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Airat Ichmouratov Concerto Grosso N1 Orford Art's Centre, Canada 15 July 2011 Orford Camerata , Jean Francois Rivest Conductor Alexandre da Costa Violin Elvira Misbakhova Viola Stephane Tetreault Cello Airat Ichmouratov Clarinet Wonny Song Piano Music for Chamber Orchestra, Modern Classical Music Towards the end of the middle movement of Ichmouratov’s Concerto Grosso No. 1, Op. 28 (2011), there’s a melismatic clarinet doina. That’s a rhapsodic, improvised meditation, now a part of the klezmer style, but having its origins in Romanian folk music. This doina, especially its opening phrase, is the musical cell out of which Ichmouratov develops his concerto. It generates several themes and initially led to the composer’s choice of five solo instruments: violin, clarinet, viola, cello and piano. In the baroque concerto grosso, these would form the solo group (the concertino), passing musical material back and forth with members of the larger orchestra (the ripieno). This division of solo and ensemble instrumentation, however, is Ichmouratov’s main nod in the direction of the traditional concerto grosso. (He explores the possibilities further in his Concerto Grosso No. 2, Op. 60 (2018) for violin, flute, harp and orchestra, which is written in a contemporary baroque style). A shimmering fanfare from piano and strings announces an exuberant, upbeat, somewhat neoclassical opening theme, first from the violins, then clarinet. Its Prokofiev-like irreverence and good humour contrasts with a broad, lyrical second theme. This soon begins to taper towards something mysterious, only to be brushed aside by the traditional repeat of the opening ideas, as in the exposition of a classical symphony. But appearances can be misleading as Ichmouratov soon goes on to develop the lyrical second theme into a short Tchaikovsky-like ballet scene. As the two themes are further developed the music broadens into the composer’s homage to Rachmaninoff and his love of bells. The clarinet introduces a traditional Russian folk song (‘Mother dear, it's dusty in the field’) and then there’s an unwinding towards four decisive chords and a final salute to the rising opening figure of the main theme. The three movements are played without break. In the central Adagio, the solo cello transforms the rising motif into a lament, Jewish in its modality, but original to the composer. It is heard three times before the clarinet dramatizes it in a full-throated lament, marked doloroso (sad). A calming, consoling passage follows before the lamenting theme is revisited, now on viola, accompanied by sobbing strings. This theme is heard four times, with mounting intensity until the clarinet makes the lamenting intensely personal in its doina, and the movement eventually unwinds to a murmur. The main theme of the finale, a direct descendent of the broad, lyrical second theme in the opening movement, is announced with a virtuoso flourish by the solo violin. This is then echoed by viola and, before long, by a full orchestra and now extended into a joyous paean. Over a marching bass, angular triplet figures accompany a new freylekh-style violin melody, partly forged out of the triplets. It builds to a frenetic climax, dominated by wailing clarinet, soon to develop further with a return of the joyous main theme, now from both violin and piano. The momentum carries forward like a spinning dreidel into a return of the shimmering opening fanfare, more snatched glimpses of past themes, and a teasing parting shot from the clarinet. Ichmouratov’s Concerto Grosso No. 1 was commissioned by Jean-François Rivest, Alexandre Da Costa and the Orford Arts Centre and first performed by them July 15, 2011. It is dedicated to Yuli Turovsky (1939-2013), conductor, cellist and founder of I Musici de Montréal, a musician whom Airat Ichmouratov credits with providing a turning point in his life and career. ©Keith Horner *********************************** Airat Ichmouratov is Russian / Canadian classic composer, conductor and klezmer clarinetist. (modern classical music) Twitter: Instagram: Facebook:
