Walter Piston: Symphony No. 4; Three New England Sketches; Capriccio for Harp and String Orchestra
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Music CD Cover
Composer: Walter PistonConductor: Gerard Schwarz
Performer: Therese Elder Wunrow
Orchestra: Seattle Symphony Orchestra
Edition: Music CD
CD Release Date: 2003-05-20
Music Label: Naxos American
Soundtracks:
- Piacevole
- Ballando
- Contemplativo
- Energico
- Seaside (Adagio)
- Summer Evening (Delicato)
- Mountains (Maestoso; Risoluto)
Free Music Notes for Walter Piston: Symphony No. 4; Three New England Sketches; Capriccio for Harp and String Orchestra
Free Music Review: A more gentle and easy side of Piston - personally, not my favorite
Hit: 4 Stars
Much to my surprise I've found myself very much enjoying some symphonies of Walter Piston which I've recently heard and reviewed, namely # 1 (see my review of Kurka/Mennin/Piston: Orchestral Works), 5, 7 and 8 (see Walter Piston: Symphony No. 5; Symphony No. 7; Symphony No. 8). "To my surprise", as I had expected - based on what previous experience I am not sure, but possibly hearing the composers 2nd and 6th symphony recorded by Gerard Schwarz on Delos, Piston: Symphony Nos. 2 & 6; Sinfonietta) - his music to sound in the trite "Americana" style so typical of other American composers of his generation, from the pastoral prairie-style to the boisterous Hoe-Down. But I discovered that the above-mentioned symphonies, even if they do have moments that fit that description, are much more than that, displaying great emotional involvment that never lapses into heart-on-sleeve sentimentality, and superb sonic invention. So I decided to complete my overview of Piston's Symphony, and the 4th was missing to my collection.
Well, I am not as enthusiastic, as I find that the 4th fits my negative expectations much closer. The first movement starts genial and gentle and grows to neo-classically rhythmic robustness, but there is little of the dissonant angularity and original sonic invention and unexpected twists of the other symphonies. In its brash affirmativeness it sounds at times almost like cowboy music. The second movement is a merry and boisterous quasi hoe-down turning at one point to music for a carousel. Maybe Piston was jealous of Copland's Appalachian success. The slow movmeent is restrained and brooding, with passages of the typical pastoral-pensive oboe against soft strings (maybe it is cor anglais), followed by suffering-lyrical melodies on the violins, and rising around 5 minutes to great dramatic and ominous intensity - all this is fine but I have the feeling that I've heard it before, and the same is true with the finale, which returns to the vigorous, dynamic and rhythmic mood, with passages of "sweeping lyricism": I use the quotation marks to express that, as superficially enjoyable as it may be, it also seems quite formulaic to me. There is nothing offensive in the Symphony, it is a pleasurable listening experience, but it contains nothing either that I find very original and attention-catching.
But obviously, these very characteristics that make it for me a less interesting and original composition are what make it endearing to other listeners. So depending on your taste for more Romantic and genial strains coupled with optimistic brash American vigor, you probably will or will not enjoy this particular work.
I like the 1964 Capriccio for Harp and String Orchestra much more, if only (but not only) for the arresting sonorities of the instrumental interplay. It is a fine piece, worthy of standing by Debussy's Sonata, Roussel's Serenade and Caplet's "Mask of the Red Death", and stylisticall their heir.
I find the "Three New England Sketches" also a very surprising piece for its author: I didn't expect to hear Piston as an impressionist composer, heir to Griffes and the British 20-th Century impressionists (Delius, Bax...) rather than to Nadia Boulanger's neo-classicism. The set was composed in 1959 and of it Piston said that it "is not a symphony, although the evolution of its musical thought is rather symphonic in character", and that each movement is "the controlled expansion and development of two or three short musical motives". He insisted that the composition wasn't descriptive, and that the movement's programmatic titles served "in a broad sense to tell the source of the impressions, reminiscences, even dreams that pervaded the otherwise musical thoughts of one New England composer". In fact, if it were possible, it would be nice to listen to the music without reading the titles first and then try to come up with appropriate titles. The first movement, "Seaside", develops in an arch-like shape from calm to tempestuous and back. "Summer evening" is an agitated and hushed Scherzo - this evening is filled with elves and wisps. The third movement starts and ends like Brahms' First Symphony - powerfully ominous chorale underpinned by timpani strokes: craggy and forbidding "Mountains". It goes through a variety of atmospheres, with a wistful and oriental-sounding oboe then clarinet over harp ostinato, a sardonic and vigorous scherzo episode (more typical of its composer), a pensive lyrical passage with strings and flute, and back to robust vigor. I'm not sure the New England Sketches are very characteristic of their composer, but that very reason makes its value. And hey, record companies,there'd be a great CD to produce, with this piece, Ives' New England Symphony, Schuman's New England Triptych and Quincy Porter's New England Episodes.
These recordings are the reissue of a 1991 Delos recording, diminished of the Serenata (probably because that one wasn't performed by the Seattle Symphony: Piston: Symphony 4 / Three New England Sketches. As a result, Naxos TT is a shortish 51:35. I find the Delos-originated recording somewhat distant and sleek. To me, the Louisville recording remains a better introduction to Piston - or I should rather say, an introduction to a (in my opinion) "better" Piston. But this is certainly an easier Piston.
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