Search - B. Godard, Kirk Trevor, Slovak State Philharmonic Orchestra :: Godard: Violin Concerto No .2; Concerto Romantique; Scenes Poetiques

HOMELY JOYS

DAVID BRYSON | Glossop Derbyshire England | 03/25/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Benjamin Godard was French, a younger contemporary of Brahms, Tchaikovsky, Franck and Faure, not that you would ever know from his music. The portrait adorning this set depicts, whether accurately or through flattery, features that are ruggedly handsome, but he died at the age of 45 from tuberculosis. He was also a contemporary of the long-lived Saint-Saens, and the liner-note writer is probably right in seeing some affinity in style between the two. However I'd say that the resemblance consists mainly in their styles being less individual than the highly personal idioms of some others, a sort of generalised mid-to-late 19th century manner. I differ strongly from Mr Bruce R Schueneman when he finds any commonality with Mendelssohn or Schumann, who are about as unmistakable as any composers ever were. I find nothing distinctively French in these works of Godard either, no suggestion of Berlioz or of Franck or of Faure. What I do find, to my own surprise, in the finale of the second violin concerto is a strong reminiscence of Rimsky-Korsakoff, and I would be very surprised if that is coincidental.



The second violin concerto is a 'late' work, if a composer who died at 45 can be said to have written late works, and it is to Mendelssohn's simplified concerto plan, dispensing with Mozart's grand introduction to the first movement and introducing the solo right at the start. The Concerto Romantique is a 4-movement piece, the third being a 'canzonetta' that has no sense at all of being a concerto movement. To round off the disc there are four small and unpretentious and agreeable orchestral lyrics for orchestra alone of a familiar outdoorsy type.



The soloist is the young prodigy Chloe Hanslip, whose work I know and admire already in Bruch. The orchestra is the Slovak State Philharmonic, and the conductor is Kirk Trevor, an Englishman who has worked largely with Midwestern orchestras in the USA. The recorded sound is a little boxy and constricted, doing no favours to either the orchestra or to the soloist's tone. To be fair, I thought that the latter came across better as the disc progressed, unless it was just a matter of my ear adjusting. I also think you would know you were not listening to the LSO or the Berlin Phil, but the main reason I want to give 5 stars to this disc is the boldness and enterprise of Naxos in issuing such a set at all. It must be 30 years now that I have been hearing about some supposedly dire crisis in the classical recording industry, yet here are Naxos once again expanding my horizons with music that I might otherwise never have got to know, music that is beautiful and accomplished, and as usual at moderate cost. Bring them all on, say I, bring them on - Godard himself, the Slovak orchestra, Kirk Trevor and of course the real star Miss Hanslip. The recording may not be ideal, but we have got used to very high standards these days, she is well balanced with the orchestra, and plenty gets through of the fire and intense lyricism that I had admired so much in her Bruch disc.



The liner note gives us some background, indispensable for most I should think, on the composer, and also on the performers. I just wish Mr Schueneman had used his available space a bit better instead of telling us what we can perfectly well hear for ourselves in the music. At the end of the day (as footballers put it) this disc has made me aware again that the musical story of the 19th century was not just some matter of a couple of handfuls of established giants. It was a great, perhaps even the greatest, era of musical creation, and the second division are of a quality we ignore to our own cost. Meantime we have a new and inspiring prodigy here to make us aware of what it amounts to."

Magnificent Performances

D. A Wend | Buffalo Grove, IL USA | 04/09/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I was unfamiliar with the music of Benjamin Godard until I heard the recording of the Violin Concerto No. 2 excepted on the monthly Gramophone editor's choice CD. Godard was a child prodigy and wrote a lot of music in his short life: he died at the age of 44 of tuberculosis. Godard was best known during his life for his operas but he also wrote symphonies, concertos and chamber music. The Violin Concerto No. 2 is an energetic work beautifully written for the instrument and with some highly inventive music for the orchestra. The opening chords, played by the orchestra and soloist, boldly announce the start of the concerto and leads into the central melody that is nicely shaped by the soloist and orchestra; the soloist and orchestra engage in a brilliant dialogue. The Adagio begins with a triplet played by the orchestra that repeats while the soloist plays a beautiful lyrical melody; the music slowly becomes stormy before returning to the romantic main melody. The final movement is a delightful rondo that brings the concerto to a brilliant conclusion.



The Concerto Romantique for Violin is an early work in four movements rather than the traditional three. The concerto begins with a brief orchestral introduction when the soloist enters playing a dynamic melody. The middle Adagio movement is connected to the charming Cazonetta, which became Godard's most famous concerto movement and was published separately and became popular. The final movement has a dramatic beginning and ends the concerto with a brilliant flourish.



The Poetic Scenes for Orchestra are short, colorful pieces for orchestra describing outdoor scenes and include the titles: In the woods, in the field, on the mountain and in the village. The bucolic beauty of the first three movements gives way to a merry final movement. The music shows Godard at his best in the descriptive music that he was famous for writing.



Chloe Hanslip is a wonderful soloist responding to the many demands of Godard and the Slovak State Philharmonic Orchestra play with real passion. The Concerto No. 2 makes a sensational vehicle for Ms. Hanslip, fully demonstrating her remarkable virtuosity, and is music that is unfamiliar and deserves to be heard much more frequently in the concert hall.

"

Both Concerti on one disc plus a rarity

Jay Silman | New York City, New York | 06/12/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Although my copy was defective(it had a Bottessini disc inside instead of Godard as a result of a packaging error)it was eventually fixed. The tempi for these concerti is faster than the existing versions but the performance is still effective and gives a sense of immediacy. The Op. 46 is a real charmer. This composer, Benjamin Godard deserves a more frequent hearing."