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Luca Ciuffoletti ルカ チュフォレッティ クラシック音楽 マガジン
Luca Ciuffoletti ルカ チュフォレッティの【クラシック音楽ジャーナル】
Violin Literature – “The Neglected Masterpieces
The influence of the older masters on present day interpretation - Jenő Hubay & Henri Vieuxtemps
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Henri Viuextemps: 6 Concert Etudes, Op.16 – The Hubay`s Edition
The first “unfamiliar” work that in this essay I would like to discuss and bring to the attention of the readers is a set of solo violin etudes: the 6 Concert Etudes, Op.16 composed by Henri Vieuxtemps (1845?). The etudes can be roughly positioned, in term of difficulties, between the Twenty-Four Caprices of Rode and the Twenty-Four Etudes of Dont. Virtually unknown here are a fundamental set of etudes to each violinist should study and master. Carl Flesh positions them between Sauzay- Le violon harmonique and Dont-Twenty-Four Etudes[ Flesh, The Art of Violin, Book 1, 93.]. Some of the Conservatoire`s study programs in Italy includes these etudes placing them often at the same level of Wieniawski, Ysaye, Locatelli and in some cases Paganini. My teacher assigned me these etudes together with Locatelli and Ysaye. The 6 Concert Etudes, Op.16 are not only extremely interesting from a technical point of view but are also six wonderful compositions rich in melodic lines that show clearly how Vieuxtemps was the creator of an entirely new tendency in violin playing. The Hubay`s edition of the Etudes was published by the Budapest: Harmonia Kiadas, in 1914. There is one more work of Viuextemps that interests this essay and that was also edited by Hubay: the 36 Etudes for Violin, Op.48 which we will discuss later in Part II. Let`s see now more closely the Vieuxtemps`s Etudes Op. 16, the center of this first essay. As mentioned before Hubay edited this work in 1914 and the way he approached this work reflects faithfully one central aspect of my writings and of my philosophy: the importance of an ethic of interpretation and thus, of the religious respect of composer`s intentions: a central theme for me and apparently also for Hubay. Let`s see why and how. A central aspect is constantly emphasized in my writings: the importance of a high ethical standard in interpreting any given composition. No better way to asses again this point that using Jeno Hubay own words that we can all read in the Preface of the 1914 edition of the etudes. Now public domain and therefore free from copyrights Hubay`s words are the best possible lesson on ethic. Sadly, but not unsurprisingly, no such lessons could come from contemporary artists as nowadays all ethical elements have evaporated leaving music and art in a miserable state. Only properly training young generations can we create “a new awareness on ethic” in music. Contemporary teachers and performers are the figures that should be most feared and avoided by young artists. Let`s all meditate reading Jeno Hubay words written, after all, only 100 years ago and let`s be inspired by him to try to reverse the catastrophic course of the modern disintegration of art. It is evident, reading Hubay`s words, that ethic has been seriously challenged also in the past, but the degree of charlatanism, ignorance and arrogance we are witnessing at the beginning of the third millennium, leave no hopes for the future unless we start teaching young musicians a totally new set of rules solidly rooted into the past and not contaminated by our modern way of thinking. The time to reverse this dangerous distortion of history is now, or in the next few decades and centuries nothing will be left of the original “message”: charlatanism sediments itself quite rapidly. A new set of strict rules must be written before is too late. Here is the Preface of Hubay for his 1914 edition of Vieuxtemps 6 Concert Etudes, Op.16:
Budapest 1914
“Since the copyright on the work of Henri Vieuxtemps, the great Belgian violinist, ran out, these have been republished in the form –new arrangements- by almost all the better known publishing houses. Amongst all the latter, I found none that had retained the original marking and directions. It is incomprehensible to me how anybody, in editing the work of a master, who himself represents a school and a definite tendency, could completely obliterate that master every mark and direction. One would think that the marking of a Spohr a Vieuxtemps or a Wieniawski, would be respected. As Vieuxtemps was the creator of an entirely new tendency in Violin playing – a large broad plastic style, it is most important in editing his work, that the character of his great interpretative art should not be lost, and also that his principles should be made entirely clear. This large broad and free style which was the special characteristic of Vieuxtemps music, has alas! generally been quite misunderstood. He hated everything ugly and exaggerated, and woe to the performer who in the master presence, misunderstanding his ideas, wished to make the work “more beautiful” through gratuitous “tempi rubati” or pulling phrases out of shape. He insisted strongly that his compositions should be played in perfect form and also that his expression marks bowing and fingering should be observed. In 1878 when I lived in Paris and later in the year 1881 in Algiers, when I passed several months in Vieuxtemps house, I often had the opportunity to go through his works with him most thoroughly and I am in possession of many of his markings in his own hand. Vieuxtemps died while I was in Algiers these markings are his last and the expression of the whole experience of his long career as a virtuoso. They are probably the most complete of any, showing his intentions in the best way. It was in Algiers that he honored me by the dedication of his 7th violin concerto and it was he who recommended me as his successor to the Brussels conservatorium, where I held this position for five years. After the master death, his family entrusted me with the preparation of his posthumous works, for publication. Amongst these were his 36 studies dedicated to the Paris conservatoire. The intimate artistic and friendly relation in which I stood to Viuextemps, have influenced me to publish an edition of his entire works, which will appear in due course. I this edition I have given the expression marks, bowing and fingering very exactly according to the original marking. When they were incomplete I have added to them what was necessary. I hope to point the way in this edition for all those who wish to interpret Vieuxtemps music in style in which he himself desired that it should be played”. Dr. Jeno Hubay
Remarkable, isn`t it? It may be argued that both, the 6 Etudes Op. 16 and the 32 Etudes Op. 48 are rarely performed and in most cases even unknown to the majority of violinists but who, after reading these words of Hubay, could study or perform any of Vieuxtemps violin concertos without feeling a sense of discomfort and perhaps of inadequacy? How many of us have performed Vieuxtemps music changing and personalizing it in such a way that both Hubay and Vieuxtemps would be simply horrified to hear it? What about all other composers? It is evident, I hope, that we have gone too far and unless we develop a new awareness, the act of performing is destined to be transformed in just a “routine-job” perpetuated by intellectually dishonest artists. The main point I am trying to affirm again is that the way we position ourselves in front of a masterpiece comes before the study or performance of it. Let me insist a little more on Hubay words and let`s see them as metaphors: here is one passage: “I found none that had retained the original marking and directions….”, how many times we take the liberty to change dynamics, phrasing, colors of a composition just to please our taste or even worst to accommodate our technical limitations? How many times we hear world class performers doing such things just to feed their insatiable vanity? More from Hubay: “It is incomprehensible to me how anybody, in editing the work of a master, who himself represents a school and a definite tendency, could completely obliterate that master every mark and direction….” For instance see the “verb” that he used: “obliterate”, a very strong word that seems to express perfectly the devastating effects on music of our own egocentrism, vanity and ignorance in assuming that we have the “right” to our own opinion. No “ordinary” men have the “right” to an opinion when dealing with the work of genius. Let`s continue: Hubay uses the word “incomprehensible” as he would not even consider the possibility to argue what has been decided by Vieuxtemps. Do you start to see the level of charlatanism that artists nowadays are inflicting to music? We should aim to achieve such a level of intellectual integrity that we too should feel “incomprehensible” any license, any freedom, any alteration of a master work. More from Hubay…. “One would think that the marking of a Spohr a Vieuxtemps or a Wieniawski, would be respected….” Indeed, it should be natural to admit that each one of us (musicians) should be a humble servant of music, but is often not the case; we are submerged by thousand of daily performances around the world that will leave no trace: as the audience`s applause dies, the lights of the theatre are turned off, the crime has been committed and another sacrilege has been consumed to the altar of pure art. Here is how Hubay concludes his preface: “I hope to point the way in this edition for all those who wish to interpret Vieuxtemps music in style in which he himself desired that it should be played”. Here is the essence: “in style in which he himself desired that it should be played”….a phrase that needs no comment from me as it encapsulates the essence of my message to young musicians: serve humbly music and learn from the great masters of the past. It may appear excessive such Spartan approach but I think it is paramount to understand that the seeds for a new Renaissance in music can only come from the past and not from the present. Hubay wrote that letter only 100 years ago and perhaps is not too late to regain some of the ethic we have lost and that have brought us to create a generation of “deformed artists”. Let`s gaze into the past and let`s research for any possible inspiration that could help us to change ourselves. My intent is to guide each one of you towards such inspiration. Read again and again Hubay`s letter and let`s aim to the same level of intellectual integrity. Remember that what has been said here for Henri Vieuxtemps or Jeno Hubai is just an example and should gain even more value if applied to greater composers especially in more “formal” repertoire as symphonies and sonatas. It is obvious that a violin concert of Viuextemps has a different “weight” that a Schubert, Beethoven or Brahms symphony or even concerto. Despite the obvious hierarchies among composers and compositions we must mature the same ethical approach to them made of respect and submission. Forget the present (for now): the answers we artists need are all in the past…….
Luca Ciuffoletti
Tokyo 2014-11-29
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