Atterberg: Cello & Horn Concerto

 

If Swedish composer Kurt Atterberg's Piano Concerto was über-Romantic, whereas his Violin Concerto was rather searching in a less-than satisfying manner, his Cello Concerto in C minor lies somewhere betwixt the two.

It is perhaps telling Atterberg opens his Cello Concerto for solo cello alone, where the instrument finds little rest throughout the work, often set by itself or aside minimal orchestration here and there.

While the first substantial harmonies of the opening movement sound almost fantastical, the composer tends towards the stormy or melancholic in the movement proper, both emotional elements sounding overly expressive musically. Only in the last third of the first movement does Atterberg switch up the meter into scurrying 6/8, imbuing a Scherzo feeling into the proceedings.

Atterberg leads into the second movement from the first without break, allowing the orchestra some time to transition the work, as well as a brief respite for the soloist. Here, the solo cello sounds lyrically tender, if not singingly melancholic in its initial utterances. I enjoy the little woodsy murmurs the orchestra is given to underline the cello's long-breathed melodic line, while otherwise the orchestra stays out of the cello's way, providing instead a soft cushion of harmony, sometimes modal at that.

Towards the middle of this central movement, the cello is allowed a little stronger banter with the orchestra, forming most of the dramatic thrust of this slow movement. I wouldn't call this a dreary movement, however it is extremely hushed and a bit rambling as the cello unravels its endless melody, beautiful and expressive though it be.

Like the first two, the third movement connects directly from the music preceding it. Atterberg cleaves to the titled minor key. While the orchestra hints at something more musically extroverted, the solo cello breaks into an early cadenza of sorts, married with timpani to signal the final movement proper.

Akin to the opening movement of the Cello Concerto, Atterberg goes for music which is rather stormy, although I find the movement to be more rhapsodical overall as far as forward motion is concerned. The cello muses more than it does ride afloat the orchestra to the final moments of the work. 

Despite Atterberg's Cello Concerto being undoubtedly overlong at nearly 40 minutes in length, it is a beautifully constructed piece of music nonetheless. NDR front-desk cellist Nikolai Schneider plays exquisitely throughout, with the orchestra giving the soloist plenty of leeway in terms of expression and spotlight.

The composer's Horn Concerto in A Major has no such problems, showing concision and purposeful direction throughout. The biggest feature which sets the Horn Concerto apart from the others is the large role for piano throughout the work. I wouldn't say the piano has a concertante role, but the keyboard instrument is ever present through the three movements, playing a notable textural role in the music.

Whereas the first movement utilizes the horns ability to sound out heroically, the second movement leaps upon the dreamy lyrical abilities from this royalty of brass instruments. Both are ably contrasted, at least moreso in comparison to the wholly through-line Cello Concerto. So too in the third and last movement Atterberg elicits an unusually playful atmosphere, allowing the horn a little more virtuosity following the melodiousness of the middle movement.

The presence of the piano mentioned earlier signals odd harmonic twists anytime it appears, especially initially in the concerto, a curious choice on the part of the composer. I daresay these harmonies which follow the piano nearly sound 'Oriental', to use an older musical descriptive term. Perhaps this is simply the bell-like percussiveness of the keyboard instrument I hear, set against the soloist and orchestra. Then again, it could also be a bit of bi-tonality, a musical element Atterberg was never afraid to insert into his pieces. In any case, this creates a modern tone to the concerto, particularly setting it aside Atterberg's other concertos

Once again, hornist Johannes-Theodor Wiemes comes from within the NDR ensemble, ably showcasing Atterberg's Horn Concerto in its best light.

 

 

Works
Cello Concerto, op. 21 (38.31)
Horn Concerto, op. 28 (20.46)

Soloists
Nikolai Schneider, cello
Johannes-Theodor Wiemes, horn

Performers
NDR Philharmonic Orchestra, Hannover
Ari Rasilainen, conductor

Label: CPO
Year: 2015
Total Timing: 59.22

Neither of these concertos are perfect works to my ears, but as always with Atterberg, the pleasures fully come through upon listening.

Ari Rasilainen once again leads stirring accounts of Atterberg's compositions, with soloists coming from with the NDR.

Find more Atterberg recordings HERE!