nationalistic as Manén’s own Concierto Espanol, a distinct Iberian flavour pervades the work. Spanish violinist Ana Maria Valderrama, winner of the 2011 Sarasate International Violin Competition, is a most convincing soloist.   

 

Symphony No.2 (1955), nicknamed “Iberica”, in four movements and scored for large orchestra, is even more ambitious at 55 minutes. This was Manén’s Eroica Symphony, given its scope and sense of proportion. A Slavic solemnity and foreboding dominates the sprawling opening movement and slow third movement, but it is the highly rhythmic and dance-like Allegro scherzando second movement and celebratory finale where more obvious Iberian influences come to bear. Conductor Darrell Ang keeps a tight rein on the proceedings, firmly guiding its narrative while preventing the music from becoming protracted and over-bloated. Given Joan Manén’s well-conceived and flavoursome music, Naxos’ low price and excellent annotations, this double-CD album is well worth exploring.