Ludwig van BEETHOVEN (1770-1827)
Piano Concerto No 2 in B flat major, Op. 19 (1795) [29:30]
Piano Concerto No 4 in G major, Op. 58 (1806) [34:50]
Ingrid Jacoby (piano)
Sinfonia Varsovia/Jacek Kaspszyk
rec. 30-31 July 2011, Witold Lutoslawski Concert Studio of Polish Radio, Warsaw.
ICA CLASSICS ICAC 5086 [64:23]
ICA Classics has issued a significant number of historic recordings,
most, if not all, preserving live performances. However, so
far as I am aware this is the first time they have issued brand
new recordings.
We’re not exactly short of recordings of these concertos.
The MusicWeb Masterworks index lists 41 recordings of the Second
Piano Concerto and 62 versions of the Fourth - and that’s
just recordings that have been reviewed here; goodness knows
how many more are in the catalogue. However, I fancy the pairing
of these two works on one disc is not one that is encountered
all that often.
I like Richard Wigmore’s description of the Second in
his notes: “a youthful charmer, saturated with the spirit
of Haydn and Mozart but teeming with original ideas.”
There are indeed Mozartian echoes in particular and this shouldn’t
surprise us since, as Wigmore reminds us, though the piece was
published in1801 it was begun as far back as 1788 and was completed
by 1795. I liked this Jacoby/Kaspszyk performance a lot. The
accompaniment by Sinfonia Varsovia is alert and nicely turned
right from the start, though it sounds as if the acoustic of
the studio was a bit reverberant. Ingrid Jacoby’s playing
in the first movement is light and graceful. Her playing is
clean and evinces a good deal of charm. Despite the fundamental
grace, however, there’s strength when required. She plays
the cadenza that Beethoven wrote in 1809 (11:35). The cadenza
reflects the evolution of his style by then and is bold and
quite substantial, more so than one would have expected, perhaps,
from the preceding music. Jacoby does it well, playing with
a good deal of rhythmic and rhetorical freedom once she’s
past the formality of the fugal opening.
In the lovely slow movement she plays Beethoven’s highly
decorated piano line very well indeed. She and Jacek Kaspszyk
impart a nice flow to the music, which sounds at ease. The impish
rondo finale is one of Beethoven’s ‘fun’ movements
and invariably I enjoy it very much; I certainly enjoyed this
account, which is energetic and witty, bringing to an end a
smiling and engaging performance of the concerto.
The Fourth, my personal favourite in the canon, also comes off
well. I wondered just once or twice in the first movement if
the piano was perhaps recorded a bit forwardly in relation to
the orchestra but, even if I’m right, I don’t think
it’s a major issue. In the big first movement Miss Jacoby
again plays with a good and appropriate mixture of grace and
strength. She plays Beethoven’s first cadenza. Her playing
in the second movement is calm and poetic; no wonder she can
subdue the initially forthright strings. The finale is lively
and given con brio yet, despite the fundamental liveliness
both pianist and conductor succeed in giving full value to the
lyrical stretches.
In both works Miss Jacoby faces formidable competition and everyone
will have his or her own favourite version(s). My own favourite
in the Fourth has been for many years now, and still is, Emil
Gilels’ patrician account with Leopold Ludwig (review)
while among newer versions both Paul Lewis (review)
and Arthur Pizarro (review)
are among those whose versions have strong claims on the attentions
of collectors. We are equally spoiled for choice in the Second
concerto. Paul Lewis (review)
is, again, well worth hearing and the claims of Lars Vogt’s
performance with Rattle should not be overlooked, though I suspect
you can only get that as part of a boxed set at present (review).
In both concertos there are memorable recordings by a whole
host of great pianists who I haven’t even mentioned.
In such company Ingrid Jacoby’s new recordings shouldn’t
be overlooked. This is an enjoyable and successful coupling,
which I’m glad to have heard.
John Quinn
An enjoyable and successful coupling.
Masterwork Index: Beethoven Concerto 2 ~~ Concerto 4
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