Michael Zev Gordon
The Impermanence of Things; Bohortha†; Violin Concerto*^
*Carolin Widmann (violin); BBC NOW/^Catherine Larsen-Maguire; BBC Symphony Orchestra/
†Jukka-Pekka Saraste et al
NMC NMCD277 74 mins
Gordon says that for years he has been ‘mixing together diverse materials and styles in the same piece’ which sounds easier than it is, and these three works all demonstrate a fine composer’s ear for harmony, texture and, above all, timing. The Impermanence of Things (2009) is a series of 13 short movements which entwine different elements, sometimes with rhythmic repetition, sometimes with quiet observation, as wisps of pre-existing material – Couperin, Schumann, Debussy and Mahler – rub shoulders with Gordon’s own inventions.
Bohortha (2012) enlarges the tonal palette to full orchestra, and there is generally greater expanse in the lengths of the seven movements, but the idea of quotation is even more to the fore, especially in the second movement, ‘Broken Pieces’, where the game of spotting the originals is ultimately pointless. The music has an inner momentum all its own, whether restrained, as in the suspended fourth movement, or rhythmically active like the ensuing scherzo; and there is always much to listen to in the kaleidoscopic scoring, expertly realised by Saraste and the BBC Symphony.
The Violin Concerto (2017) is more traditional in structure, with three substantial movements, far more internal continuity, and less, if any, use of pre-existing musical material. It’s basically a lyrical work, designed to show how many nuances of singing Widmann could bring to her playing. Right from, to the finale, it is utterly gripping.
