John IRELAND (1879-1962)
Piano Concerto in E flat (1930) [24:50]
Legend for piano and orchestra (1933) [13:14]
First Rhapsody (1906) [12:07]
Pastoral (1896)* [4:45]
Indian Summer (1932)* [2:17]
A Sea Idyll (1900) [12:29]
Three Dances (1913) [7:18]
John Lenehan (piano)
Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra/John Wilson
rec. Music Room, Champs Hill, West Sussex, 3 March 2007, 12 March 2011; Liverpool
Philharmonic Hall, 18-19 February 2011
*World premiere recordings
NAXOS 8.572598 [77:00]
In this, their 25th year, Naxos show no sign of reducing the steady
flow of new – and often premiere – recordings. Their eclecticism is matched
only by their sense of adventure. It would be remarkable if this process revealed
wheat every time, but judging by the discs that have passed through my in-tray
in the past five years there’s not been nearly as much chaff as one might
expect from such an ambitious release programme. As for their collaboration
with the RLPO – Vasily Petrenko’s Shostakovich cycle – it’s produced a rich
harvest indeed.
Conductor John Wilson is certainly familiar, but somehow pianist John Lenehan
has eluded me thus far. As for the music, the concerto has already been recorded
by the likes of Eric Parkin (Chandos)
and Kathryn Stott (Dutton),
but in true Naxos style Indian Summer and Pastoral
are world premiere recordings. Listening to Lenehan’s reading of the concerto
– billed as a love song to the composer’s young protégé, Helen Perkin – it’s
not difficult so see why it’s one of Ireland’s most enduring works. There’s
no mistaking the ardour of that opening tune, or the heart’s ease of the piano’s
first entry. But then this music is a wellspring of delights, Lenehan’s bright,
bubbly playing matched by that of the orchestra, the latter clearly benefiting
from Petrenko’s continuing tutelage.
Sonically, this is one of Naxos’ better efforts, certainly a far cry from
the dreadful Busoni concerto I reviewed earlier. Only in the more ebullient
passagework of the In tempo moderato does the piano sound
a little glassy, the tuttis equally so. This is an issue with the orchestral
items recorded in Liverpool’s Philharmonic Hall; the solo pieces, recorded
at Champs Hill, sound much more natural. Still, that matters less when the
music sparkles so. The Lento espressivo has moments of introspection
that, far from being self-absorbed, have a liberating charm that’s hard to
resist. The balance between piano and orchestra is generally fine, crisp ensemble
and Lenehan’s highly articulate pianism disguising the fact that Ireland’s
textures are inclined to clot.
It’s not the tidiest of concertos – the percussive intrusions in the second
movement are a tad incongruous – but the composer’s at his tunesome best in
the Allegretto giocoso. There’s a marvellous, crystalline quality
to the piano part, somewhat overshadowed by the orchestra’s bloated tread.
That said, it all ends in the sunniest of outbursts. An engaging performance
of an endearing work, in which sheer enthusiasm triumphs over limited expressive
range and some structural awkwardness.
As for the Arcadian intimations of Legend for piano and orchestra,
they soon give way to tough, angular writing that’s unsettling. Lenehan’s
more muscular delivery is very well caught by the Naxos engineers, as is the
menacing percussion. I suppose it’s an exercise in mood, or evocation, which
means there’s a free-flowing, rhapsodic feel to the music. And although the
orchestra sounds a little unfocused in the tuttis this is still an atmospheric
piece, and a good companion for the much earlier Rhapsody in F sharp minor
that follows.
In many ways, the Rhapsody is the most persuasive and memorable item
on this disc; indeed, it gives Lenehan the chance to flex expressive muscles
only hinted at thus far. There’s an astonishing reach and scale to his playing,
the listener swept along by the glittering torrent; moreover, there’s a focus
and intensity to Ireland’s writing here that’s most impressive. A fine piece,
superbly played and very well recorded in the sympathetic surroundings of
the Music Room at Champs Hill. Ditto the even earlier Pastoral, whose
soft edges belie the strength and formality of its content. Yet another pleasing
example of Lenehan’s intuitive, unforced playing style.
And like most Indian summers Ireland’s balmy little piece is all too short,
the three-movement Sea Idyll infused with a meandering lyricism that’s
utterly enchanting. And Naxos have done a good job here; the piano’s range
and colour are well preserved, the sound clear and clean. As if this weren’t
talent enough, Lenehan reveals a flair for rhythm in the Three Dances;
the Gypsy Dance has plenty of flicker and flash, the Country
Dance reassuring in its plainness, Lenehan adroit in the turn-on-a-sixpence
compactness of the Reapers’ Dance.
This is a an excellent bargain, though I have some reservations about the
concerto and Legend, which may be better served elsewhere. Absolutely
no such qualms about the solo pieces, which are as good as you’re likely to
find anywhere. As for John Lenehan, I can’t imagine how I’ve missed a pianist
of such talent, and I look forward to hearing more from him. As ever, the
liner-notes are well written, and at budget price this CD is a good introduction
to Ireland’s changing musical landscapes.
Dan Morgan
http://twitter.com/mahlerei
A good introduction to Ireland’s changing musical landscapes.
see also reviews by John France and Rob Barnett