| FRENCH PIANO CONCERTOS |
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CD1:-
François-Adrien BOIELDIEU (1775-1834)
Piano Concerto in F Major
Allegro
Pastorale con variazioni
Jules MASSENET (1842-1912) Piano Concerto
(1903)
Andante moderato
Largo
Airs slovaques, Allegro
Gabriel PIERNÉ (1863-1937)
Piano Concerto in C Minor, Op.12 (1887)
Allegro
Scherzando
Final
CD2:-
Edouard LALO (1823-1892) Piano
Concerto in F-minor
Lento, Allegro
Lento
Allegro
Cécile CHAMINADE (1857-1944)
Concertstück for Piano & Orchestra (1908)
Albert ROUSSEL (1869-1937) Piano
Concerto, Op.36 (1927)
Allegro molto
Adagio
Allegro con spirito
Jean FRANÇAIX (1912- ) Piano
Concerto (1936)
Without title
Andante
Without title
Allegro
 Martin Galling (piano), Innsbruck
Symphony Orchestra/Wagner;
Marylene Dosse (piano), Westphalian Symphony Orchestra/Landau/ & Stuttgart
Philharmonic/ Kuntzsch;
Maria Littauer (piano), Hamburg Symphony Orchestra/Springer;
Rosario Marciano (piano) & Claude Paillard-Françaix (piano), Orchestra
of Radio Luxembourg/de Froment & Françaix
Rec. 1967/80
VOXBOX CDX5110 [CD1
70.14; CD2
75.47]
Crotchet
£9.99
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FRENCH PIANO CONCERTOS
This is an extension to the main VoxBox piano volumes, representing performing
virtuoso-playing composers of the Romantic tradition. In this French volume,
sensitivity has been shown in making sure the order of the works chosen relates
to the historical context in which belong.
CD1
Boieldieu came from Rouen and focused his interests on the theatre
in Paris, establishing himself as a lyric composer. Although a pianist, he
is known today more for his elegant scores to a number of operas, the most
famous being 'La Dame Blanche'. His Piano Concerto in F Major was
composed when young, soon after he arrived in Paris. The work is bright,
frothy and tuneful. A pastoral lyrical movement [Pastorale con
variazioni] contrasts with the busy Allegro, which opens the work.
A number of variations follow, first played solo and then accompanied by
the orchestra. It is a well written work and shows considerable maturity
for a young composer.
Massenet concentrated on composing songs and opera (28 operas, in
fact) and only wrote a small quantity of piano music. Previously, these works
have been competently recorded by Aldo Ciccolini. He wrote only one Piano
Concerto (in 1903) which to me does not show Massenet's art at its best:
at times he seems to struggle getting the orchestra to dovetail the piano
part. An Andante moderato opens the piece with a dreamy prelude before
establishing a more dramatic subject. The Largo provides a stately
contrast to the Andante yet tends to lack purpose. An Airs Slovaques
which starts off sluggishly soon gathers momentum and an Allegro
brings the piece to a close with a hint of 'The Cid' possibly
recognised.
Pierné is an obscure composer to many of us, mainly remembered
for his 'March of the Little Soldiers' and 'Entrance of the Little
Fauns'. Yet he composed eight operas, ten ballets, many cantatas, chamber
music and songs. He was a pupil of Massenet and Franck. His Piano Concerto
in C Minor is animated and dashing, and is probably the most interesting
work to listen to on this first disc. The Allegro which opens, is
purposeful and makes use of cyclic ideas: a bold theme assigned to the soloist
soon sets up a dialogue with the trumpets before the rest of the orchestra
join in a lengthy conversation. The Scherzando is particularly charming
with its catchy, tripping measure. (We can recognise elfin touches of his
ballet music here.) The Final is an energetic, stirring and emotional
movement, with impish fragments, which move energetically to
a powerful climax.
CD2
Lalo studied the violin, cello and piano yet was not particularly
prolific and is largely remembered for his Symphonie Espagnole and
Concerto for cello and orchestra. He composed only one piano concerto,
his Piano Concerto in F-minor of which this would appear to be the
only recording. It is cyclic in form, involving the recurrence of variations
of themes. A slow and initially dark Lento opens the work, after which
an Allegro follows. This now brings in thematic material to be revisited
in the subsequent movements. This dramatic movement is ruminative in nature
rather than active until it flows into an animated coda. A meditative
Lento contains a gently lilting accompanying figure, similar to a
lullaby. The final Allegro, in Sonata form, has the usual development
section replaced by a self-contained episode.
Chaminade began composing when she was eight. She turned out much
parlour piano music and was widely known for her composition of the Scarf
Dance. She could be relied on to turn out pieces with good melodies and
imaginative rhythm. Much of her orchestral music remains unheard, but with
her Concertstück she made her American debut as a pianist in 1908. The
Concertstück for Piano and Orchestra opens dramatically with
tense string gestures, reminiscent of Wagner and with a peppering of Chabrier.
The work is episodic, and highly spiced with good orchestral colour.
During the 20s, Roussel who was taught by d'Indy, was considered
to be one of France's leading composers - nearly as famous as Ravel. His
Third Symphony was commissioned by Boston Symphony Orchestra for their
50th Anniversary; such was his standing. The notes tell us that
Roussel's music is characterised by a melodic line of great length, plasticity
and power; and he reinforces this type of melody with polymodal harmonic
structure. The Piano Concerto in G Major was written in 1927 when
he was 58, ten years before his death. It is unlike most concertos in that
the opening movement, Allegro molto, is obviously not composed to
have any strong impact. It is more the ravings of a tortured soul. The concerto
pivots around the slow movement, an Adagio which conveys much feeling
and yearning. The work finishes with an Allegro con spirito which
provides humour, urgency, colour and brilliance.
Françaix is famous for his delectably charming compositions.
These are unmistakably French, witty, and often convey a sense of fun. As
a virtuoso pianist he played in the first performances of most of his works
which featured the piano. Although his Piano Concerto was written
in 1936, this recording marks the composer's recording debut as a conductor,
with his daughter at the piano. The work is scored for a large chamber orchestra,
with double woods, pairs of trumpets, trombones and strings. It carries movements
with unusual headings: Without title - Andante - Without title - and Allegro.
Without title holds many surprises from its unexpected beginning.
The character of this first movement with its intertwining melodies gives
one the impression of a bustling and busy Parisienne street scene. The
Andante which follows is a much more ponderous and dreamy movement.
A second Without title is more on the lines of a scherzo yet carries
thematic material similar to that found in the first movement. The final
Allegro continues the dialogue between piano and orchestra which comes
to a fairly abrupt ending. (The notes do not assist with any understanding
of the composer's aims in scoring this piece.)
The various soloists are a delight to listen to, and handle both powerful
and sensitive passages with considerable skill. The orchestras generally
play well under their individual conductors but in certain passages the
horns/trombones are insecure. The background notes are more than adequate
though more could have been said about the works themselves. Something should
be said about the new style slim double jewel case used by Vox. The internal
leaf is poorly designed and the clips, too weak to hold the discs, break
off in transit. (Why redesign when an robust version exists, one wonders?)
The analogue recordings of the 70s are clear with no background noise that
usually shows up in recordings of this period. The recording of the Pierné
work (from 1978) is disappointing; the acoustics are particularly dry and
the higher frequencies are lost. These recordings, like all previous Vox
concertos reviewed, are pleasantly balanced for piano. The recording venues
are not given in the notes.
Raymond Walker
