The centenary of composer Stefan Wolpe (1902 -- 1972) was celebrated in 2002 with observances and festivals around the world. To judge from contemporary offerings in terms of Wolpe recordings from the deflated classical music industry of the day, one would hardly know this was going on. Nonetheless, a remarkable Wolpe release has made it out of the pipeline in his centennial year. Stefan Wolpe: Compositions for Piano (1920 -- 1952) is the sum of two decades' research into Wolpe's pianism lovingly conducted by pianist
David Holzman. For a pianist, Wolpe's work represents a challenge of the most formidable kind, as it combines pan-tonal gestures with jazzy rhythms, agitprop tunes jerked out of proportion, and wistful moments of reflective sensitivity. Bringing all of these elements into focus is an incredible task that a mere reading of Wolpe's score is not going to expose.
David Holzman is wholly familiar with, and committed to, the letter and spirit of this music. Wolpe is not "easy listening," but the reward is found in the largesse of Wolpe's conceptions, the continuous flow of his arguments, and the sheer excitement of his propulsive rhythms. The Sonata No. 1 "Stehende Musik" is a real find, a work from the 1920s that could have been written 70 years later, as
Antheil-like discord and motor rhythms are contrasted with a stark, enigmatic middle movement of
Satiëian plainness and simplicity. The Battle Piece and Zemach Suite heard here are notable improvements over previous recorded versions and the remaining shorter works, some previously unrecorded, are all revelatory. The recorded sound is terrific. For those who dare to venture into the rarefied world of Stefan Wolpe, they could hardly do better than with this exceptional Bridge Records release.