Gian Francesco Malipiero: Symphony No. 7 “delle canzoni”, Sinfonia in un tempo, Sinfonia per Antigenida. Moscow Symphony Orchestra, Antonio de Almeida. Marco Polo 8.223604 (1993) barcode 4891030236042, also 730099360425
Reissue Naxos 8.570881 “The Symphonies • 4” (2009) barcode 747313088171:
Recorded May-June 1993 at Mosfilm Studio, Moscow
The two unnumbered Sinfonias are compositions of striking individuality and originality
Originally posted on Amazon.com, 5 February 2008
I had greatly enjoyed the companion disc with Symphonies 5, 6, 8 and 11. I had found them quite original in their conception, full of surprising and ear-catching musical events, dramatic and written in an accessible, broadly tonal language (see my review of Marco Polo 8.223696 with Symphonies Nos. 5, 6, 8, 11 – link will open new tab). In view thereof, I pinned high expectations on this one, with Symphony n° 7, composed in 1948, barely a year after the fine 5th and 6th of the other disc, and the two unnumbered ones, “Sinfonia in un tempo” (Symphony in one movement) from 1950 and “Sinfonia per Antigenida” from 1962 (the 8th came after that one, in 1964)
Well, those expectations were initially not met. I was disappointed with the 7th , which opens the disc. Formally, it has the originality of ending with a slow movement. Despite some sardonic and angular moments in the first and especially the third movement, marked by a neo-classical rhythmic vigor, overall it is a light-hearted composition, less biting than other symphonies of Malipiero I have heard. It is very neo-classical and balletic in its first movement, in a way reminiscent of the French Groupe des Six, surprisingly romantic and with an ample and gentle lyricism in the second, and with a more meditative and brooding lyricism in the last. But I don’t find it as inventive and constantly surprising as other symphonies of Malipiero. It seems to me I’ve heard it before – especially in the music of the conservative 20th Century American neo-Romantics. No doubt it will appeal to those who like the music of David Diamond, Virgil Thomson or Randall Thompson.
On the other hand the 27-minute Sinfonia in un tempo is quite original, and not only because of its formal structure, somewhat similar to Sibelius’ 7th, in which each movement runs into the next one without making the seams heard. It is, as the other symphonies of Malipiero, intensely lyrical, but its lyricism is of a more anguished nature. Its dissonant language is put at the service of a strong dramatic mood of great impact. The same kind of anguished lyricism and tense dissonant language at the service of a strong dramatic impact reigns again in Sinfonia per Antigenida – a very personal statement and a Swan Song of sorts (although Malipiero went on to compose quite a few more), as Antigenida was the famous Theban flutist in 4th Century-BC Greece, who advised his pupil Ismenia, in the face of lack of public success, to prefer the approval of his teacher and of the Muses. As the 7th, Sinfonia per Antigenida is in four movements with the finale starting and ending in “lento” tempo. The first movement starts with a sombre and starkly dissonant statement from the brass, followed by a tormented fugato on the strings, soon colored by piercing flutes and brass. As befits the subject, the flute predominates, but it is a piercing, sarcastic flute, making it sound at times like some demented military march. What makes the second movement very remarkable is its ominous tension (string ostinatos and softly dissonant woodwind and brass chords) and anguished lyricism. It is filled with striking orchestral touches (a plangently desperate English horn here joins the despondent flute), and never lapses into sentimentality. Comes a sardonic and menacing scherzo – more fifes and mock military marches full of dissonant brass fanfares. After its pensive “lento” introduction, the finale continues in the same sardonic, fife-dominated character (with a striking moment of “wind music” at 2:08), before returning to the anguished and despondent mood of the second movement. One last original feature: each movement – and this is true with Symphony in un tempo – ends very abruptly, as if arbitrarily interrupted.
The Moscow Symphony Orchestra strings oftentimes sounds ragged, especially in Sinfonia per Antigenida, but that is of small importance considering the interest of this complete cycle of Malipiero’s symphonies, and the absence of any other choice.
Ultimately then, despite my reservations about the 7th Symphony, this is another winner in this indispensable series, featuring at least two compositions of striking individuality and originality. Outstanding liner notes by John Waterhouse (who apparently knew Malipiero personally). TT 68:34.