Maestros and their motor cars (33): Going Dutch
UncategorizedThis is the composer Willem Pijper, a notorious speedster.
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Now we need new recordings of his symphonies!
By the way – does anybody know for certain that we actually hear Clifford Curzon as “soloist” in the 1953 recording of Pijpers third symphony? (Decca/ Koncertgebouw orchestra van Beinum). The symphony is not a concerto (not even a “symphonie concertante”) , as stated by Pijper himself on the original Decca LP…. Moreover the pianopart is partly “a quatre mains” and ..hardly a vehicle for a renowned soloist .
Who knows more!?
A bombastic choice.
The vehicle has the same angry face as his music, which fought against the innocent remnants of romanticism as represented, in provincial Holland, by his collegue Jan van Gilse, conductor and composer, who succumbed to Pijper’s vitriolic reviews of his concerts, but whose music experienced a come-back in recent years – definitely not as bad as Pijper had claimed. Pijper’s own music has meanwhile disappeared from sight.
Speaking of Pijper: How is it that this once well-known and respected composer has remained in the shadows for so long? When we have multiple recordings of the symphonies by lesser-knowns like Atterberg, Roentgen, Laangard, Peterson-Berger, why have the three Pijper symphonies not been recorded? Monteux did them; they must have some interest and value. Chandos or CPO should get busy!
Oddly enough, yesterday I was listening to the three Symphonies written by Pijper. Each one is so very different, and each one is a winner.
Nr 1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KfSev1yslxU
Nr 2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UjjybMtOb8k
Nr 3: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MguYHzgVeYI
A gradual development towards a forced, pretentious grumpy soviet style. While he began so promising.