The treasure hunter Elinor Frey, renowned cellist from Montreal, ventures here into more familiar territory than usual. Indeed, the concertos of Carl Philipp Emmanuel Bach are now well established in the repertoire, unlike the very little-known works of Vandini, Dall’abaco, Baur, Fiorè, and many others that the artist has passionately unveiled to us over the years. It is therefore permissible to play the game of comparisons, which some colleagues have already done elsewhere.
Note that Elinor Frey is accompanied by the ensemble Accademia De’ Dissonanti, based in Montreal and comprising many excellent musicians from the city.
The three concertos navigate the aesthetics of the empfindsamer Stil (sensitive style) which, in the 18th century, helped pave the way for Romanticism, with Sturm und Drang (storm and passion). We are talking here about contrasting dynamics that evoke more directly than in the Baroque certain emotions, states of mind, and twists of situations that could be described as more authentically human. That being said, do not look for the emotional explosions of the following century. The approach remains tinged with elegance, with a few frankly gallant episodes.
Frey adopts lively tempos, without abruptness. It is through these that she demonstrates an ultra-precise, chiselled technique that impresses. Bravo for the bursts of florid, sharp notes, supported in their clarity by the relative economy of the means chosen to support them (at most seven or eight instrumentalists). Some commentators have expressed their hesitation regarding this choice of sonic sparseness, preferring, for example, Truls Mork and the Violons du Roy in the same program.
If it is true that this version released by Erato remains exceptional, the vision is not the same. Mork favours an approach that is certainly historical, but with broader means and a modern type of sound power. Elinor Frey makes a different choice that is completely justified. This approach (the “solmisation,” which refers to an ancient technique involving the use of a hexachord and other considerations that would be unnecessary to elaborate on here) makes more sense if it is carried out in a very small ensemble context rather than in more robust formations. In short, there is room for both visions, and that of Frey and her Accademia is of a high interpretative and technical excellence to be held in esteem alongside the aforementioned one, and others as well.
What I particularly like is the freedom that Frey takes, especially in the cadences. Once again, let’s compare. Mork (for example) favours expressive elegance, in a polished, very classical, but exciting narration. Frey broadens the scope and even dares to use brief and tonally surprising portamentos (slides) (for example, in the cadence of the first movement of Wq 170). Frey steps out of the Court and into the street with music that already had more plebeian than strictly aristocratic aspirations. There, she clearly underlines the empfindsamer quality that was pointing its nose in the musical world. Moreover, the composer inserted some irregular details into his concertos, he who also had the reputation of sometimes creating “quirky’’ music.
Understand, then, that Elinor Frey’s extravagances are not without purpose, and that it has relevance. As far as I’m concerned, they are even very refreshing, first causing astonishment, then leading to approval.
Here is a program carried out with great intelligence, combined with beautiful intuitions, by a young but seasoned ensemble, and a refined soloist who has dared for many years now to challenge several musical preconceptions.
If you are looking for a rich, velvety sound, this album will not provide it. But if you want to rediscover brilliant works under an audacious light, you will be served.
