Kaoru YaMada

sholto KYnoch

rhona McKail

nicKY spence

Works for violin and piano

Messiaen, schoenberg & schubert

Kaoru Yamada and Sholto Kynoch

Kaoru YaMada

sholto KYnoch

rhona McKail

nicKY spence

Kaoru Yamada

Kaoru YaMada violinsholto KYnoch piano

rhona McKail soprano *+nicKY spence tenor *

OLIVIER MESSIAEN (1908-1992)1 LA MORT DU NOMBRE * 10.422 THÈME ET VARIATIONS 10.533 FANTAISIE 8.13

ARNOLD SCHOENBERG (1874-1951)4 PHANTASY, OP.47 9.32

FRANZ SCHUBERT (1797-1828)FANTASIE, D.934, OP.159

5 i Andante molto 3.456 ii Allegretto 5.307 iii Andantino 10.198 iv Tempo primo – Allegro vivace – Allegretto – Presto 6.14

9 SEI MIR GEGRÜSST!, D.741, OP.20 NO.1 + 4.12

70.03

The title “Fantasy” is a curious one, certainly inthe case of the three works of that name on thisdisc. One might assume that it implies a workwithout structure, free flowing and relying oninspiration, but though they are certainly allinspired pieces, on closer inspection they arealso tightly constructed works. However, theydo not fit any other pre-determined forms, andso Fantasy is perhaps as much as anything auseful term for a work that is innovative andcannot be conveniently put under any existingformulaic title.

Aside from the three fantasies on the disc, twoother Messiaen works are included. TheFantaisie and Thème et variations comprise thecomplete works of the composer for this genre.La Mort du nombre, the first item on this disc,dates from the same period and influence, andhas two voices added to the instrumentation.The disc concludes, also vocally, with Schubert’ssong Sei mir gegrüsst!, the inspiration for hisFantaisie.

On 22nd June 1932, the emerging Frenchcomposer Olivier Messiaen, then aged 23,married the talented violinist and composerClaire Delbos, whose influence brought aboutthe three works featured on this disc (as well asmany others): La Mort du nombre was writtenwhen the two young musicians were givingrecitals together in the early 1930s; Thème etvariations was a wedding present from Messiaento Delbos; and the Fantaisie was dedicated toand first performed by her. Their marriage wasto be tragically cut short when, following anoperation in the early 1940s, Delbos lost her

memory and spent the rest of her life in anasylum, where she died in 1959.

Although the three pieces waver slightlybetween a young imitative voice and a moreconfident individuality, they are full of passionand flair, and share a musical language thatpoints the way to Messiaen’s later, fully devel-oped style.

La Mort du nombre was written in the summerof 1930 for the unusual combination of violin,piano, soprano and tenor. The text is Messiaen’sown, something uncommon in most composersbut standard practice for Messiaen, who almostonly ever set his own words. The one exceptionto this is his early song Le Sourire, which takesa text by Cécile Sauvage, the composer’s mother.In La Mort du nombre, a dialogue between two“souls”, the violin seems at first to be linked tothe increasingly angst-ridden “second soul”,sung by the tenor. It enters unaccompanied,pianissimo and at the very bottom of its register,framing the opening passage of recitative-likedeclaration from the second soul.

While the first soul, the soprano, tries severaltimes, in vain, to console the second, the violinis unheard. When it finally returns, it is tied intothe first soul, whose optimistic voice now takesthe upper hand; this is the only point in thewhole work where voice and violin are heardtogether. They build together to a magnificentclimax; as the soprano sings her final note, theviolin plays an A, the same pitch on which itbegan, but three octaves higher and fortissimo.After this joyous coming together, the violin andpiano gradually wind down to a serene ending,

FANTASY

the piano part formed of rolling arpeggiosreminiscent of Debussy, whose opera Pelléas etMélisande was described by Messiaen as“probably the most decisive influence on me”.

Thème et variations was first performed by thenewly-wed Messiaens on 22nd November 1932.Of these three early pieces, Thème et variationsmost closely resembles Messiaen’s later, trulyindividual style. A serene theme is introducedby the violin, over gently pulsating chords inthe piano. The first variation is more flowing,dominated at first by the piano, with the violinrejoining after seven bars. The theme is stillclearly present. In the second, third and fourthvariation, the momentum continues to buildand the opening material becomes increasinglymore obscured. In the fifth variation, the violinrestates the opening theme up an octave abovegiant chords in the piano. The ethereal openingis transformed into an ecstatic and magisterialconclusion, with Messiaen typically demandinga tempo that is almost impossibly slow and adynamic range from ffff to ppp. There is areligious intensity to this that also points toMessiaen’s mature style and the Catholic faiththat was so central to his life.

The Fantaisie was thought lost for many years,and was only recently uncovered and publishedin 2007, edited by Messiaen’s second wife,Yvonne Loriod-Messiaen. Its publicationdoubled the violin-piano repertoire of thiscomposer and it is extraordinary to think thatit lay unperformed for so long.

It opens with a dramatic piano solo inquadruple octaves. Messiaen viewed one of his

defining traits as his innovative use of rhythmand this opening clearly demonstrates his useof “additive rhythms” whereby he slightlyextends certain notes, giving a unique dancefeel and rhythmic drive. The violin enters witha falling arpeggio and off-beat, repeated-notefigure, the main feature of this section. Afterthis, a long melody in the violin soars over alilting piano part. These three sections providethe material from which the rest of theFantaisie is constructed.

Arnold Schoenberg was a leading light of theso-called Second Viennese School and thepioneer of the “twelve-tone” or “serial” system,in which the twelve pitches within an octaveare placed in an order – the note row – with noone note given dominance, and then manipu-lated in a variety of ways. Although this earlyatonal music enters a completely differentsound world, it is vital to note that Schoenbergviewed his technique as a natural, even essen-tial progression from the extreme chromaticismof the late-Romantic period that preceded it.For him, rhythmic drive, structure and, aboveall, gesture, remained rooted in tradition. Asthe composer once explained:

I am somewhat sad that people talk somuch of atonality, of twelve-tonesystems, of technical methods, when itcomes to my music. All music, all humanwork has a skeleton, a circulatory andnervous system. I wish that my musicshould be considered as an honest andintelligent person who comes to ussaying something he feels deeply andwhich is of significance to all of us.

Trying aurally to follow the manipulation of thenote-row is a largely futile task. The musicyields much more when one latches onto itsgestures, which remain inherently Romanticeven in this piece, Schoenberg’s last completedchamber work. In a fascinating interviewbetween Glenn Gould (a fierce advocate ofSchoenberg) and Yehudi Menuhin, Gould gentlyprovokes Menuhin into conceding that while hedoes not “understand” the music, he is able toplay it with conviction; not conviction in the“notes”, but in the gestures.

The Phantasy was written in 1949 for theviolinist Adolph Koldofsky, who first performedit at Schoenberg’s 75th birthday celebrationconcert. Kodolfsky died in 1951 and the firstedition of 1952 was dedicated to his memory.Interestingly, it was published with thesubtitle, “for Violin with PianoAccompaniment”. Schoenberg reputedlycompleted the entire violin part before addingthe piano “accompaniment”, something onemight expect more of a firebrand Mozart,hastily scrawling out a violin part the nightbefore the first performance! The piano punctu-ates and supports the complex and technicallychallenging violin part. The writing for theviolin is idiomatic and shows Schoenberg’sunderstanding of the instrument, whilst beingunflinching in its demands.

Broadly speaking, the work falls into fivesections. The first and last share similarmaterial, opening with an arresting note for theviolin, followed by a rising arpeggio; not

dissimilar in function to the call to attention ofa sonata by Mozart or Beethoven. A dreamylento section has a slow, high melody in theviolin supported by a quietly active piano part.A grazioso dance, similar in feel to a gentlewaltz, follows, and then a lively scherzando.Overlapping phrases and metrical patternsbetween the two instruments hearken back tothe musical language of Brahms, whomSchoenberg greatly admired. In the finalsection, the opening material reappears,growing to an impressive, if sudden, close.

Franz Schubert composed only a small numberof works for violin and piano; one sonata, threesonatinas, a rondo and the Fantasie. Of thesethe Fantasie is probably the best known andmost frequently performed. Schubert wrote itfor the Czech virtuoso violinist Josef Slavík inDecember 1827, who first performed it inJanuary 1828 with pianist Carl Maria vonBocklet. Its initial reception was lukewarm,perhaps because of its unusual structure, but itsqualities did not take long to shine through.Unlike the Schoenberg Phantasy, this is not awork with a piano accompaniment; the twoinstruments are in equal partnership, and it wasfirst published as a “Fantasy for piano andviolin”.

Part of Schubert’s genius lies in his ability tocreate something extraordinarily beautiful outof almost nothing, something he achieves inthe famed opening of the Fantasie. Over ashimmering piano part, with minimal harmonicmovement, a violin line enters almost imper-

ceptibly, weaving a melody that seems to beentirely static. Somehow, it goes on and on andunderneath the seeming simplicity, there are anumber of surprising twists and turns.

After this opening, we are launched into anallegretto section of fiendish difficulty for bothinstruments. What starts as a lively dance in Aminor soon shifts into A major and both instru-ments are stretched to the limits of theircapabilities. The whole section appears twice,with some subtle variation, concluding with adramatic contrapuntal passage that surges to ashort-lived climax before a piano solo that fadesinto the famous central set of variations.

Schubert was the master of the lied and manyof his instrumental works are based on hissongs; the Wanderer fantasy, the Death and theMaiden quartet, the Trout quintet and others.In this instance, one of Schubert’s few settingsof the poet Rückert, Sei mir gegrüsst!, providesthe material. The song, written in 1821/2,follows the Fantasie on this disc. Schubert wasone of the first composers to set Rückert and heperfectly captures the dual sentiments of thepoem; the melancholy of separation (notdissimilar in theme to La Mort du nombre) andthe deep-rooted joy of a love that can transcendthat separation.

In the Fantasie, we hear each section of thetheme first in the piano, then in the violin. Thefirst variation belongs to the violin, in a playfularpeggiated figure. Variation two is the piano’s,with flowing and florid passages supported bythe violin’s pizzicato. A third variation is a

playful interaction between both instruments.

What appears to be a very simple fourth varia-tion, for the piano alone, turns out in fact to bea subtle transition back to the opening materialof the whole work. The reminiscence does notlast for long, however, as it builds up to atriumphant dance-like section, back in thehome key of C major. The whirling minor-keymoments in this section remind us again ofSchubert the song composer, momentarilytaking us into “Erstarrung” from Winterreise,written only a few months earlier. A long buildup leads to what must surely be the finalcadence, but at the last moment there is asudden recurrence of the Sei mir gegrüsst!theme. Again, this is only momentary andbefore long a final flourish in both instrumentsconcludes the work.

While these final sections fly by, they in factbind the work together, revisiting all theprincipal thematic material and harmonic areasbefore concluding. The title Fantasie should notbe taken to mean a work that is simply pennedthrough inspiration; the mood might have animprovisatory feel and the structure might notfit any other pre-assigned definitions, but it isvery tautly constructed. Perhaps it is thiscombination of freedom and rigour that hasensured the Fantasie its ever-popular place inthe repertoire.

g 2009 Sholto Kynoch

LA MORT DU NOMBREOlivier Messiaen (1908-1992)

DEUXIÈME ÂME:C'était un rayon de soleil qui dormait dans ta main.Tu levas très haut tes petits doigts.Il se mit à briller d’un tel éclat que je ne vis plusque lui.Et il se déroula et devint si long qu’il embrassait lesquatre confins.En montant il m’enveloppa et me conduisit vers tonâme sereine.Je suis encore très loin de toi.Qui m’en éloigne davantage?Pourquoi l’adieu? Rien ne peut détruire le rêve!

PREMIÈRE ÂME:L’eau dormante ne fuit pas la fleur qui la regarde.

DEUXIÈME ÂME:Je veux m’approcher.Quelle force invisible m’arrête?Pour qui ces liens?Pour qui ces chaînes?Je ne peux plus vouloir?Pourrai-je monter ainsi cet escalier sans fin?

PREMIÈRE ÂME:Il faut dissoudre les nuées, combler les océans.

OLIVIER MESSIAEN

THE DEATH OF PLURALITY

SECOND SOUL:A ray of sunshine was sleeping in your hand.You raised your little fingers very high.It began to shine with such brightness that I could see nothing else.And it unfolded and became so long that it filled the world.Climbing, it enveloped me and led me towards your serene soul.I am still very far from you.Who is keeping me ever further away?Why the farewell? Nothing can destroy the dream!

FIRST SOUL:Still waters do not flee the flower that watches them.

SECOND SOUL:I want to get nearer.What invisible force stops me?For whom are these bonds?For whom are these chains?Can I no longer exert my will?Will I be able to climb these endless stairs?

FIRST SOUL:The clouds must dissolve, the oceans be filled in.

DEUXIÈME ÂME:Ô longue, ô triste attente!Ô souffrance, cercle de feu!Meurent le temps et l’espace!Loin, la joie!Loin, la lumière!Cloches d’horreur! breuvage affreux! mur quim’écrase!La terre s’entr’ouvre, les astres croulent, le monde est enseveli!La fin, qui la dira?Je souffre!

PREMIÈRE ÂME:Attends! espère!Plus légers que des oiseaux de plumes,Plus légers que le vide,Plus légers que ce qui n’est pas,Nous planerons au-dessus d’un rêve.Le poids du nombre sera mort.Il sera mort!Entends le chant de notre âme unique!Clair sourire, regard pur, tremblante extase,Il monte plus haut que cette âmeEt s’élance vers des clartés nouvelles,Dans un éternel printemps!

SECOND SOUL:O long, sad wait!O suffering, circle of fire!May time and space die!Away, joy!Away, light!Bells of horror! dreadful brew! walls that crush me!The earth opens up, the stars collapse, the world is buried!The end, who will speak of it?I suffer!

FIRST SOUL:Wait! hope!Lighter than feathered birds,Lighter than the void,Lighter than that which does not exist,We will glide above a dream.The burden of plurality will be dead.It will be dead!Hear the song of our united soul!See the bright smile, the pure look, the trembling ecstasy,It climbs higher than this lone soulAnd soars towards new lights,In an eternal spring!

SEI MIR GEGRÜSST!, D.741, OP.20 NO.1Friedrich Rückert (1788-1866)

O du Entriss’ne mir und meinem Kusse!Sei mir gegrüsst, sei mir geküsst!Erreichbar nur meinem Sehnsuchtsgrusse,Sei mir gegrüsst, sei mir geküsst!

Du von der Hand der Liebe diesem HerzenGegeb’ne! Du, von dieser BrustGenomm’ne mir! Mit diesem TränengusseSei mir gegrüsst, sei mir geküsst!

Zum Trotz der Ferne, die sich, feindlich trennend,Hat zwischen mich und dich gestellt;Dem Neid der Schicksalmächte zum VerdrusseSei mir gegrüsst, sei mir geküsst!

Wie du mir je im schönsten Lenz der LiebeMit Gruss und Kuss entgegen kamst,Mit meiner Seele glühendstem ErgusseSei mir gegrüsst, sei mir geküsst!

Ein Hauch der Liebe tilget Räum' und Zeiten,Ich bin bei dir, du bist bei mir,Ich halte dich in dieses Arms Umschlusse,Sei mir gegrüsst, sei mir geküsst!

I GREET YOU!

Oh you who were torn away from me and my kisses!I greet you, I kiss you!Accessible only to my longing’s greeting,I greet you, I kiss you!

You who were given to my heart by love’s hand!You who were taken from my breast!With this flood of tearsI greet you, I kiss you!

To defy the hostilely separating distance That has come between you and me;To vex the envy of fate’s powersI greet you, I kiss you!

As once in love’s fairest spring You approached me with greetings and kisses,So with my ardent soul’s outpouringI greet you, I kiss you!

A breath of love erases space and time,I am with you, you are with me,I hold you in my arms’ embrace,I greet you, I kiss you!

FRANZ SCHUBERT

Rhona McKail Nicky Spence

Produced by Mark Brown.Engineered by Julian Millard.Recorded 7-9 December 2009 at The Jacqueline du Pré Music Building, Oxford, U.K.

Sung text of La Mort du nombre is property of Editions Durand, Paris.Reproduced by arrangement with G. Ricordi & Co (London) Ltd, a division ofUniversal Music Publishing Group.Publishers: Universal Music Publishing Ltd. (1); SACEM (2); SACEM/G. Ricordi& Co. Ltd. (3); GEMA/Peters Edition Ltd. (4); Breitkopf und Härtel (5-9).

Booklet notes g 2009 Sholto Kynoch.English translations g 2009 Mark Stone.Photograph of Kaoru Yamada and of Kaoru Yamada and Sholto Kynoch g 2005 David Fisher.Photograph of Nicky Spence g 2008 Simon Fowler.Photograph of Sholto Kynoch g 2008 Benjamin Harte.Photograph of Kaoru Yamada, Nicky Spence, Sholto Kynoch and Rhona McKailg 2009 Catherine Offord.Graphic design: Colour Blind Design.

Printed in the E.U.

Sholto Kynoch

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