With the successes of his ever-growing list of
British piano concerto recordings for Naxos fresh in our minds,
it is easy to forget that Peter Donohoe first made his
reputation as a an interpreter of Russian music. He shared the
second prize at the International Tchaikovsky Competition in
1982 when no first prize was awarded. His early discography for EMI included
a set of Rachmaninov's 24 preludes, a disc of Prokofiev's war
sonatas, and recordings of Tchaikovsky's piano concertos - including
an award-winning account of the sprawling second piano concerto,
complete and uncut - all of which have been long deleted although
the piano concertos have been restored on a Gemini
issue.
For many years, Donohoe has formed a regular piano
duo with Martin Roscoe, also a fabulous and versatile pianist
in his own right and one of Hyperion's stars. The maturity
of their partnership and their instinctive understanding of
each other's musical thoughts is evident on this disc. More
delicate and finely nuanced readings of these pieces are very
hard to find.
The disc charts a course back in time through Rachmaninov's composing career. It opens with the brooding and enigmatic
Symphonic Dances. Though better known in its orchestral
guise, this two piano version of this late work is no mere
transcription or reduction. Rachmaninov prepared it from the
short score for his own use in concert with Horowitz as his duo
partner.
If you love this piece, you owe it to yourself to hear this
alternative version.
The first movement, which begins with quiet
chattering, is soon launched by powerful left hands, firm
fingers shaping the melodic line in the right hand of the lead
pianist (Donohoe or Roscoe?). The bell-like passage that leads into the
'saxophone' melody is hushed, and the melody itself gentle,
reflective and genuinely beautiful, allowed to flow naturally by
Roscoe and Donohoe. There are some gorgeous washes of notes
here. When the music builds again it is a little understated at
first but rises to a mighty climax. The little bell sounds just
before the ten minute mark are beguiling, and the final bars
tease. The second movement begins with ringing chords and a
light treatment of the uneasy waltz. Donohoe and Roscoe present
this movement as disconcerting rather than terrifying. There is
a rare lightness to the final movement too, with more bell
sonorities from the right hands of both pianists and power and
drive where called for. The duo preserve a sense of mystery and are subtle in
their treatment of the Dies Irae references. All up,
this is a very satisfying performance.
Stepping back in time forty years, the second suite
shows Rachmaninov finding his own voice as a composer, though
the influence of Tchaikovsky and, to an extent, Chopin, can
still be heard. There is grandeur in the introductory march to
the second suite, and the valse moves at a good clip, with
sudden gushes of romantic fancy. There is some fire in the
finale too, with deep ringing sonorities from the lower end
of the second keyboard. Great stuff.
The contrast with the dreamy mist of the Barcarolle
that opens the first suite is pronounced. The reflective internal movements slip by like fallen
leaves carried on the surface of a languid stream. The finale
has a grunt and thrust, emphatic in pointing up the bell sounds
that Rachmaninov loved so much, even at this early stage. This is not top drawer Rachmaninov,
but comes off very well here in all of its Tchaikovskian sweetness
and melancholy.
The recorded sound is immediate and bright, with one
piano in each channel, though the venue for the recording of the
first suite has a harsher edge to its acoustic. Keith Anderson's
liner notes, as usual, are concise and helpful.
This disc comes into direct competition with a Hyperion
Helios disc I reviewed just over a year ago. The key difference between the
two discs is the order of the pieces, Hyperion offering
chronology to Naxos' reverse chronology.
Roscoe and Donohoe turn in the better performance of
the first suite, but the honours are pretty evenly split in the
second. Both accounts of the Symphonic Dances are superb.
Donohoe and Roscoe are wonderfully pianistic. Their playing has
grace and delicacy, every phrase subtly shaped, the structure of
each movement weighed and measured. Their approach is very
different to that of Shelley and McNamara, who are much more
symphonic in their thinking. They hit the keys harder, and swoon
with greater fantasy. Their playing is more brash, especially in
the final movement. It is also a little rougher around the edges, but
that roughness brings with it greater intensity and a sense of
danger. Shelly and
McNamara are gripping, while Donohoe and Roscoe mesmerise.
If pressed to pick between these two discs, the new
Naxos CD would have a slight edge, because of its superior
recorded sound, marginally lower price tag and exquisite first
suite.
However, as much as I admire Donohoe and Roscoe in the Symphonic
Dances, I would be loathe to be without the fire and
excitement of Shelley and McNamara. At budget price you can afford to
buy both.
Tim Perry
Peter Donohoe and Martin Roscoe (pianos)
