Konzert für Pauken und Orchester, Op. 34 by Werner ThärichenReview by: Robert ParrisNotes, Second Series, Vol. 17, No. 2 (Mar., 1960), pp. 317-318Published by: Music Library AssociationStable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/893259 .

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four-part counterpart. Kolneder's edition is straightforward and stylish; his con- tinuo realization is straightlaced but ap- propriate for the concerto, which strikes me as being a workaday piece, probably inore fun to play than to hear. This is a first publication, prepared from manu- script parts in the Sichsischen Landes- bibliothek at Dresden.

Angelo Ephrikian has been editing a number of Vivaldi concertos in arrange- ments for solo instrument(s) and piano- forte. The flute concerto in G (from Vol. 151 of the Ricordi complete edition) is representative of his efforts, which leave much to be desired. The main problem is one of unimaginative and unidiomatic keyboard reductions of Vivaldi's string parts. The fast movements are virtually unplayable at the proper tempos, and the harmonic filler necessarily to be furnished by an orchestral continuo player is lack- ing. The result is a peculiarly tension- ridden, barren "sonata" for flute and piano. Unfortunate, for the original con- certo is a pleasant work, extremely grate- ful for the flutist.

The fame of Quantz as author of the invaluable Versuch einer Anweisung, die Flote traversiere zu spielen (1752) has unfairly eclipsed him as composer; only a handful of his compositions have been published. From the more than 300 flute concertos left by Quantz in manuscript, Hanns-Dieter Sonntag here edits for the first time a particularly agreeable one, in which a relatively conservative late-ba- roque concerto style is tinged with galan- terie throughout. Quanitz cannot resist the temptation to introduce the flute as a lyrical, girlish foil for the virile orches- tra: the robust Allegro di molto of the first movement is interrupted by the flute's first entrance, a wholly irrelevant but charming Adagio. One is reminded frequently, during this and the other two movements, of the fresh and ingrati- ating melodic style of Pergolesi and of the delicious elements of surprise in the music of Domenico Scarlatti. The edi- tion is exemplary.

Both concertos by Boyce (1710-1779) are old-fashioned for their time: like Corelli's concertos, they are essentially trio sonatas accompanied by string or-

chestra (convenient, in that they may successfully be perforned, without the orchestra, by two violins and continuo); their general style is Handelian; their form is a mixture of the old sonata da chiesa (each concerto beginning with four abstract movements in alternating tempos) and sonata da camera (ending with a dance movement-a gavotte in the Bb concerto, a minuet in the B minor). The Bb concerto is the more elaborate and grandiose; the B minor more prone to melodic and sequential clich6s. Both are competent works by a sober and skillful composer. Denis Stevens provides somewhat showy but convincing realizations, in an explicit attempt to avoid the "tedious rectitude" of so many recent realizations. The B minor concerto is here published for the first time, from an autograph score in the British Museum.

Yet another first publication is the flute concerto by J. C. Bach edited by Raymond Meylan. Meylan did a nice bit of detective work in proving that the last movement (in manuscript at the Paris Bibliotheque du Conservatoire) is not by C. P. E. Bach and that it belongs with a lone Allegro con brio in the younger Bach's hand at the University Library of Tiubingen. He did a bit of patchwork in substituting an interlude from Bach's opera Amadis des Gaules for the still missing slow movement of the original concerto. Christian Bach's delicate melodic tracery is perfectly suited to the flute, and Meylan's piano reduction of the orchestra parts preserves what I assume to be the fragile, airy accompaniment of the original. A cadenza for the first movement is written out (is it Bach's?); one could properly be added in the last movement, at the fermata before rehearsal number 15.

H. WILEY HITCHCOCK

Werner Tharichen: Konzert fuir Pauken und Orchester, Op. 34. [2.2.2.2.-4.3.3.1.-Perc.-Str.] Ber- lin: Bote & Bock; U. S. A.: Asso- ciated Music Publishers, New York, 1956. [Min. score, 116 p., $4.00]

Tharichen's timpani concerto is a serious and expertly contrived piece

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which should make timpanists the world over jump for joy. There is no question as to its practicability, as difficult as the solo part appears-the composer, at last report was the timpanist of the Berlin Philharmonic and has performed his con- certo with that orchestra. Drummers who are the least bit enterprising and suf- ficiently athletic to manipulate the al- most full circle of drums might begin immediately to cajole their conductors to send away for score and parts.

The piece requires five pedal drums of normal size-the range extends up- ward only a tenth from the low E. Plenty of time is provided during tutti passages for complete retunings, except in the second movement where the tempo is slow enough for the soloist to engage his four extremities at the same time with- out undue physical or musical strain. Comparisons in regard to the handling of the drums between this concerto and my own for the same medium are prob- ably in order (I know of no others) but I'm obviously not the one to make them.

The second and third (last) move- ments, on paper, seem to be most suc- cessful rhythmically, formally and with regard to texture. The opening Allegro gives a first impression, at least, of dry- ness and over-development.

The concerto requires double winds, the usual 11 brass, percussion and strings. The parts are easy for modern players; only the final movement in- volves fast metrical changes. A good orchestra should be able to play it well with a couple of hours of rehearsal.

Johannes Schiiler: Fuinf Orchester- siitze. [4.3.3.(1 Sax.).3.-4.3.3.1.- Timp., Perc.-Harp, Celesta-Str.] (Ed. Schott, 4594.) Mainz: B. Schott; U. S. A.: Associated Music Pub- lishers, New York, 1958. [Min. score, 51 p., $3.25]

In comparison with solo works, those for orchestra are generally long, presum- ably on the theory that stage time is stage time. The suite by Schiuler of five short pieces, which altogether Itake 12 minutes, if properly programmed, would enliven and add charm to the standard symphonic concert.

The usual orchestral forces are supple- mented by 2 piccolos, a bass-clarinet, a tenor saxophone, a double-bassoon, harp and celesta, and numerous pieces of as- sorted battery requiring two players. The suite comprises a straightforward and energetic overture, a pygmy arioso, a delicate and difficult scherzo which zips past like a hounded rabbit, a dreamy fantasy, and a tightly worked-out finale in near-serial (not 12-tone) technique.

Technically, these pieces are of more than average difficulty, and the horn players especially are called upon to do things that would have given Strauss serious pause. But the suite is imagina- tively orchestrated, beautifully put to- gether, and deserves to be performed by American orchestras. Bernhard Krol: Concerto grosso, Op. 15. Berlin-Wiesbaden: Bote & Bock; U. S. A.: Associated Music Pub- lishers, New York, 1958. [42 p., $2.25]

Krol's Concerto grosso looks like baroque music and employs baroque de- vices, but the concertino instruments- oboe, English horn, bassoon and 2 trump- ets-are more often handled as individual solo instruments than antiphonally with the strings. If the melodic writing seems less than inspired here and there, the rhythmic vitality and contrasts of timbre are sufficiently exciting to make the piece attractive to both the performners and their listeners.

ROBERT PARRIS

Walter Piston: Serenata for Orches- tra, 1956. [2.2.2.2.-4.2.0.0.-Timp.- Harp-Str.] New York: Associated Music Publishers, 1958. [Min. score, 68 p., $2.50; orchestral materials available for rent] Bo N is son: Miidchentotenlieder. [For Soprano Voice, Piccolo, Alto Flute, Electric Mandoline, Celesta, Zylorimba, Vibraphon, Electric Guitar-Perc.-Str.] (UE 12851.) Wien: Universal; U. S. A.: Asso- ciated Music Publishers, New York, 1958. [Score, 16 p., $5.00] Roman Haubenstock-Ramati: StAnd- chen, sur le nom de Heinrich Stro- bel, pour orchestre. [1.0.1.0.-O.O.0.0.

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