Day 195
Wallingford Riegger Study in Sonority for 10 violins op 7
Louisville Symphony Orchestra
Jorge Mester
I knew nothing about Wallingford Riegger (1885-1961) before starting this project. I knew the name - who could forget such a distinctive appellation - but otherwise I was vaguely aware he was an American modernist but I couldn't have placed him historically. So I was quite surprised to see that he was born as early as 1885. He was well trained and spend much of his life teaching music in New York State.
This work dates from 1927. It was quite hard to place stylistically - there were some elements of Schoenberg type atonalism but also some interesting experiments in sonority. With 10 instrumental lines to play with there were a lot of opportunities for quite complex textures and antiphonal effects. The problem with writing for 10 violins of course is that there is no bass register to balance the high notes - the 8th violin is asked to tune the G string down to E but that doesn't really make up for a lack of bass notes. Indeed at times the ever higher texture got really hard to listen to and indeed quite painful though the actually harmonic language was not that difficult to follow.
The composer called this a study and I suppose on those terms it was an interesting experiment in what could be done. But as a purely music experience I found it unrewarding and indeed hard going. I've no idea of how typical this music is within Riegger's overall output but I can't say I am very keen to explore further.
This marks the end of this week or so of experimental American composers. I'm very glad that I spend the time listening to this music but my overall sense is that a lot of it was was leading to rather a dead end rather than the creation of a really new and vibrant musical tradition. I don't think that it is an accident that these composers, with the possible exception of Ives, have not entered the musical mainstream.
Tomorrow I will start a new series looking at some nationalist operas.
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