Search - Robert Shannon :: Charles Ives, John Harbison: Piano Sonatas

One of the monolith modern piano works

S. C Rice | 11/10/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"The Concord Sonata is one of the really profound modernist piano works. There is a lot to explore in this 45 - 50 minute sonata. The first movement, `Emerson,' is the best writing in the sonata. `Emerson' is austere, powerful, thoughtful, meditative and ruggedly individual. It is what Ives did best in one of his most extreme presentations. Within dizzying and confusing textures, fragments of songs and symphonies rise to the fore and clash, further fragmenting one another and summoning up energy for another clash. `Emerson' is like one of the freeform stream - of - consciousness lectures of Emerson himself, freely associating ideas, refusing to conform to the needs of reality, the needs of audience... It is like climbing a mountain and being blasted by the wind and cut by the mountain, making a terribly arduous journey to the top. It is brutal and determined, yet pure and upright and civil.
I first heard this work when Robert Shannon played it; he was going to play another work, but changed the program at the last second. I was glad that he did. He played this work with strength and austerity. It was incredibly, profoundly musical and moving. That concert was not recorded, so I went to search and see if Shannon was recorded elsewhere. To my surprise, he was recorded performing that very work. So I purchased the CD. Unfortunately Shannon is perhaps more reserved on this recording than when I heard him more recently. Perhaps he was concerned with giving a balanced performance here, or had more time to get to know the work between this recording and when I heard him. Whatever the reason, this recording does not have as much power as when I heard him perform. Perhaps one really just can't capture the experience on tape. I should note, however, that I was expecting the performance to be as profoundly moving as when I heard it earlier. This performance has really great moments and times that same intensity that I heard before shines through on it.
I recommend the recording. Shannon's performance is good here (though if he is in the area, you should go out to see him; fine piano playing), and the Ives work is excellent. Anyone who enjoys Ives should hear this; I consider this work to be one of the high marks of his career. Those interested in modern music should check this work out. Anyone else interested in a deep, demanding musical work should also listen to this. Be prepared, you'll need to concentrate to hear this world open up, but the `Concord' sonata has a lot to offer you, if you'll devote the time to understanding it."