Richard Strauss (1864-1949)
Sonata in E-flat Major for Violin and Piano, Op. 18
[1] Allegro ma non troppo
[2] Improvisation: Andante cantabile
[3] Finale: Allegro
Ottorino Respighi (1879-1936)
Sonata in B Minor for Violin and Piano
[4] Moderato
[5] Andante espressivo
[6] Passacaglia: Allegro moderato ma enérgico
David Kim, Violin
Gail Niwa, Piano
The two composers represented on this recording, Richard Strauss (1864-1949) and Ottorino Respighi (1879-1936), traversed curiously parallel paths in their artistic development Both at first devoted themselves to the mastery of abstract instrumental forms For the young Strauss, who had to contend with the rabid anti-Wagnerian sentiments of his father, the conservative route marked out by Schubert, Schumann, Mendelssohn, and Brahms seemed the most natural one to follow Respighi's choice, on the other hand, reflected a progressive orientation in the face of the dominant position of opera in 19th-century Italian musical life
Later, Strauss and Respighi turned to program music, a genre which brought them brilliant and enduring successes Over the course of a decade and a half the astonishingly facile Strauss wrote a string of masterpieces framed by Aus ltalien (1886) and the Sinfonia Domestica (1902-03) Although Respighi's first major piece of descriptive music, Fountains of Rome (1916), attracted international attention, it did not inaugurate an immediate series of similar works When he finally returned to the genre in the 1920s, his imagination continued to be inspired by visual stimuli Within a span of five years he composed the Pines of Rome, Church Windows, Trittico Botticelliano, Brazilian Impressions, and Roman Festivals
Even as he strengthened his prestige in the orchestral repertoire, Respighi returned to the roots of 19th-century Italian music: opera None of his five operas-from Belfagor (1923) to Lucrezia (1936)-succeeded in achieving the stature of
stature of Strauss' stage works, which left an indelible imprint on 20th-century opera
One final pair of parallels: both were important songwriters and both married singers (One of the most amusing episodes in Elsa Respighi's reminiscences of her husband is a description of Frau Strauss examining the windowsills of the Respighi home for dust!)
Respighi's teacher at the Liceo Musicale in Bologna, Giuseppe Martucci, was perhaps the leading contemporary Italian composer of instrumental music He passed on to his students the spirit of German romanticism, and his own chamber music betrays close study of the works of Schumann and Brahms Martucci was also a fine conductor of Wagner: Strauss was overwhelmed by the lyrical insights revealed by Martucci at the Italian premiere of Tristan Although Respighi's Violin Sonata (1917) postdates by many years his student days, the influence of Brahms is still paramount His programmatic orchestral music proved to be more eclectic The Fountains of Rome, a work of confident originality closer to Rimsky-Korsakov and Debussy than to mainstream German romanticism, actually preceded the composition of the Violin Sonata
The Violin Sonata demonstrates admirably Respighi's command of formal construction and resourceful treatment of musical motives In this respect it is undeniably more polished than Strauss' youthful opus, which wins over the listener by its irresistible exuberance
mainstream German romanticism, actually preceded the composition of the Violin Sonata
The Violin Sonata demonstrates admirably Respighi's command of formal construction and resourceful treatment of musical motives In this respect it is undeniably more polished than Strauss' youthful opus, which wins over the listener by its irresistible exuberance Respighi opens the first movement (Moderato) with a widely arched melody which will contribute to the rather taut mood of what is to follow This initial violin statement is taken up and embellished by the piano The fullness of the accompaniment and the rhythmic subtleties are the most obvious imprints of Brahms The intensity of the colloquy between violin and piano continues even during the contrasting theme, a rhythmically uncomplicated melody in D major with arpeggiated accompaniment The development, marked Agitato, begins with this melody; but the rising seventh interval, derived from the first theme of the exposition, dominates this portion of the movement The recapitulation begins with the piano reintroducing the embellished version of the opening theme This leads eventually to a fortissimo statement of the second theme in B major A tranquil coda treats contrapuntally motifs from the two principal themes of the movement
rhythmically independent way, imparting a quasiimprovisatory quality to the movement During the contrasting middle section (poco piu mosso) rhythmic intricacies are increased One has the impression that the violin is attempting to break free from the assertive descending scales of the piano, which it succeeds in doing only in the return of the first theme
The finale is a Passacaglia which demonstrates Respighi's superb sense of craftsmanship and power of expression The piano enunciates the foundation of the movement: a triple-meter theme shaped by trochaic rhythms After the first nine statements Respighi handles the theme more freely with many changes of tempo and meter The bass theme and the harmonies suggested by it are subjected to variation as the sonata reaches a stirring culmination
The widely spaced unisons of the opening measures of the Andante espressivo evoke a quasioriental effect This sense of "openness" is a salient feature of the accompaniment throughout the movement The violin's serene statement goes its
Richard Strauss' only violin sonata was written in 1887, at a critical juncture in the composer's career Though still in his early 20s, he had already been assistant to the eminent conductor Hans von Bulow at Meiningen and had recently taken up an appointment as a conductor at the Munich court opera His earliest instrumental compositions -undisguisedly derived from Mendelssohn, Schumann, and Brahms - demonstrated his precocious mastery of the classical forms Critics in his native Munich, while recognizing the youthful composer's sources of inspiration, greeted each work with sincere approbation and enthusiasm In von Bulow and Herman Levi, first conductor of the Munich opera, Strauss found powerful and interested patrons They were able to ensure
hearings of his music in Germany; but he could hardly believe his good fortune when, in 1884, his Symphony in F minor was performed by Theodore Thomas at a concert of the New York Philharmonic.
As a novice composer Strauss tried his hand at all the principal forms of classic instrumental music: march, serenade, suite, concerto, quartet, and solo and duet sonata. Suddenly, in the mid-'80s the potency of Wagner's music and Lisztian concepts of musical expression expanded his musical horizons. He became a profound admirer of both -much to the chagrin of his father The language of the Violin Sonata hints more deary at the idiom of the mature Strauss than do any of his previous instrumental compositions with the exception of the nearly contemporaneous Aus ltalien (1886).
Seen in the context of Strauss' stylistic development, the Violin Sonata seems to evince both a nostalgia for the traditional forms and an impatience to release an individual manner on the verge of bursting forth. The Sonata prophesies unmistakably the advent of the grandiloquent tone poems. The medium seems a bit constricted for the expansive thematic ideas, but the Sonata gives violinist and pianist wonderful opportunities for treating typically Straussian themes on a largerthan-life scale.
The opening measures of the first movement carry the unmistakable imprint of their author: an assertive, heroic statement gives way to expansive lyricism. The first thematic idea, particularly the triplet figure which is part of it, serves almost as a refrain throughout the movement. The interchange
between violin and piano is generally predictable, though the surging accompaniment frequently challenges the soloist.
The middle movement, a ternary form entitled Improvisation, subordinates all to the expansion of a cantabile melody. (As early as 1887 Straw"' had many songs in his portfolio.) The lyrical beauty of this first section, Mendelssohnian in its grace, is thrown into relief by the agitated middle section. When the turbulence begins to dissolve in filigree work, the refined sentiments which were temporarily put to flight return.
A brief, somber introduction prepares the way for the irrepressible optimism of Strauss' closing movement. After the initial piano fanfares, to which the violin responds with bravura scales, the mood turns lyrical. Then, a passage suggestive of a scherzo implies transition to the second theme aria, but leads instead to a sonorous excursion in C major. The development is relatively transparent and, not unexpectedly, plays extensively with the "scherzo" figure. The piano announces the recapitulation by a brilliant scale passage. During the coda more and more sound is coaxed from the instruments to provide one final climax to this thrilling Sonata.
Joseph H. DyerThe only American to win a top prize in the 1986 International Tchaikovsky Competition in Moscow, David Kim is recognized as one of the most exciting violinists of his generation. A frequent soloist with orchestras in the United States and abroad, some
of Mr. Kim's highlights include appearances with the Pittsburgh Symphony, Dallas Symphony, and Buffalo Philharmonic. As a sought-after recitalist, Mr. Kim's performances include those at New York's Town Hall, Boston's Gardner Museum, and the Great Hall of the Moscow Conservatory, as well as a major tour of South Korea. A frequent guest artist with festivals, Mr. Kim's chamber music activities include numerous performances at the Wolf Trap Center for the Performing Arts, Aspen Music Festival, Schubertiade, New York's 92nd Street Y (with German baritone Hermann Prey), and Davos International Music Festival in Switzerland.
Winner of the 1988 Affiliate Artists Auditions, David Kim is being presented under its auspice in performances and lectures throughout the country for five years. Mr. Kim's instrument is a Nicolaus Gagliano from Naples, made in 1735.
American pianist Gail Niwa is emerging as one of the brightest young stars on today's concert stage. Among her many awards are First Prize at the 1987 Washington International Competition for Pianists at the Kennedy Center and the second prize at the 1988 Whitaker International Competition in St. Louis. Since making her orchestral debut with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Ms. Niwa has reappeared with the Chicago Symphony and performed with the Kammergild Chamber Orchestra of St. Louis, Banff Festival Chamber Orchestra (Canada), and Grant Park, Evanston, August, and Memphis symphonies. In 1982, Ms. Niwa received her master's degree from the Juilliard School as a student of Adele Marcus. In 1986, she received the Best Accompanist Award at the International Violin Competition in Moscow, where she collaborated with David Kim.
