Expanding The Viola's Repertoire

This disk features two contemporary Russian viola concertos performed by Yuri Bashmet ( for whom they were comissioned ) with the Orchestra of the Mariinsky Theatre conducted by Valery Gergiev. I found one of the concertos to be tremendous and the other to be slightly irritating. The irritating one is that by Giya Kancheli titled Styx. This also has a strong part for a chorus ( the St Petersburg Chamber Choir, chorus master Nikolay Kornev ) My irritation stemmed from what might be termed extra musical reasons. The piece is written with extremely marked changes in volume from very quiet solo segments on the viola to crashing loud eruptions from orchestra and chorus. Listening on headphones you get blasted out of your seat and listening without in a small flat makes you feel guilty concerning disturbance to neighbours. The idea is that the viola mediates between the choir and the orchestra, symbolizing the River Styx between the dead and the living. It is not without merit but did try my patience. On the other hand, I loved Sofia Gubaidulina's Concerto for Viola and Orchestra. The composer admits to being puzzled and inspired by the "strangely mysterious and veiled nature of the viola's timbre". Written in one thirty minute plus sweep ( as is Styx ) the piece uses a whole range of expressive devices including orchestral effects and featuring religious themes and her native Tartar history. Bashmet is obviously wholly committed to the work.