Violinist and cellist make beautiful music

DUOS FOR VIOLIN AND CELLO: Ravel, Sonata for Violin and Cello; Handel-Halvorsen, Passacaglia; Kodaly, Duo for Violin and Cello; Bach, Two-Part Invention No. 6 in E Major. Kennedy, violin; Lynn Harrell, cello. EMI Classics 56963.

The first thing I must make clear is that I did not, in error, leave Kennedy`s first name from what is written above. That is how the violinist seems to be billing himself these days. Not Nigel Kennedy, as we have known him over the years, simply Kennedy. Ah, well, if we might take a bit of liberty with the bard: This particular violinist by any other name would sound as sweet. Kennedy it is, then. As for Harrell, the Lynn is still there.

So much for a matter that doesn`t have a thing to do with this recording. Let`s get to what does matter. What does matter is that this is an absolutely superb set of compositions for violin and cello. What a splendid pair Kennedy and Harrell make. Each compliments the other in the most appropriate of manners. Their respective dynamics - whether they have the leading role or the accompanying role - are perfectly matched. As soloists of their instruments who are ranked in the top tier of this period, it need hardly be said that their pitch is everything one could ask for. But because the music they make together is so beautifully presented, it does not hurt to say it again.

Ravel`s sonata (1920-22) is a work he dedicated to the memory of Debussy. It`s a surprising piece for a composer noted for the romanticism of his compositions. But in doing this, as the notes with this disc point out, he did it in compliance with Debussy`s dislike of excessive romanticism. Indeed, he wrote, "The music is stripped down to the bone. Harmonic charm is renounced, and there is increasingly conspicuous reaction in favor of melody."

I have always favored the third movement, "Lent," of this four-movement work, which runs about 22 minutes. If this is music stripped down to the bone, I`m in favor of more stripping. The melody is haunting. The division of the parts, with the leading role going back and forth from one instrument to the other, is compositional excellence of the highest order.

It was the Norwegian violinist and conductor Johan Halvorsen who used the passacaglia from Handel`s Harpsichord Suite No. 7 - together with some of his own invention - to create a set of variations for violin and viola. In this recording, an arrangement for violin and cello, made by Michael Press, is played. The work is a set of variations based on a very short theme. It is accomplished with expert execution by the soloists.

Kodaly created his duo after he had spent some time in Paris and had become exposed to the work of Debussy. The French composer had a pointed effect upon the Hungarian Kodaly. But then, so did he affect just about every composer who studied his works. And if we hear the influence of the Gallic composer here, we nevertheless hear dominantly Kodaly working within the boundaries of his own Hungarian background.

The final work on the disc is an arrangement of one of Bach`s two-part inventions for for keyboard. Those who know the work will see that very little arranging was required.

In total, an excellent disc. Highest rating!

STRAVINSKY: "Patrouchka" (original version); "Le Chant du Russignol" (The Song of the Nightingale); "Feu d`Artifice" (Fireworks). Vienna Philharmonic; Lorin Maazel, conductor. RCA/BMG 57127.

Well, what`s not to like here? Even before we start playing the disc we know we are going to hear some of the great music of the early 20th century, played by one of the world`s great symphony orchestras and conducted by one of the top conductors of this era.

So we like what we hear, but we expected to. This is early Stravinsky, and it is always thrilling to hear this music played with such excellence, as it foretells the great things that were to come from this Russian composer who so greatly influenced the various forms of so much music of the 1900s. The recordings are excellent. If you don`t have them in your music library, you couldn`t do better than these.

That`s for those of you who are just now building a representative library of music. But for those of you who already have a good representative library, you already have recordings of these works. Your problem will be whether you want to double up on these recordings. That`s a practice I strongly urge music lovers to undertake. And if you want to do that, these would be fine double uppers.

So these are nice recordings. But I say this with the feeling that I rather wish the disc had contained recordings of something else. We`re getting so much of the same things over and over. And in saying this, I do not mean to point a finger at any specific recording house. It`s a current practice of many of them.

There is so much good music available that has been neglected. It is generally understood today that the the classical-music division in the recording industry is in dire circumstances. And as things now stand, the situation seems to be getting worse.

I can understand the recording houses going to their vaults to reissue earlier recordings - some very much earlier - and having them updated in sound quality through the brilliance of modern technology. I welcome such an activity, and I am pleased to review such products.

What I can`t understand is why new recordings are continually being made of works already amply represented in the catalog of recordings. Another thing I can`t understand - and this about the disc being reviewed - is why the conductor`s name is given in very large florid lettering, the name of the composer in much smaller lettering, and the orchestra that actually performed the works in smaller letters still. This kind of ego I have a problem with. And I certainly do not think it sells recordings.

(c) Copley News Service

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Author: King Durkee