Concerto Köln - Sinfonias espanolas: Arriaga, Pons, Moreno, Nono (1993)

Two of the works on this CD follow the 4 movement Classical era format while the other two show the decided influence of the Italian overture. The Spanish royal court and wealthy noblemen imported a generation of Italian musicians including Domenico Scalatti, Gaetano Brunetti and Luigi Bocherini. These composers inspired the local talent, and this disc highlights the results.

Best known of this quartet of symphonies is the single work composed by Juan Crisostomo Arriaga (1806-1826), who was from the Basque town of Bilbao. Likely written in Paris around 1825, it employs an unusual harmonic structure.

In D Major, the opening ‘Adagio’ serves as an introduction to the ensuing ‘Allegro vivace’, plunging without a break into the raging maelstrom which is composed in D Minor. Demonstrating maturity beyond his years, Arriaga makes dramatic use of winds and trumpets as this compound first movement sweeps to a rousing conclusion. Teetering on sluggishness, the stately ‘Andante’ that follows is penned in A Major while the 3rd movement ‘Minuetto’ is in D Major. Aside from a lovely flute interlude, it suffers from being ponderous. Returning to D Minor, the closing ‘Allegro con moto’ contrasts delicate wind passages with stirring orchestral sections, all performed a spirited urgency that redeems the symphony.

From Gerona in northeast Spain, Jose Pons (ca.1768-1818) penned works designed exclusively for ecclesiastical use, single movement compositions that resembled overtures, both in their formal structure as well as their reliance on melodic invention. After a brief adagio-type intro, his G Major symphony rolls into a majestic ‘Andantino’. The triple metered ‘Allegro’ that follows is direct and straight-forward, with a refreshing ‘Presto’ that brings the work to a rollicking close.

Oldest of the Spanish composers, Francisco Javier Moreno (1748-1836) hailed from Madrid. His E Flat composition included here is roughly subtitled “Symphony for full orchestra entitled the fencing school”, a programmatic work that illustrates the rhythm of sword play. After a lyrical ‘Adagio cantabile’, the 2nd movement ‘Allegro’ employs frequent starts and stops to demonstrate the back and forth nature of fencing. And by using oppositional passages of winds versus strings, Moreno further exemplifies this large scale rhythm. Unfortunately, the repeated stops and starts creates a curiously choppy pattern that undermines the flow of the work. The same jerky rhythm emerges in the closing ‘Minuetto’ albeit now in an energetic triple meter.

Born in Catalonia, Jose Nono (1776-1848) seems to adhere to the formal structure of the Classical era in his symphony, although the initial sonata form first movement has been lost. The Italian influence clearly apparent, the presumed 2nd movement ‘Romance’ uses a trio of aria-like turns by a single violin, a solo oboe, and finally by solitary horn. Marked ‘Allegro spiritoso’, the following minuet is a rowdy dance punctuated by sudden pauses and unexpected dynamic shifts. With shades of Haydn, a playful ‘Allegro’ closes the symphony with abrupt syncopations and witty twists. Listen for a wonderful scurrying bass line in the bassoon.

While the 1993 recording by Capriccio is more than adequate, the reading by Concerto Koln is somewhat uneven. Inspired in the faster, upbeat sections, the German group sometimes plods through the adagio passages. Still, this is an important contribution to the Classical era symphonic literature. While the Arriaga symphony has been recorded numerous times, the other 3 composers suffer from the lack of exposure. This fine CD rectifies that shortcoming.