What Price Meaning?

Restraint is the chief characteristic of the Cantata (1052), on the reverse side of Symphony in C. Settings of anonymous 15th and 16th century English lyrics, Cantata is not the kind of music one expects to hear every day of the week. Except perhaps Sunday (an ideal present for Miss Mercovri!) for the work is strongly liturgical in character. Perhaps it is for reason of its size—small female choir, small instrumental ensemble, two soloists, yet the work is surprisingly popular here. I have heard two performances of it done locally in the past two years, and the quality of the local work suggests that the piece is not as hard to understand as it might at first seem. The sub-heading "What price meaning?" relates to Stravinsky's setting of words. He may capture the mood of a poem he sets, but he will not relate the meaning of the words to the music's form. Words which are significant in themselves profit most by being set to music which also exists independently. Serene, unemotional, lyrical, Cantata puts aside all commonplace theatrical devices, and is thereby a most rewarding listening experience. There is again little fault to be found in the performers, though Westron Wind, the last song, seems a little fast for the soloists.

(Courtesy "N.Z. Listener.")