Born in France from a Spanish father, Philipp Jarnach (1892-1982) found his own voice as a composer in Switzerland during World War I. Later he settled in Germany where he spent the rest of his long life teaching and composing. Today, his name is essentially remembered in connection with Ferruccio Busoni, of whom Jarnach was one of the very few true musical heirs. At Busoni’s untimely death, it was Jarnach who completed his master’s unfinished opera Doktor Faust. This beautifully packaged and richly documented CD follows Jarnach in his artistic development, from the impressionistic early French songs to the mature, dark Amrumer Tagebuch from 1941/42, through the Sonatina for flute and piano. Here Jarnach takes the path of a “new classicism” as championed by Busoni, who aimed to make something new out of the old, in reaction to the bland conservatism of neo-classicism. Jarnach’s music never goes beyond the limits of tonality and well-observed rules, but this doesn’t mean that it lacks originality or expression, as the melancholy Elegy from the Amrumer Tagebuch and the moving Andante sostenuto from the Sonata for solo violin easily prove.
As sampled on this CD, Jarnach’s universe sounds mostly lyrical, lucid, and introspective, rarely and only reluctantly dramatic, and this subtlety may explain why it has been so completely forgotten. Well written as they are, the German songs stay deeply rooted in the Lied tradition: the words always come first in the very articulate singing part, while the piano accompaniment discreetly underlines the meaning of the text. Close to Hindemith, only with more flexible rhythms and thinner textures, the piano pieces create moments of intimate meditation. The masterpiece among the collection is perhaps the Sonata for solo violin, rich in powerful melodic ideas and skillful counterpoint. The baritone Martin Bruns sings with a clear voice and excellent diction, but his intonation sometimes loses its firmness. There is only praise for Heinrich Keller’s sensitive flute playing. Kolja Lessing, who already contributed to the rediscovery of Berthold Goldschmidt, plays both the violin and the piano with the same imposing ease, and perfect stylistic insight.
