Malek Jandali: Concertos

by Rachel Barton Pine, Anthony McGill, Marin Alsop, ORF Vienna Radio Symphony Orchestra

Overview

The fusion of Western musical forms and tonality with music from parts of the world shaped by what Westerners call mode can be quite difficult, surprisingly so, since Western tonality evolved from an adaptation of modes. This is true from both ends of the spectrum: Ravi Shankar, in his Concerto for sitar and orchestra, dispensed with the strings and essentially turned the orchestra into a giant percussive accompaniment. Western composers often turn to orientalisms that have little or nothing to do with the source material. All this makes the work of composer Malek Jandali all the more interesting, and here, he adopts the concerto form in a Violin Concerto and Clarinet Concerto, a fine vehicle for his ideas inasmuch as the division between Western and Middle Eastern elements is mapped onto that between tutti and soloists. It would be interesting to hear an evaluation of this album by a player or writer from the Syrian tradition. To these ears, it sounds like each element of the mixture is inflected somewhat to make it fit with the other. The tonal material of the tutti is derived from the maqam or mode of the soloists' parts, while those parts adopt the motion dynamic of Western concertos to a degree; each concerto is in the usual three-movement form, and there are strong suggestions of conventional concerto structure. The performances by violinist Rachel Barton Pine and clarinetist Anthony McGill (the clarinet concerto's dedicatee) are excellent, with McGill handling the unusual texture Jandali calls for. The album also contains layers of philosophical and moral significance, reflecting on the past of the Syrian people and their loss of freedom in the present. A fascinating release with much to chew on that should be played anew in cities with large immigrant populations. ~ James Manheim

Product Details

Release Date:	05/12/2023
Label:	CEDILLE
UPC:	0735131922029

Tracks

1. Concerto for Violin and Orchestra~Allegre Moderato
2. Concerto for Violin and Orchestra~Andante
3. Concerto for Violin and Orchestra~Allegretto
4. Concerto for Clarinet and Orchestra~Andante misterioso - Più mosso
5. Concerto for Clarinet and Orchestra~Nocturne: Andante
6. Concerto for Clarinet and Orchestra~Allegro moderato

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Rachel Barton Pine   Primary Artist,Violin
Anthony McGill   Primary Artist,Clarinet
Marin Alsop   Primary Artist,Conductor
ORF Vienna Radio Symphony Orchestra   Primary Artist,Orchestra

Technical Credits

Malek Jandali   Liner Notes,Executive Producer,Composer
Guarneri del Gesu   Instrument Design
Lisa-Marie Mazzucco   Photography
Bill Maylone   Mixing,Mastering
Wolfgang Wesely   Assistant Engineer
Jane Vial Jaffe   Liner Notes
Erich Hofmann   Musical Producer
Dan Carmody   Cover Photo,Photography
Dominique Peccatte   Instrument Design
Wilhelm Wimmer   Assistant Engineer
Friedrich Trondl   Engineer
Theresa Wey   Cover Photo,Photography
Milos Ikic   Editing Assistant
Manuel Radinger   Editing Assistant
Todd Rosenberg   Photography