Klatzow gives full expression to evocative ‘Arab Priest’

SYMPHONY CONCERT, June 25. At City Hall. CPO conducted by Victor Yampolsky, soloists Liesl Stoltz, Frank Mallows; Klatzow: Concerto for Flute, Marimba and Strings; Brahms/ Klatzow: String Quintet, Op 111 (orchestrated as

DEON IRISH reviews THIS TRIBUTE to the composer Peter Klatzow marked the occasion of his forthcoming 70th birthday. It featured three works by him, as well as his orchestration of Brahms’ late G major String Quintet as a symphony. The opening three movement suite, based on paintings by Irma Stern, was written during 2004 and orchestrated in 2005. It drew its first, well received, performance on 25 August of that year, with the CPO conducted by Bernhard Gueller.

The painting depicted in the first of the movements, Arab Priest, was the subject of some comment when it was purchased in 2011 for almost R40 million by the Quatar Museums Authority. The depiction of the Zanzibari imam finds full expression in Klatzow’s evocative score, the exotic background of the man, in the painting depicted with Arab features and Middle Eastern dress, captured in the delicate augmented chords for sitar and the syncopated rhythms given the marimba.

Congo River was perhaps the best of the three depictions: a richly conceived river scene, the thick waters of the main river, sluggish with five part divisi cellos and basses, countered by the calls of woodwind depicted birds and the quickening bursts of rushing water – whether tributary stream or passing rapid. Over all, a mesmerising song, hauntingly given on the flute. Whose song is it? It permeates the movement, from first moments to last, and is therefore perhaps the endless song of the river itself, a song which only the viewer will hear.

Finally the abundant Peach Blossoms, a lively allegretto full of the fecund energy of nature at her most joyful season. The white buds burst into flower, insects visit busily. Finally, the tree stands serene under a dreamily soaring violin chant. Yampolsky led the orchestra with concentrated care and the performance was warmly applauded.

There followed the double concerto for flute and marimba, which dates form 1993. The programme included a tribute to Klatzow by the marimba soloist, Frank Mallows, in which he drew attention to the composer’s pre-eminent status as a writer for that instrument. Listening to the many-faceted tonal qualities which are achieved in this work, and seeing the extraordinary dexterity required of the player, one has little doubt of that assessment.

The traditional three movement work sets many tests for both players and the use of only strings in the orchestra allows their respective palettes full expression. But, even so, the orchestration remains somewhat overly dominant even against Stolz’s exemplary flute technique in its bottom register, where the characteristically woody – even breathy notes – of the instrument have little projection. The opening movement is a vivace alternating between duple and triple time. Some of the ever-alternating rhythmic pulse points to the earlier creative period, in which the composer’s fascination with polyrhythms was arguably his most dominant characteristic. This has none of the sometimes bewildering impact of even earlier works; but there is a consequential restlessness to the writing, which mirrors the contrapuntal complexity of the linear writing for the soloists.

The expressive slow movement, a cantilena for flute with the marimba providing subtle shading and exclamatory interjections, is less complex in this regard and forms a beautiful idyll in its own right. It is followed by a wicked vivace, in which both soloists are required to tackle rhythmically complex configurations at headlong pace. The orchestral accompaniment requires great precision in execution and the taut ensemble was a credit to all, more particularly given the somewhat truncated rehearsal time.

The occasional piece The Healing Melody I would have have liked to have heard the optional part for chorus, who vocalise the theme first given by solo horn. Still, an effective occasional piece. Klatzow’s orchestration of Brahms’ last string quintet, a work which the composer had originally started sketching for a fifth symphony, but finally published as a chamber work. Klatzow orchestrated it and, in this form, it received its first performance in 1991. The score, revised in 2001, has been recorded and is now receiving some welcome international attention.

It is largely true to the Brahms canon in its orchestration, although there are passing elements which do not necessarily ring quite true: a perhaps over-generous use of brass and a finale which, as Klatzow points out, might not have been what Brahms would have used, had he stuck to a symphonic conception.

Yampolsky and the orchestra did very well, although there were moments that would have enjoyed a little more rehearsal time. It is the problem with a programme of this nature on limited rehearsal time: all unfamiliar, all unforgiving. But, save for an occasional sense of hesitancy, one would never have thought so. And so, Happy Birthday, Klatz!