Another wonderful issue from the golden years of Columbia Masterworks and God Bless Goddard Lieberson for imaginative programming. Henry Cowell's first violin sonata is paired with Harold Shapero's Sonata for Piano Four Hands.
I really enjoy the music of Cowell. The breadth and scope of his work is immense. I don't think we really have a full grasp of his talents, from being ultra modernist to embracing the simple, native tunes of this large and complex country. Perhaps much of this has to do with his "lifestyle" which was indeed hardly conforming to the norms of the day, resulting in a prison time in which he never wore off the stigma of. Happily, the violin sonata is fairly conventional and classical in sound and style. Included is one of the "fuguing tunes" which would be a hallmark of Cowell's later works. The soloist here is the great Joseph Szigeti, supported by pianist Carlo Bussotti. I'm not sure if Cowell indeed wrote this piece for Szigeti but, in my opinion, the great Hungarian would seem to be the wrong soloist for the work as I do not hear a complete sympathy with the writing and Szigeti's tone is kind of thin for the required fullness, almost Ivesian gutsiness, needed for this distinctly American composition. I would love to have heard say, a Louis Krasner, Louis Kauffman or even John Corigliano in this work.
Harold Shapero, neoclassicist, is best known for his Symphony for Classical Orchestra which Leonard Bernstein championed. Shapero in short would be considered an American Stravinsky for his writing bears a strong resemblance to Stravinsky's neoclassical compositions. The Sonata here is a delightful work with neat melodies and some spiky, lively harmonies. Shapero plays along with Leo Smit, the latter being one of the greatest and tireless advocates for piano music written by American composers.
My record is the CSP reissue of the record pictured above.
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