The Marco label is noted for its enterprise, time and
again causing music lovers to reassess their awareness of the repertoire
and to consider new angles on familiar composers, or unknown figures
from the past. This disc of piano music by César Franck (or César
Franck plus a little help from his friends) comes firmly in the first
category. Recorded back in 1994, it enters wide circulation only in
2002.
Only one of the four (piano) pieces featured here was
originally written for the piano. Franck wrote for the instrument in
a masterly way, often using complex, even dense, textures to create
a supreme richness of sound. Alexander Paley has a good feel for this
style, and his performance of the Prelude, Chorale and Fugue is a convincing
one, necessarily aided by the quality of the recorded sound. This is
not spectacular but it is wholly truthful, amid an atmospheric acoustic.
The other three items are arrangements. Two of Franck's
organ compositions, the Prelude, Fugue and Variation and the two-movement
Pastorale, are heard in arrangements by Harold Bauer (1873-1951). They
work well enough, and only those who know and love the originals really
well are likely to be disappointed by these piano versions. Again Paley
is a reliable pianist, though here in the remaining work, Alfred Cortot's
transcription of the great Violin Sonata, I feel he somewhat understates
the emotional case.
The Violin Sonata is a very well known piece, of course,
to the extent that the majority of people listening to this CD will
miss the presence of the violin. As a master (perhaps even legendary)
pianist, Cortot makes light of the task of transcribing the music for
piano solo, but the results are more satisfying in the turbulent, densely
textured passages than in the more simply phrased first movement, Allegro
ben moderato. Perhaps Paley's avoidance of indulgent emotion contributes
to the under-selling of the music, perhaps one feels the lack of the
duo combination. Whatever the caveats involved, Franck's music is served
adequately enough by all concerned: the artist, the engineers, the arrangers.
That one would want these versions rather than the originals is unlikely,
however. This disc is therefore targeted at enthusiasts, and as such
it makes an interesting project.
Terry Barfoot
Alexander Paley (piano)