While there are a fair
number of recordings of Szymanowksi’s
piano music, complete sets are not too
common. The classic was that recorded
by Martin Jones for Nimbus, and for
many this will remain the one to have.
The present CD completes a set recorded
over a decade for Naxos by Martin Roscoe.
At least as far as this disc is concerned,
admirers of the composer will probably
want to consider adding this to their
collections. I mentioned in a previous
review that Roscoe (Celebrity Recital
from the 5th Chetham’s Festival - review)
sometimes seems to excel in slow music,
but here he shows a broader range.
The present disc contains
both Szymanowski’s first and last publications,
the Preludes Op.1 (nos. 7 and 8 from
1896, the rest from 1899-1900) and the
Mazurkas Op. 62 (from 1933-4). In between
are an early set of variations; a short
Romance written for Emil Hertzka of
Universal Edition;
the last piano sonata; and
the last four of the Mazurkas
Op. 50, as well as the two Op. 62 Mazurkas.
In the early works Roscoe is very good
at maintaining the balance between Szymanowski’s
many early influences (Chopin,
Wagner, Scriabin to name a few) and
the sensitive original personality that
was already emerging, but was not to
become fully evident until much later.
The early Variations ricochet back and
forth between the virtuosic and the
contemplative. Roscoe handles them excellently
while keeping the individual variations
in the context of a single movement.
Roscoe performs a similar
feat with the Sonata No. 3. This work
follows regular sonata form, but with
the four sections subsumed into one
movement. There are various thematic
cross-references between sections and
the concluding fugue is foreshadowed
in each of the preceding sections as
well as combining with the second subject
of the allegro. The performance is clear-cut
and exciting, although it did not make
me want to totally abandon the Raymond
Clarke recording. Roscoe also does well
with the two late Preludes Op.62, responding
to their abstract quality and rhythmic
complexities.
Szymanowski’s Mazurkas
Op. 50 are among his later folk-oriented
works in which he tried to utilize the
rhythms and harmonic inflections of
the Goral area to achieve an aesthetic
universality through ethnic specificity.
For me the problem with these pieces
is that the folk elements seem to interfere
with the mazurka character of the works,
producing a kind of indeterminate piece
that has neither the power nor the beauty
of the composer’s best work. Roscoe’s
playing of the final group of Mazurkas
(nos. 17-20) did nothing to change my
opinion and indeed the vigor and interest
he brings to the other works on this
disc is lacking in the Mazurkas. Perhaps
the pianist has a similar opinion of
them.
In conclusion one can
say that Martin Roscoe does very well
with most of this music, but many listeners
will prefer the Mazurkas Op. 50 as played
by Martin Jones or Marc-André
Hamelin. However as part of one of the
few complete sets of Szymanowski piano
music and at budget price, with good
sound, this CD becomes almost indispensable.
William Kreindler
see also reviews
by Kevin
Sutton and Patrick
Waller
BUY
NOW
AmazonUK
AmazonUS
Martin Roscoe (piano) 
