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Crossroads: A journey from Strauss to Szymanowski - Wong / Touliankina

Crossroads: A journey from Strauss to Szymanowski - Wong / Touliankina

Ars Produktion  ARS 38 215

Stereo/Multichannel Hybrid

Classical - Chamber


Richard Strauss: Sonata for Violin and Piano in E flat major, Op. 18
Ernest Chausson: Poème, Op. 25
Olivier Messiaen: Thèmes et variations
Karol Szymanowski: Notturno e Tarantella, Op.28

Yuuki Wong (violin)
Elizavetha Touliankina (piano)

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Review by Adrian Quanjer - August 1, 2016

A journey from Strauss to Szymanowski could also have been a voyage from Chausson to Messiaen. Ernest Chausson was born before Strauss whilst Messiaen was the last of them to die. But then the Roads wouldn’t Cross. Quoting from the liner notes, the objective of this programme is “…. a journey of evolution from the late romantic to early modern style” and “The common thread among these works is their emotive power that transcends style and form, creating an emotionally intense portrait of this epoch in music history”.

Yuuki Wong’s early talent as a violinist allowed him to study at the Yehudi Menuhin School in England, and many prizes and awards have since come his way. Together with his partner, the Russian pianist Elizavetha Touliankina, a confirmed accompanist, they do a lot of educational work being actively engaged in school events in Switzerland in the framework of the Swiss Education Group, which, in turn supports both musicians in their musical journeys.

If I may be allowed to do the journey in reversed order, I cannot but admit that Wong’s talent and virtuosity enable him to set down a passionate tarantella in Szymanowski’s ‘Notturno e Tarantella’ op. 28. This composition is known for its difficult scoring and, even more so, its complex annotations for the interpreter. Here Wong is technically at his best, with more than adequate support from his partner, though his pitch slips from time to time in the flurry of urgency.

For me, Messiaen’s ‘Thème et variations’ is about things that can hardly be touched. One hears it, one sees it, but if one tries to get hold of it, it’s gone as if it is all imaginary. Here lies, as far as I’m concerned, the strength of this duo: They play like it is made for them exclusively. They not only see or hear it, they also seem to be the only ones that can get hold of it and are able to transpose it to the listener and as such with delicate power and in a soaring way.

A combination of lofty and the same delicate approach suits them well in the transcription for violin and piano of Chausson’s ‘Poème op. 25. Their reading seems to be floating in thin air, creating a mystical yet poetic atmosphere, building up in a cloud of haunting emotion that resolves itself in the final chords.

Strauss’ violin sonata is manifestly the main item. He wrote it when still at the beginning of his compositional career. It follows traditional lines and may in all likelihood be taken as a try out for further development into a more personal style. Whatever the case, it is a sonata which already has a character needing an energetic take. Compared to other versions in the SACD catalogue, I find that, in the opening movement, Wong, with the delicacy he shows in other pieces, approaches it too aloof, even too timid, giving the impression of wavering about which way to go. His undeniable elegantly fragile tone lets the music remain at the surface, where others are able to bring out more in terms of the unmistakably present, emotional baggage. A bit more 'bite' would have done wonders. The piano clearly is the master of the show.

The following Andante Cantabile is much closer to Wong’s violin. Here his tone is the one typically asked for. However, together with a not always balanced timbre in the final movement, I hesitate giving it a clear recommendation, also taking into account other available fine readings. But let it be obvious that for any violinist this sonata is not always an easy ‘playable’ one with, what’s more, a piano part so much in evidence.

An interesting road journey in real life is hardly ever without humps and bumps, and yet there is often still so much left to admire as there is on this disk.

Blangy-le-Château
Normandy, France

Copyright © 2016 Adrian Quanjer and HRAudio.net

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