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Krzysztof Penderecki: Sextet, String Trio, Cadenza, Per Slava, Divertimento

by Pražák Quartet, Sachiko Kayahara, Michel Lethiec, Přemysl Vojta

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1.
String Trio I. Allegro molto 07:21
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2.
String Trio II. Vivace 04:38
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3.
Cadenza, per Viola Sola 05:45
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4.
Per Slava, for Cello Solo 05:04
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5.
Divertimento, per Violoncello Solo I. Serenade 01:55
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6.
Divertimento, per Violoncello Solo II. Scherzo 03:23
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7.
Divertimento, per Violoncello Solo III. Notturno 03:29
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8.
Sextet, for Piano, Violin, Viola, Cello, Clarinet and French Horn I. Allegro moderato 09:49
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9.
Sextet, for Piano, Violin, Viola, Cello, Clarinet and French Horn II. Larghetto 18:31
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about

Chamber music has featured intermittently in Krzysztof Penderecki’s production. Born in 1933, he wrote many works for small instrumental ensembles until his first string quartet in 1960. Thereafter, with the exception of a second string quartet in 1969, the emphasis was firmly on lyrical, choral and orchestral works, his chamber compositions being then limited to short tributes to friends and musicians, until, in the 1990s, he returned seriously to this form. The virtuoso String Trio (1990), of formal and sensitive perfection, is characterized by two rapid movements and marks a return to more traditional writing techniques, close to those of Bartók or Hindemith, thus moving away from abundant chromatism.

The opening Allegro molto is a juxtaposition of repeated gestures, aggressive and almost wild staccato, interspersed with cadenzas for each of the three instruments. There follows a juxtaposition of very fast, lyrical passages and two slow episodes. Then the Vivace begins with a boastful gesture of the viola soon joined by the violin then the cello in an incisive contrapuntal discourse, pursued both collectively and individually, the range of expression widening without the music loses its initial energy. Finally, a powerful climax is reached from which the music goes through a succession of nonchalant responses before returning to its previous animation, moving impulsively towards an ending all the more decisive for being tonally grounded. The Cadenza for solo viola dates from 1984, and closely follows the composition of the Concerto for viola; it can be understood as an ‘ad libitum’ complement to this score.

The fact that it is written for one of the Polish composer’s favorite instruments (like the clarinet) undoubtedly adds to it an unusual color and expressiveness, nostalgic because his virtuosity remains devoid of triumphalism. Per Slava for solo cello was written for Mstislav Rostropovich in 1986. Like the Cadenza, Per Slava is notated without bar lines, encouraging the performer to shape the flow of the given material. Beautiful sighing tones open the work and develop an elegiac character that comes to life throughout this short composition; and despite the technical difficulties of the score, it exudes an essentially expressive spirit. Also dedicated to Rostropovitch, the Divertimento (1994) pays homage to a creative association dating back more than two decades. This neo-baroque ‘suite’ begins with a nobly crafted prelude; the scherzo is capricious in nature, with much use of pizzicato and col legno, playing with the wood of the bow in the writing. Finally comes a strenuous toccata, Penderecki’s distinctive chromatic writing combined with invigoratingly virtuoso cello playing. An introspective but intense elegy concludes this ample portrait of the immense artist. The Sextet is a work in two movements written in 2000, and according to some critics, is the composer’s most substantial chamber work.

These pages fully illustrate the aesthetic (and ethical) evolution of the composer at the beginning of the 21st century by the economy of means implemented, the achievement, sometimes by the sole rhythmic vector, of a passionate expressiveness, the lightness of the line and a particularly refined counterpoint specific to each instrument. The form is completely clear, a diptych formed not of two antagonistic blocks, but of a vigorous first episode (Allegro moderato) followed by a second (Larghetto) whose elegiac character will gradually assert itself in its fullness. This sextet was created on 7 June 2000 in Vienna by an impressive cast: Dmitri Alexeev (piano), Julian Rachlin (violin), Yuri Bashmet (viola), Mstislav Rostropovich (cello), Paul Meyer (clarinet) and Radovan Vlatkovic (horn ).

Awards: 4* by Le Monde de la Musique, 5 by Diapason,
ClassicsToday.com

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released January 1, 2005

Pražák Quartet (Ensemble)

Sachiko Kayahara - Piano
Michel Lethiec - Clarinet
Přemysl Vojta - French Horn

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The Pražák Quartet, one of today´s leading string quartets, was founded in 1972 by students at the Prague Conservatory.

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