A New Look at the Schumann and Grieg Concertos
J Scott Morrison | Middlebury VT, USA | 05/05/2009
(4 out of 5 stars)
"On first hearing this performance of the Schumann Concerto, which comes first on this CD, one is shocked at the fast tempo. Pianist/conductor Howard Shelley explains his reasons for this fast tempo in the first movement with some cogent reasoning. Still, for someone who has heard many performances of the work, the fast tempo is unsettling. I must say that after three hearings it still unsettles but perhaps a bit less so. And I have to say that no matter what Schumann may have intended with his markings -- the basis for Shelley's approach -- the main theme seems much more beautiful at an andante tempo, rather than Shelley's allegro. The same applies throughout the movement, including the cadenza which simply whips past. The faster than usual tempo is also applied to the second movement. Shelley cites the metronome marking given by Schumann as his basis. Indeed, one is less startled by Shelley's second movement tempo although it is demonstrably faster than expected. All is well in the finale. And the playing of both Shelley and the Opera North orchestra is all one could ask.
The Grieg concerto is also played, in general, a bit faster than one is used to. Shelley quotes Percy Grainger, who was a close friend of Grieg's and who had heard the composer play the concerto a number of times, as indicating the tempi should be generally faster. So be it. Shelley's interpretation is nonetheless fairly mainstream, if one allows for slightly faster tempi, until we get to the finale's central section which is taken very quickly. This is an exciting performance that has more of a chamber orchestra quality, a comment that could be made about all three concerti heard here.
The Saint-Saëns Second Concerto, the most-played of his five piano concertos, is played in a manner that reminds me of Arthur Rubinstein's classic recording with Alfred Wallenstein and the Symphony of the Air. And that's a high compliment.
I would recommend this disc for those who want to hear a new approach particularly to the Schumann and to a lesser extent the Grieg. And for those who want a modern recording of the lovable Saint-Saëns Second.
Scott Morrison"
Howard Shelley, Opera North Orch: Schumann, Grieg P Ctos: Do
Dan Fee | Berkeley, CA USA | 06/24/2009
(5 out of 5 stars)
"SM's review on Amazon starts where most of us may start in considering this new release. The disc is a familiar match of piano concertos by Schumann and Grieg. As it happens, each composer ended up writing only one big, and by now remarkable, piano concerto, each. The most famous proponent of the Schumann was Robert's wife and companion, Clara. The most famous player in the Grieg is surely Australian Percy Grainger. He was not only reputed to be the best Grieg concerto player in his own era, but the composer himself reportedly affirmed Grainger's unique pre-eminence. Topping off the generously filled red book Chandos CD disc is Saint-Saens second piano concerto. Our order is Schumann, Grieg, Saint-Saens.
Our orchestra is the resident band for Opera North, in Leeds, England. They are very active in both the opera house and the concert hall, indeed the only UK ensemble to have such a year-round schedule. Outreach, touring, community music education, and holding professorships at the Royal Northern College of Music further distinguish this band as something far beyond a pickup festival or regional orchestra, gathered happenstance.
As we might suspect, and as JS notes in his review, Shelley is not going to be business as usual. He's playing a modern grand piano, and his band is playing on modern instruments. Yet he seems influenced by the HIP movement to the extent that he wishes to approach these three familiar - over-familiar? - works with close attention to the scores, and without preconceived notions about tempo, phrasing, or general musical manners.
Tempo is the most changed of the Shelley features. He's read through the Schumann and noted the faster metronome indications for tempo, as well as the lack of any written indications for the tradition slowing early in the first movement, effectively serving to spotlight and heat up the considerable beauty of that passage in most readings which follow the custom. Besides tempo changes, Shelley says he pays new attention to the phrasing and articulation marks in all three works. He argues in the CD booklet that certain inflections make better musical sense at the faster tempos.
Another revisionist element has to do with the band, or more precisely, with Shelley's musical partnership with Opera North. As an experienced conductor, and as conductor from the keyboard, Shelley has a thorough knowledge of the problems and possibilities involved. Needless to say, he has overcome all the risks of being both the solo pianist in these three virtuoso concertos, while also keeping the band on track. The surprise outcome is that all three readings come across with an unexpected sense of intimacy in phrasing and ensemble, combined with a quite remarkable sense of poise.
For any listener more used to the barn burning approach that most virtuoso pianists take, especially to the Grieg, and often to the Schumann as well - this intimacy and poise are completely unusual, something few of us would predict as illuminating for any of these works.
These qualities extend to Shelley's piano manner and tone. He obviously has no technical glitches with anything any of the three virtuoso concertos can demand of the player. Yet, the deep tonal impression that lingers in the ear and mind by the end of the disc is not lightning fire, but Apollonian grace and warmth. It has been many, many a moon since I heard any of these three warhorse concertos make such an endearing engagement with the music, and with the band, and with the listener.
My four main benchmarks in the Schumann have long been Dinu Lipatti, Artur Rubinstein, Ivan Moravec (Japanese remastered surround sound SACD), and Malcolm Frager under Horenstein on Chesky. Yes I have other discs of the Schumann, and I play them, too. I'm not throwing out my Leon Fleisher with Szell, or my Nelson Friere with Rudolf Kempe in Munich, or my Richter with von Matacic .... or?????. But these four are my Mount Rushmore Faces for the Schumann concerto.
Though Shelley's approach is different, his dominant impression of warmth, clarity, and poise reminds me most of Dinu Lipatti - long cherished for exactly these qualities, though obtained differently from Shelley in many technical and tonal details. One cannot claim at all, that the Philharmonia under von Karajan plays along with Dinu Lipatti, achieving the chamber ensemble ethos that Opera North manages with Shelley. Nor can one claim that Shelley's basic tone is as luscious and sensuous as Artur Rubinstein. Yet Shelley manages enough warmth and glow that the overall tonal impression is more luxurious than speedy tempos and detail might otherwise suggest.
My benchmarks in the Grieg have been Earl Wild (Chesky), Nelson Friere with Kempe in Munich, Santiago Rodriguez with Tabakov in Sofia, Fleisher with Szell, Lipatti with Galliera in London - plus the remainder of a crowded list for musical fav shelf context. (Like the gal in Oklahoma, I have a problem saying, No, when it comes to the Grieg or Schumann.)
I note that a new Grieg-Grainger piano roll performance is due to be released soon (August, 2009), thanks to specialist Norweigian high resolution label, 2L. The band will be Kristiansand Symphony Orchestra, Rolf Gupta conductor, Rex Lawson pianolist. That disc could really be something, like the old Melbourne re-creation of Percy Grainger's special way with the Grieg concerto.
Meanwhile, Shelley and Opera North surprise us in the Grieg, and again in the Saint-Saens. Still frisky, yes. Inflected with chamber music good spirits, piano with band. All the Lisztian display is still written into the keyboard parts, but the musical effect is much less like thundering display and more like good spirits high jinks, scampering up and down for the sheer fun of being able to do it, partnered by the band. The scherzo of the SS is a touch slower, and yet makes even more sparkle riding on the relaxed flow. I'm not all that picky about the SS second, but this reading seems like one of the best - certainly, the most fun-filled and delighted - ways to approach its message.
Oh well, let me splurge then. I'm siding with Jed Distler over at ClassicsToday on this one. I'm keeping this disc and giving it five stars. If the more traditionally show-off readings of these three concertos have put you off to any extent at all, Shelley and Opera North will restore a sense of the music all three composers wrote for us - as music, first and foremost, with illuminating touches of wholesome, generous poise and sparkle."
