Jacek Muzyk is principal horn of the Buffalo Philharmonic, having moved
to the United States from Poland in 2002 to further his career.
This appears to be his first solo recording. If so, it is hardly
surprising that he should choose to open his career on disc
with Mozart's concertos, the cornerstone of the French horn
repertoire.
As a calling card, this disc should serve him well. These performances
demonstrate a nice full tone, smooth-edged with the faintest
hint of vibrato on sustained notes. As interpretations, his
performances of these concertos are charming and uncontroversial,
displaying an easy virtuosity and phrased in long legato lines.
Tempi are measured rather than fleet, but crisp articulation
from soloist and orchestra prevent the tension from lagging.
Agnieszka Duczmal formed the Amadeus Chamber Orchestra of Polish
Radio in 1968 and has been the ensemble's Managing and Artistic
Director ever since. Together, they provide Muzyk with sprightly
accompaniment throughout.
The slow movements - of the second concerto in particular - are perhaps
a little less flowing than we expect in these period-performance-informed
days, but they are light and sweet nonetheless. If I have any
complaint about these performances it is that they lack a little
in impact. The finale of the second concerto in particular could
hit home with more strength. The closing allegro of the third
concerto has a nice hunting call feel to it though, and the
famous finale of the fourth concerto has a nice lilt. Muzyk
also seems to emphasise beauty over humour - though Duczmal
and the orchestra do not forget this vital aspect of Mozart
performance. I do like his cadenzas in the first movements of
the third and fourth concertos, though. Each is idiomatic and
impressively showcases Muzyk's wide range.
I note for completeness that the first concerto appears here in the
version revised and completed by Süssmayr.
Taken on its own merits, then, this disc is an excellent ambassador
for Muzyk and will give pleasure to any purchaser. However,
competition in this field is fierce. Just about every horn player
worth his or her salt has recorded these concertos, some of
them many times over. Barry Tuckwell, for example, has recorded
these concertos four times. His first set with Peter Maag and
the London Symphony Orchestra remains available at the lowest
of prices on Australian
Eloquence. His most recent set, originally recorded by Collins
and subsequently picked up by Regis, is more in tune with modern
expectations. It is fleeter overall, and in the slow movements
in particular. It is also impressively complete, including an
alternative Rondo to Süssmayr's usual completion of the first
concerto, the concerto no."0" in E flat major and
the fragment in E major K494a: total playing time 71:20 to Muzyk’s
53:29. It is also available at the Naxos price, at least in
the UK. Not to be outdone, EMI has also fished a Tuckwell set
out of its archive for its bargain Encore label. Tuckwell has
a lighter and more flexible tone than Muzyk and it more adept
at bringing out the wit in these pieces.
Closer to home, Muzyk faces competition from no less than three other
recordings of these concertos on the Naxos label. One of these
is Denis Brain's legendary
set, but even those allergic to mono recordings still have
to choose between Muzyk's disc and two other digital stereo
accounts: Milos Stevove and the Capella Istropolitana under
Jozef Kopelman and Michael Thomson (formerly principal horn
of the Philharmonia) directing the Bournemouth Sinfonietta from
his horn. I have not heard either of these recordings, but the
latter was greeted with considerable acclaim in the Penguin
Guide and by both Gramophone magazine and Fanfare. It was also
a little controversial insofar as it presented all of Mozart's
music for horn and orchestra, including fragments, in new editions
prepared by John Humphries.
Whether Muzyk's recordings will enter the pantheon is doubtful, but
no one acquiring this disc as an introduction to these works will
feel hard done by. For some collectors, the low price tag, Muzyk's
tone - generally broader than that of British players though not
as meaty as some from the continent - and his pair of charming
cadenzas may offer enough of a point of difference to justify
the purchase.
Tim Perry
