I love musical pastiche, much more than the proverbial "next guy" does. I am also eternally lurking on that online database of little-known musical treasures prosaically named the Naxos Music Library, looking for new works or new recordings of old and neglected works. My interest was therefore doubly piqued by the new release, on the Danish DaCapo record label, of a "Snapshot Symphony" by fellow Danish native Niels Marthinsen. His second essay in this genre - his first was the "Monster Symphony" - the movement titles alone let the listener know what he or she is in for. Specially, there are musical "snapshots" of: a "Fiesta Mexicana," some "Arabian Nights," and a veritable explosion of "Great Fireworks in China." If you are already rolling your eyes, you need read no further. Nothing I could ever say will convince you to spend your hard-earned money on anything that isn't completely authentic and one hundred percent original. Let me know if you ever find any examples...
On the other hand, I would argue there is a kind of authentic artificiality, especially if a composer is blunt enough to broadcast his style in advance, as Marthinsen does here. No listener need be surprised by the Latin rhythms, drone bass, or pentatonic tunes. Marthinsen is not unsuccessfully trying to be completely original but is indulging in purposeful pastiche for that most frivolous of reasons, to entertain. As for fakery, Ravel himself, under attack for the same charge, was heard to respond, "Doesn't it ever occur to these people that I can be artificial by nature?"
The only aspect of Marthinsen's artificial nature that I regret is his tendency towards length. The first movement features the aforementioned Latin rhythms as well as bold trumpet melodies echoed by the low brass. Meant to sound improvised, they carry the music until waves of unexpected dissonance and violence culminate in a quieter contrasting section. The simple ternary form concludes with some wonderfully "exotic" brass fanfares. The returning melody only slightly outstays its welcome, helped by the fanfares and the ultimately quiet ending.
The second movement, however, is about three times too long for its material. This was a major disappointment, my favorite type of pastiche being the faux-Oriental (or what the politically correct call "Orientalist.") Over a drone bass regularly spiced with tambourine the strings presented their Eastern langours again and again. Despite some promising clarinet solos, no heavily-ornamented English horn solo ever appeared. In compensation, there were series of gloriously shameless low brass augmented seconds. Once again piercing dissonance, this time in the bassoon's drone bass, was introduced, but it was not enough to redeem Marthinsen's missed opportunity.
Having admittedly not yet heard Stravinsky's example, the concluding "Great Fireworks in China" seemed quite sonically accurate, not to mention providing an interesting cross-cultural connection. Pentatonic tunes are du rigeur - but "blue" notes are not. Yet they kept intruding, turning my mind to a Gershwin-esque An American in Peking or something similar. There are even aborted, never-quite-completed statements of that most stereotypical pentatonic tune (you know the one I'm talking about) before a contrasting B section with "Eastern" portamenti on the solo violin.
In short, not the best pastiche on offer, but Marthinsen is clearly comfortable writing for large orchestra, creating a great variety of colors and moods through his kaleidoscopic scoring. I'm intrigued enough to listen to his earlier "Monster Symphony." Care to join me?
Chris,
ReplyDeleteI knew it was you when I got to the Naxos claim:-)
But your tone here really matches the music you're writing about. There's an authenticity in broadcasting your artificiality that shows up in your irony (what's "the proverbial 'next guy,'" anyway?) and sarcasm (need I cite examples?).
Chris, fabulous review. (Listen to the Stravinsky, it is exceptional.) I love Naxos. In our country, we are all too unfamiliar with the composers of Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Finland, Estonia, Latvia, etc. There is so much great music from this part of the world written within the past 100 years!
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