canTUBAllada


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Posted by Rick Denney on July 01, 2003 at 09:00:08:

Valve-Hearts (yes, that's a record label) 3102, canTUBAllada (yes, that's the title). Tuba soloist: Hans Nickel. Slovak Radio Symphony Orchestra, Jan Van der Roost, conducting. Released 2002.

Per Archi, Van der Roost
Concerto for Bass Tuba, Vaughan Williams
canTUBAllada, Van der Roost
Tuba Concerto, Gregson
Alarum, Gregson
Rikudim (arr. van de Vondel), Van der Roost

There was a favorable but otherwise uninformed review in the newsletter of the Ralph Vaughan Williams Society that a friend of mine noticed, and based on the review he sought out this obscure (to Americans) recent recording and bought two copies (one for me). I'm glad he did--it's a dandy.

I suppose I'm showing my ignorance of the European scene by saying that I've never heard of Hans Nickel, though he premiered canTUBAllada at the 1997 ITEC and Gregson's Alarum at the '95 ITEC in Chicago. My loss. The next time someone wants to know what I mean when I use the term "German" to describe a sound concept, this is the recording I'll point them to. He makes a strong case for that concept, too. His sound seems to me bold, more like Bobo than most other Americans, with no fear of edge in the low register (and apparently no fear of anything). When someone talks about the German tuba players and orchestras going for a concept based on being the bass of the trombones and brass as opposed to being the bass of the entire orchestra, this is the sound that will do it. (The instrument he is pictured with in the notes is a Hirsbrunner piston F tuba.) Many Americans might not like his sound, but it would be pretty hard to persuade me that it is unmusical, based on what Nickel does with it.

This is the only recording I've heard that stays true to the published Oxford version of the Vaughan Williams, though many believe that version was flawed by its association with Catelinet, containing compromises the composer did not intend. Perhaps that is the case. But instead of changing it, Nickel makes music out of it, with the result that this recording is even more cheerful and light-hearted than the Fletcher. He treats the first-movement cadenza as did Harrild, but with less seriousness. The result sounds effortless and completely assured. There are times when he plays very short, but without a clipped sound, in contrast to the accompaniment who played the phrase nearly legato. The contrast made it work--here is a serious statement by the violins, and a cheerful response by the tuba. The orchestra also really understood the work, and it just sounds like Vaughan Williams, not like whatever was on their stand that they were to play next. They obviously went beyond just getting the notes.

But the work on this CD that really impressed me was the Gregson. I'd never heard it with orchestral accompaniment before, and the notes claim that this is the full version's first recording. It's a good one. Again, Nickel really displays the Power Sound here. But you won't find the sensitive parts lacking in sensitivity, either.

Go get it.

Rick "who could not find where this recording had been mentioned in the archives" Denney



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