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| Rachel Barton Pine: A Scottish Fantasy (Album cover) |
St. Paul, Minn. — As far as I know, I don't have a drop of Scottish blood in my body, yet I've always been drawn to Scotland, and the sounds of Celtic music. When I came across Rachel Barton Pine's latest recording, "Scottish Fantasies for Violin and Orchestra," I couldn't wait to hear what she had done with them. This entire new release is filled with music that taps into the meaningful connection between classical music and the traditional fiddle tunes that flourished in Scotland for over 200 years.
"With my recordings," Barton Pine explains, "it's important that I have something new to say about the music."
The Bruch "Fantasy" has always been one of her favorites and with this project she delves even deeper into its roots. Rather than treating it as a German Romantic violin concerto, she highlights it by surrounding it with works by Bruch's contemporaries, all of whom were inspired by the same kind of music. As far as she knows, this "Scottish Fantasy" has never been put into this kind of context on a recording.
Since Bruch's "Fantasy" is the most familiar piece on this new release, I'm going to take a look at the other works that complement it so well.
I think Rachel Barton Pine may very well have saved the best for last on this collection of Scottish fantasies with the final piece, a "Medley of Scots Tunes", orchestrated by Barton Pine. On this piece, her partner is the world-famous Scottish fiddler Alasdair Fraser, who also helped her arrange these tunes. What surprised me is how effectively this medley of traditional fiddle tunes connects to the world of classical music. In fact, Barton Pine admits that it was Fraser who helped her see that connection, and sharpen her awareness of just how expressive classical music could be in another context.
What is the connection? The medley begins with a slow air, "Lament of Flora MacDonald." Alasdair Fraser plays this beautiful song first, then Barton Pine takes over with Fraser adding descant. A woodwind quartet picks up where the violins leave off. In the next tune, "The Waukin of the Fauld", the melody is passed among the soloists and various instruments of the orchestra. A minor-key reel follows and it serves as a bridge to the final major-key reel, "Timour the Tartar."
In creating this combination of songs medley, Barton Pine may have taken her lead from the 19th-century Spanish violinist Pablo de Sarasate. His medley of six traditional tunes, "Airs Ecossais" (Scottish Airs), closes out the first disc in this double-cd set. It's recorded here for the first time in its orchestrated version. The first time I heard this piece I thought, "Wow! Now that's a lot of fun." This medley of Scottish airs is truly a virtuoso showpiece, where nothing matters really but what the soloist is doing! Sarasate started with a version of this for piano and violin alone. When he decided to orchestrate it, he consulted with another composer whose music appears on this recording, Sir Alexander MacKenzie.
For something a bit more serious, Barton Pine included Sir Alexander Mackenzie's "Pibroch" Suite, which was dedicated to, and first performed by, Pablo de Sarasate. After they performed together in Scotland, Sarasate asked MacKenzie to write a piece for violin and orchestra that had the flavor of the composer's native country. Pibroch is a term that refers to a set of variations on a traditional tune for the highland bagpipes.
For years this piece has been neglected, but thank goodness Rachel Barton Pine dusted it off to share it with us on her new release. Enveloped inside the "Pibroch" Suite is the most gorgeous, energetic melody, which is surrounded by a lush orchestral sound that gladly steps aside when it's time for the soloist to shine. The way MacKenzie writes for the violin it's obvious he played the instrument both as a concert violinist and as a Scots fiddler. In the "Caprice", the violin is allowed to bounce along lightly, inviting us to kick up our heels and do a little jig. Then it takes off and flies through the scales leading to a flashy dance finale in the last movement.
There's plenty more to explore and enjoy on this new recording of Scottish Airs with Rachel Barton Pine, the Scottish Chamber Orchestra and conductor Alexander Platt. I hope you'll consider taking this cost-effective trip to Scotland yourself. As far as I'm concerned, it was really worth the price of the ticket, which by the way, also includes a documentary on the making of this recording which was filmed in Scotland and in Barton Pine's hometown of Chicago.
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