Nadarejshvilis String Quartet no.1, from the hocketed pizzicato of the opening to DOUBLE BASSES ALL ROUND the climactic wild lament I long to hear the other movements, sadly not included David Kettle reviews a trio of recent bass discs here. The Carducci Quartet never slackens the intensity. Recorded sound throughout THREE RECENTLY RELEASED discs offer on the basss body. Theres little sense of has superb presence. contrasting perspectives on the double drama or opposition between different CATHERINE NELSON bass. Oltracuidansa (Provenal for sorts of material, however the sound going beyond thinking) by Stefano tableaux Scodanibbio creates are Scodanibbio (Mode 225), an Italian beautifully etched but inherently static. VIOLA TRANSCRIPTIONS avant-garde bassist who has worked Nevertheless, its a hugely impressive Arrangements by Tertis and Primrose of with many contemporary composers, achievement and displays Scodanibbios works by Haydn, Liszt, C.P.E. Bach, is the most challenging of the three. breathtaking playing. J.S. Bach, Paganini, Faur, Rameau It presents an hour-long, single-track Temporary by improvising bassists Kreisler, Mendelssohn, Boccherini, exploration of a plethora of extended William Parker and Giorgio Dini Schubert, A. Benjamin, Brahms, techniques, selected and multi-tracked (Silta SR 0903) seems to fall between Grieg, Kreisler & Saint-Sans from six hours of material recorded two stools. Its ve improvisations for Yizhak Schotten (viola) by Scodanibbio. Yet despite its often two basses lack the wilful strangeness Katherine Collier (piano) bizarre sound world at times its of Scodanibbios modernism, yet, CRYSTAL RECORDS CD 630 even possible to forget youre listening despite their occasional forays into jazz to a double bass Scodanibbio territory, never fully embrace that idiom Lionel Tertis and William has constructed a readily accessible either. Nevertheless, theres impressive Primrose were the two structure of slowly evolving textures playing here as the two performers most inuential pioneers where sounds gradually develop and are responsive to each others sound of modern viola playing, morph into each other. Particularly ideas, and the music they create is fresh and a recording that pays impressive is a section of and alive. alive The Largo movement is full them homage is always welcome. Yizhak jazz-like pizzicatos near of stuttering stutte pizzicatos, with scraps Schotten was a Primrose protg and the start which slowly of melody melod gradually coalescing then thus has a personal connection with this Leon meld into eerie dispersing again, and the concluding dispersin Bosch repertoire. Although it was Primroses makes the semi-harmonics, Danza e nale ends with a compelling sound rather than his virtuosity that most bass sing or a later passage jazz-like riff. The music seems at times impressed Schotten as a student, almost of seductive quite self-indulgent, se and at others all the transcriptions by the great Scot rhythms introspective, introspe but it nevertheless included here are of the virtuoso kind, built from delivers a rich and rewarding not least the Paganini Caprices nos.5 sounds listening experience. and 13 (which Primrose performed in his produced The Hungarian H Double Bass by debut recording as a violist), that include South African-born Af bassist Leon Bosch small but effective amendments to the (Meridian (Meridia CDE 84597) is by far the original violin part. If the spiccato of no.5 most tratraditional of the three discs, and doesnt quite have the jaw-dropping its a joy from start to nish. The varied perfection of Primroses own recording, repertoi mostly short, light pieces repertoire the teasing glissandos of no.13 (The ranging from gypsy-style evocations Devils Laugh) are absolutely enchanting. to more modern works allows I was disappointed that just the nale Bosch to show off his immaculate yet of Haydns Divertimento in D major and the effortless technique. Its in the slower effortles Allegro from Boccherinis Sonata in A major th he really excels in the music that are included (there would have been Kodly Adagio, A for example, he makes room for the other movements), but they the bass sing in a deceptively simple compare well with Primroses renditions. performance, perf committed yet not The Tertis transcriptions are mostly of over-stated. ove He has a superb songs Liszts Liebestraum, Brahmss control con over the basss sound at Minnelied and Griegs I love you among times he is rich and full-bodied, tim them and show off beautifully Schottens yyet at others he reduces the dark, masculine sound. With typically tone to something light and informative annotation by Tully Potter transparent, with wonderfully and truthful recorded sound (Schotten here smooth phrasing. Bosch wearing his recording engineer cap), this receives r lithe, responsive CD is a self-recommendation for everyone support su from pianist Sung-Suk GUY MAYER
interested in the history of the viola. Kang in a disc to really savour.
Kan CARLOS MARA SOLARE
96 THE STRAD FEBRUARY 2011 www.thestrad.com
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