Robert SCHUMANN (1810-1856)
Piano Concerto in A minor, Op.54 (1845) [30:51]
Edvard GRIEG (1843-1907)
Piano Concerto in A minor, Op. 16 (1868) [31:50]
Pascal Devoyon (piano)
London Philharmonic Orchestra/Jerzy Maksymiuk
rec. St. Augustine's, Kilburn, March 1990
CLASSICS FOR PLEASURE 50999 2 28368 2 3 [62:54]
If you can get past the Oh, no, not again reflex when you see the headnote,
you'll discover freshly considered performances of both these warhorses, from
artists working in a true collaboration.
In the Schumann, after the woodwinds and then the piano have presented the
opening theme - colored ruminatively by the piano - the mobile continuation
of it in strings and piano is brooding and contained. Its turbulent undercurrent
is held in check until it erupts into excited tremolos at 1:31. In the course
of the movement, Devoyon gives the high, soft figurations a fetching lightness,
though the tone occasionally hardens on upper tones, while Maksymiuk's baton
draws soft-edged attacks and clean releases from the strings. This reaps benefits
in terms of both warmth and clarity. The important clarinet solos are sensitively
rendered. The Intermezzo receives a nuanced performance, spellbinding
in the aspiring second theme. It is played with light, transparent tone, the
cellos lyrical but not thick. Soloist, conductor and orchestra seem immensely
to enjoy the bounding finale. The horn calls at such points as 2:57 are however
too bashful - nearly inaudible - but the string accompaniments elsewhere enhance
the movement's rhythmic buoyancy.
Grieg's concerto is a larger-scaled score in the grand Romantic manner, and
the artists adjust accordingly. Devoyon more strongly weights the tone in
the chordal writing - compare the opening cadenza here with the similar flourish
that launches the Schumann - while availing himself of even more opportunities
to lighten the texture in high, quiet passages. Maksymiuk draws bigger-boned
tuttis from the LPO, and occasionally - if not frequently enough -
brings the woodwinds well forward, to good effect. The cool, crisp tone of
the solo flute is ideal; the principal horn remains reticent, but comes through
at the peak moment at 1:34 of the Adagio. The spirit of collaboration
is a little less sure here: there's a consistent hesitancy at big cadences,
as if the conductor wasn't sure the soloist was ready. Only when the trumpet
allows the driving triplets to "hang fire" going into the final
coda is the performance compromised.
The sound is attractive, with enough stereo separation to clarify the rising
string theme in the Schumann's slow movement, as it moves from cellos to violins
- a nice touch.
Despite the comparatively modest "names" involved, this is one of
the more readily recommendable versions of this popular coupling. It’s worthy
to stand alongside the Lupu/Previn (Decca). One can only regret that RCA-BMG-Sony-whoever
has never seen fit to pair the great Arthur Rubinstein's classic accounts
of these scores: the cultivated Schumann with Giulini - or the more spontaneous
earlier reading with Krips, which I discovered in the Philips "Great
Pianists" series - alongside the ringing, lyrical Grieg with Wallenstein.
For whatever reason, CfP bills the Grieg first on the booklet's front cover
and on the disc itself. The program order is as I've listed in the headnote.
Stephen Francis Vasta