Franz LISZT (1811-1886)
Piano Concerto No. 1 in E flat major, S. 124 (1832-1856) [19:08]
Concerto in E minor for piano and strings, Malédiction, S. 121 (1833-1840) [15:44]
Piano Concerto No. 2 in A major, S. 125 (1839/1849-1861) [22:19]
Alexandre Kantorow (piano)
Tapiola Sinfonietta/Jean-Jacques Kantorow
rec. November 2014, Tapiola Concert Hall, Finland
Reviewed as a 24/96 download from
eClassical.com
Pdf booklet included
BIS BIS-2100 SACD [58:02]
BIS have been here before; they released a recording
of the two Liszt concertos with Arnaldo Cohen and the São Paulo orchestra
under John Neschling, which Michael Cookson described as well-played
but lacking in spontaneity (review).
Like him I have a soft spot for the Zimerman/Ozawa accounts on DG, which
I’ve chosen as my comparative versions here. I was particularly
pleased to see that this newcomer is produced and engineered by Take5’s
Jens Braun, the man behind the splendid Ainola album with Folke Gräsbeck
(review).
A musical and technical milestone, the latter is likely to be among
my Recordings of the Year 2015.
The French-Russian conductor and violinist Jean-Jacques Kantorow is
joined here by his son Alexandre, who was just 18 when this recording
was made. The Tapiola Sinfonietta, based in Espoo, Finland, need no
introduction, for they have featured on many BIS recordings to date.
The curiosity here is Liszt’s Concerto for piano and strings that
was only published in 1915. We all know that Liszt loved his demons,
but as Michael Emmans Dean points out in his succinct liner-notes, the
title Malédiction (Curse) is only appended to the first of
the work’s two short movements.
Speaking of diablerie the two big concertos are a devil to
play. Given the virtuosity of No. 1 it seems entirely appropriate that
it should be premiered with the composer at the keyboard and that other
musical maverick, Hector Berlioz, on the podium. Kantorow père et
fils get this one off to a thrilling start, with playing that’s
attention-getting but not attention-seeking. Indeed, that pretty much
describes this performance as a whole; the big moments are commanding
and the quieter ones have a gentle radiance that one seldom hears in
the piece.
The dandelion-light little tune that twirls through the Allegro
maestoso is an absolute delight. The conductor is very much in
control of his band – who play very well for him – and the
recording has a blend of delicacy and strength that I find most seductive.
The balance between soloist and orchestra is good too. Even lovelier
is the pianist’s tender, beautifully shaped Quasi adagio,
which has a rare, breath-bating quality that one is more likely to experience
in the concert hall than the studio. Then there's the big Lisztian flourishes
– some would call bombastic – but even these are sensibly
scaled.
It’s the more diaphanous scoring that benefits most from an almost
chamber-like transparency and general air of discretion. That’s
not to say that the performance lacks drama, just that it’s tastefully
delivered. That same buoyancy is carried over into the Allegretto,
which the young Kantorow points with an exquisite skill. The martial
finale is supremely assured as well, orchestra and soloist in firm accord
to the last. Now I begin to see why BIS decided to add this album to
their earlier one, for it’s very special indeed. True, the Malédiction
concerto seems more like a work in progress, but that too gets a persuasive
– and proportionate – outing.
The Piano Concerto No. 2 begins with a nicely poised Adagio sostenuto,
into which the soloist steals with commendable grace and a ravishing
tone. Even those stormy bass chords are judiciously done. The attentive
Tapiolans are a pleasure to hear, the taut, cleanly recorded timps especially
so. Even in the most capable hands this concerto is apt to ramble, so
it’s a measure of the talents of all concerned that I was spellbound
to the very end. Along the way there’s a scalp-tingling Allegro
deciso and a wonderfully quick-witted finale.
Having listened to this album repeatedly – and enjoyed it more
each time - I’d urge all Lisztians to buy it at once. Come to
think of it I’d also recommend it to those who don’t
like Liszt, for it shows this much-maligned composer in the best possible
light.
Kantorow fils is a virtuoso of rare sensitivity and good taste;
Jens Braun’s recording is excellent, too.
Dan Morgan
twitter.com/mahlerei
