Zelenka’s inventive, tuneful, rhythmically unpredictable, harmonically quirky Trio Sonatas are as delightful to hear as they are challenging to perform. One noteworthy recording was a 1995 Claves release featuring soloists of the Chamber Orchestra of Europe. It gains a new lease on life nearly 20 years later, courtesy of recent American distribution, proving a strong alternative to Heinz Holliger’s ECM reference version. Comparative listening reveals interesting differences.
Take the Third sonata’s finale, for example. ECM’s violin soloist Thomas Zehetmair’s penetrating tone and strong yet never excessive vibrato contrasts to Marieke Blankestijn’s leaner sonority and lighter, more pointed bow work, while Claves’ ensemble lets the sudden shifts between major and minor modes register in a more straightforward, almost deadpan manner, as opposed to Holliger and company’s dynamic underlining. Holliger shapes the Second sonata’s first of two Allegro movements with more active continuo support, more pronounced dynamic contrasts, biting accents, and mostly detached articulation, in contrast to the suaver legato textural contours here. Similar observations apply to the Fifth sonata’s fugal finale, whose closely overlapping polyphony and syncopated phrases wouldn’t be entirely out of place in Stravinsky.
On the other hand the Claves musicians drag the First sonata’s opening movement to the point where the oboists occasionally fall a split second behind the beat, while Holliger’s altogether faster tempo imparts more shape and animation to the music. Furthermore, Claves’ robust and beautifully blended sonics hold equal attraction alongside ECM’s sharper, brighter soundstage. In sum, Holliger digs deeper, but the Chamber Orchestra of Europe players’ surface elegance and ensemble finesse are seductive on their own terms.
