Magic!
janus_kreisler_sachs | the Midwest, USA | 06/20/2001
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Tippett's First Symphony was recorded by Colin Davis, but alas, that recording is currently out of print (hopefully it will be re-issued soon!). Hickox's interpretation is certianly lively and very well played, but Davis has even more energy and fire. For example, in the approach to the recapitulation of the first movement, Davis whips up an incredible crescendo that isn't matched by Hickox's slightly more relaxed reading.Tippett's Piano Concerto is a radiant work that certainly deserves to be a standard repertoire piece. From the very beginning of the first movement, one could almost believe that this is what magic must sound like -- the music of Faery itself, perhaps. Shelley's and Hickox's interpretation is nothing short of magnificent, certainly outclassing all the other recordings of this piece (the Naxos recording, Ogdon's, and even Martino Tirimo with Tippett conducting). Chandos's sound quality is, as always, excellent -- rich and brilliant, warm and crisp. Get this CD for the piano concerto -- you WON'T be disappointed by such a wonderful work!"
I am still far from sure that the music here has real merit
G.D. | Norway | 04/26/2010
(3 out of 5 stars)
"Tippett's first symphony is best described as an explosion of counterpoint. It is an intensely active work, difficult for conductors and orchestras to realize convincingly and also relatively difficult to the listener - even the slow movement features a rotating ground bass set to a formally very complex structure. It is, however, the most immediately convincing movement - rather remarkable, in fact. The problem with the work is that as it moves towards its final harmonic resolution in the final movement, you get a strong sense that the whole thing is more gimmicky bluffing than anything of real substance (for instance the petering out of the music to the gradually louder final cords). It is worth hearing, definitely, but I harbor strong doubts as to whether it is the masterpiece some commenters have claimed it to be.
The performances cannot avoid struggling, and while Hickox does have an admirably clear vision of the work, the music falls a little flat in certain parts where one suspects the composer envisaged more ethereal, airier textures. The music also sounds a little monochromic; still, I doubt there are many better performances out there. The performance of the piano concerto is overall more impressive; Shelley is a remarkable soloist who shapes the melodic lines very convincingly and the imaginative textures come across impressively. But whether there is more to this work than the textures and certain inventive but short-breathed isolated passages, I don't quite hear it. So to sum up, while this is a fine release, I am very uncertain that the music really has many lasting qualities - I am open to the possibility that it is simply this listener who fails to see them, however. The sound quality is at least excellent."
Track Listings (7) - Disc #1
