...and Music from Europe

New Zealand Listener, Volume 37, Issue 940, 16 August 1957, Page 4

...and Music from Europe

WO works of particular musical interest to be heard from 2YC in this week’s programmes are Orazio Benevoli’s Festival Mass and the Divertimento for Strings and Oboe by the Swiss composer Peter Mieg. Benevoli’s Festival Mass, first rerded in 1952 during.the 26th Salzburg ternational’ Music Festival, was written at the request of the Archbishop, Count Lodron, to mark the Consecration of the new Cathecral of Salzburg in September, 1628. The contemporary chronicles reporting on the day do not mention the composer by name, but only rate the music as excellent. The Festival Mass is in 53 parts, 16 of which are vocal, the other 37 "instrumental voices." These parts are grouped into two eight-part choruses joined by four solo quartets (16 solo singers); two six-part string choirs, one eight-part wind choir, three brass choirs with 13 parts in all, two pairs of timpani, two organs, and the basso continuo, which in works of this type and period is taken for granted. The Austrian Guido Adler, who edited this work for publication in 1903, commented that though Benevoli’s Festival Mass was written at a time of musical change, it is not only to be revarded as "the product of a transitional style,"

but retains its value as the work of ". .. a richly blessed genius, an accomplished artist in command of complete technical mastery." The first recording was undertaken in face of great difficulty. The cathedral was no longer quite large enough to take the number of performers necessary, and a few economies had to be made. Thuf the first organ was left out, as not being essential to the score. The placing of the performers was solved by setting up two groups along the side aisles of the nave, and a section of the instruments next to the organ in the chancel; with his back to the organ the conductor could thus see all the forces at his command. The performance to be heard from 2YC at 10.0 p.m. on Tuesday, August 20, was the first performance and first recording of Benevoli’s work since its premiére in 1628. The orchestra is the Vienna Symphony conducted by Joseph Messner, with the Salzburger Domchoir and _ soloists. Peter Mieg’s Divertimento, to have its first New Zealand performance in a recital from 2YC at 7.22 p.m. on Sunday, August 25, was composed in 1950 and had its first performance in Switzerland in January, 1952. Since then it has been played many times in concerts

and over the air. Mieg and Frank Martin (who was his teacher) are recognised as Switzerland’s leading composers. Most of Mieg’s music has been performed on the principal radio stations in

Western Europe and in concerts in his home country, in France, Germany, Austria, Italy and the United States. Originally under the influence of Frank Martin, Stravinsky and Bartok, Mieg has gradually found his own style. His language has been described as "clear, precise, and brilliant, and at the same time colourful. His forms are linear and polyphonic; one could call his music almost classical.’ His other compositions are a ballet, two concertos for two pianofortes and orchestra, a concerto da camera for strings, pianoforte and timpani, a septet for woodwinds, strings and harpsichord, and a .concerto for harpsichord and orchestra. His latest work is an Oboe Concerto which will be first performed in November this year at Winterthur. @

Peter Mieg’s Divertimento for Strings and Oboe will be played in this studio recital by Norman Booth (oboe), Malcolm Latchem (violin), Glynne Adams (viola) and Peter Langer (cello).