Search - Ernst Krenek, Trio Recherche :: Ernst Krenek: Chamber Music For Strings

Expressive Tension

catherine guelph | milano, italy | 08/29/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I enjoy this CD. The pieces span the life of the composer from 1939-1985. It expresses a wide range of emotions. There are sombre moments appropriate for the life Ernst Krenek (1900-1991) at times endured. There are moments of triumph, and some bits of humour. Mostly, though, this is quite serious music. My own training is inadequate for a thorough understanding, and so, I am thankful for the notes from Martin Zenck. They are technical with out being pedantic. Here is an example of which I found to be a fascinating explanation of Parvula corona which enhanced my apprecition of that piece, "The superscription of the third movement, Invocationes, thus seems to be very much in order. Here we have invocations of Bach's name and the works most closely associated with his name. First, The Art of Fugue: its main theme is heard in the viola part at the beginning. Second, the B-A-C-H in the violin just before the conclusion. This is the same element with which Back took his leave in The Art of Fugue. Third, latently chromatic four-tone units making clear reference to Beethoven's op 131, 132, and 133 late quartets and to Wagner's Tristan overture. Kernek did not make a secret of these citations. They were printed in Latin on the title page." The band is up to the task of this challenging music. Tre Recherche specializes, among other areas, in muscicians, like Krenek, who were persecuted by National Socialism. In total, a difficult but highly rewarding musical experience. If you are interested in twentieth century composers, or Krenek's solutions to the problems of a string trio, this CD will be interesting to you."