Saturday, September 24

Ennismore Gardens Church Choir...

I put on a CD today, with hymns chanted by the Choir of the Russian Church in Ennismore Gardens, London.  I so vividly remember this church; it's the place where I used to go every Sunday when I was studying in London, some thirteen (!) years ago. 

The music chanted in that church was not, of course, byzantine music, nor was it a typical four-part Russian choir.  I am afraid I don't know exactly the origins of this music, but for sure, it was not "set" music (written in full, I mean) but was chanted quite freely, mostly based on certain "modes" which were different every Sunday (quite like the byzantine music). The choirmaster at the time was Fr Michael Fortunato, a very talented musician, an inspiring director, and an excellent tenor with the sweetest voice.

The music could seem monotonous to those not familiar with its quality; but to me, it could convey the solemnity and spiritual depth of the meanings and of the prayers. There were no strict tempo or rythm indications, which gave the melody a certain freedom of movement, quite unlike anything else I'd heard before.

Now I haven't been to Ennismore Gardens for many years. I know that things have changed dramatically (it's a long and sad story), and I wonder if the music has remained the same. More than a decade after I used to go there, all that I have as a reminescance of this beautiful choir, is this CD, that I bought some years ago...   I feel always quite moved when I listen to it...

Thursday, September 22

Volodos Latest Transcription (Tchaikovsky op.54 no 10)

I've written quite a few times about the Russian pianist Arcadi Volodos. I believe he is one of the really great pianists of our time. I was fortunate enough to hear him live in London, where he performed Prokofiev 2nd Concerto - it was a superb performance. (I always wonder why didn't he ever record this concerto?...)

Anyway, I want to say a few words about his transcriptions, and in particular his latest one - Thaikovsky's "lullaby in a storm" which he played/recorded in his Vienna recital. As I've written in the past, when you write a transcription you must have in mind the instrument you are writing for - its sound and its capacities. Volodos is well aware of that, that is why his transcriptions are, in my view, very succesful from a pianistic point of view.

His latest one, I believe it's probably his best - definitely more mature that the others. It somehow goes deeper than the previous ones, in terms of richness of sound and atmosphere.
Volodos takes full advantage of the piano's inherent capacities; he also enriches the score with a multi-dimentional melodic line (one can easily see Rachmaninoff's influence here). The result is a wonderful piece which does not "look" like a transcription at all...


I would very much like to play this piece but I cannot find the score!