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For
those of you who enjoy works like Bach’s
Partitas for solo violin and Paganini’s
24 Caprices, well this is the disc for you. Ysaÿe's six solo Sonatas
are dedicated to the great violinists who lived during the late
19th and the 20th centuries. Each contributed to the classical music
world in one way or the other. An example is Fritz Kreisler who
was noted as a violinist who not only played lyrically, but with
his heart and soul.
The
works on this disc are not for the average violinist, and from Sonata
No.1 you can tell that Philippe Graffin is well equiped to make
this recording. One may easily conclude just by hearing the first
three movements that these are "show off" pieces demanding a high
level of dexterity, composure, showmanship and strength on the part
of the violinist. As the notes in the sleeve most elegantly puts
it, upon hearing these virtuosic pieces people of the period would
definitely have shouted out the name "Ysaÿe, Ysaÿe!" - he just stood
out so clearly in the music. I suppose for the pianophile it would
be like listening to Liszt's music which with its chordic exuberance
and technical difficulty could not be by anyone else.
When one thinks of the violinists at the end of the 19th century,
names like Vieuxtemps, Wieniawski, Sarasate, Chausson and (not forgetting
the greatest of fiddlers) Paganini quickly come to mind. However
one must not forget that Ysaÿe was equally a central figure in the
musical world. Unlike many great composers, Ysaÿe (left) was not
a child prodigy. It was Wieniawski who brought him under his wing.
One interesting point worth mention is the fact that Ysaÿe was a
self-taught musician. He composed many violin pieces of the tarantella
and mazurka form, and some of these have unfortunately never been
performed.
His
extensive travels put him in contact with composers like Rubinstein,
Debussy and even Franck. Franck’s Violin Sonata in A major and Chausson's
Poeme is said to be inspired by him. Chausson is said to
have called the latter work "mon-ton poeme" ("my-your poem")
DURING
the First World War, Ysaÿe retreated to London where he gave numerous
concerts for charity. He was noted for his discipline and hard work
and spent countless hours practising and perfecting his tone. Just
from hearing his Poeme Elegiaque you will know that the technique
of a titan and the grace of a swan is needed to perform it. One
can straightaway confirm that these pieces require not only discipline
to play but a certain level of understanding and maturity, while
the 24 Caprices of Paganini could
be played by a good virtuosic fiddler whether young or old. The
Ysaÿe Sonatas, in contrast, require a sound understanding of the
music, otherwise they will sound rather pedantic and at best ordinary.
The
six Sonatas test every aspect of a violinist, reaching the far corners
of all the registers that the violin can possibly explore. In fact
some of the Sonatas sound so much like the Bach Sarabandes or Courantes,
with so many characteristics of these Partitas that I strongly suspect
Ysaÿe must have drawn his inspiration and the form from these pieces.
I was not wrong, when I reached the Second Sonata I was presently
surprised.
The
Second Sonata's first movement, called "Obsession", is based on
Bach’s Partita No.3 in E major. This piece is marked by glissandos
and pizzicati which I reckon would be quite a visual experience.
By the way, note that these Sonatas are not entirely lyrical in
nature and therefore could be rather trying to listen to all at
one go.
However
one sonata that got my attention was the Fourth Sonata, dedicated
to Fritz Kreisler. It displays some of the traces of Kreisler’s
Tambourin Chinois and the Recitative and Scherzo,
as well as Kreisler's tenderness of playing. Ysaÿe’s solo works
give you the impression that to rationalize is to lower your standards.
Every movement has its excitement and the violinist is challenged
both technically as well as emotionally. Somehow I feel that you
need the same "diabolic" instincts required to play Paganini for
these pieces as well. While the sleeve does mention Wieniawski as
one of his main inspirations, I have this feeling that perhaps Paganini
had a hand in the music.
While
this CD is recommended only to the serious violin listener, I do
recommend listening to it in portions. Eventually, certain movements
will grow on you and you will feel that you cannot get enough of
it. I have not personally listened to Ysaÿe's quartet music, but
I suspect it would be equally interesting, having solo instruments
challenge each other in unison.
JOHANN
D'SOUZA has just found a great new fascination for the Tango
and will no doubt be looking for a dance partner - anyone out there?
If you wish to
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137:
4.4.1998 © Johann D'Souza
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