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KlassikNet: CD reviews
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Great Pianists of the 20th Century: Emil Gilels I Bach/Busoni: Prelude and Fugue in D, BWV 532 Mozart: Piano Concerto No. 27 in B flat, KV 595 Wiener Philharmoniker, Karl Bohm, conductor Beethoven: Piano Concerto No. 4 in G, Op. 58 Philharmonia Orchestra, Leopold Ludwig, conductor Bach: French Suite No. 5 in G, BWV 816 Weber: Piano Sonato No. 2 in A flat, Op. 39 Debussy: Images (Book 1) > Ravel: Jeux d'eau; Toccata (from "Le tombeau de Couperin") Alborada del gracioso (from "Miroirs") Philips 2CDs 456 793-2 Great Pianists of the 20th Century: Emil Gilels II Stravinsky: 3 Movements from Petrouchka Medtner: Sonata reminiscenza in A minor, Op. 38 No 1 Prokofiev: Piano Sonata No. 8 in B flat, Op. 84; Visions fugitives, Op 22 (excerpts); Sonata No. 3 in A minor, Op. 28; March from "The Love for Three Oranges", Op. 33ter Liszt/Busoni: Fantasia on 2 themes from "Le nozze de Figaro" Liszt: Hungarian Rhapsody No. 9 "Carnival at Pest"; Valse oubliee No. 1 in F sharp. Spanish Rhapsody Tchaikovsky: Piano Concerto No. 2 in G, Op. 44 New Philharmonia Orchestra, Lorin Maazel Bach/Siloti: Prelude in B minor Emil Gilels (1916 - 1985) rarely leaves his listeners indifferent. Some dislike his playing intensely, others are captivated by the immediacy and conviction of the robust pianism of his early years. Whatever the reaction, this is playing of enormous presence and the Odessa-born musician's full-bodied tone production always commands absolute attention. While these two compilations, spanning a 40-year period, offer a broad overview of Gilel's repertoire and are highly recommended, Volume II is especially useful for those still hesitant in their choice of interpreters for important modern works such as Prokofiev's Sonatas No. 3 and No. 8. Prokofiev dedicated his Eighth Piano Sonata to Emil Gilels and this 1974 recording is undoubtedly the best. The same could be said of the excerpts from Visions fugitives, also recorded in 1974. Finally, this introductory portrait remains incomplete without Gilels' interpretation of Grieg's Lyric Pieces reissued on Deutsche Grammophon. |
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Camille Saint-Saens (1835 - 1921) Concerto for Violoncello and
Orchestra No.1 in A minor, Op. 33; Le Carnival des animaux: No.
13. Le Cygne; Allegro appassionato Op. 43; Romance in F major, Op. 36; Suite Op. 16 (Version for Violoncello and Orchestra); Sonata for Violoncello and Piano No. 1 in E Minor, Op. 32 Mischa Maisky, violoncello Orpheus Chamber Orchestra Daria Hovora, piano A striking and, at times, beautiful recording of music that now requires the best musicians. Mr Maisky and Orpheus play the Saint-Saens Cello Concerto and Allegro appassionato with intelligence and verve - admirably detailed in their attention to accent and rhythm, rather than the traditional focus on lyrical beauty. They are also suitably moving in Le Cygne. But the bittersweet charm that the musicians elicit from the little serenade in the Suite, op. 16 is alone worth the price of the disc. Harrison Birtwistle (b. 1934) : Earth Dances The Cleveland Orchestra Christoph von Dohnanyi, conductor Panic John Harle, saxophone Paul Clarvis, drum kit BBC Symphony Orchestra Andrew Davis Argo 452 104-2 Earth Dances, the constructivist work of a skilled craftsman, captures in vivid musical images the sounds of shifting geological plates by the permanent collision of large instrumental groups. The effect is riveting. Written for maximum orchestral force supplemented by a spectacular collection of marimbas, gongs, bongos, chimes, and more, Earth Dances combines dramatic sonorites, powerful rythms and ancient ritual. The piece may indeed be dedicated to French composer Pierre Boulez, but it mainly seems to reflect Boulez's idea of pitch, and not so much form, sound, or pulse. |
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