When a young pianist aspires to challenge the
great "stars" of
the past and the present, he probably can't do any better than
to record a coupling of Schumann's
Carnaval and
Kreisleriana.
For all the great ones did them and have left a rich legacy of
reference recordings. What can I say - the great ones will have
to move a little and make a place for the newcomer! Vassily Primakov's
interpretation goes straight to the top tier.
I never was a huge fan of Schumann's
Carnaval: it seemed
to contain more pretence than substance. Primakov's testimony
has swayed my opinion a lot. His
Carnaval is thoughtful,
balanced, beautifully played. He does not emphasize one single
side of the music, and does not disregard "less interesting" parts.
As a result, they are not "less interesting" any more.
The pianist boldly removes the golden dust from Schumann's elegant
creation, and it emerges strikingly modern, as if the whole event
took place in a contemporary ballroom.
The cycle opens under full steam, but without hurry. This marks
out the entire album: Primakov never goes for bang-bang virtuosity,
but lets the music sing, and gives us big Romantic waves upon
which to surf.
Pierrot turns out to be quite an essay
on character: a little spooky, akin to Mussorgsky's
Gnome from
the
Pictures.
Eusebius does not dissolve into thin
air, as it does in some other recordings. I never heard a more
alive, sympathetic and coquettish
Coquette. Rubato is
used freely but is very natural. Even "transitional" items
like
Réplique or
Reconnaissance are presented
as miniature masterpieces.
Chiarina does not have a single
note pushed too hard, and with such careful handling it shines
with even greater beauty. But what completely swept me off my
feet was the dreamy, pastel-toned
Chopin. The waltzes
lilt and sway,
Paganini rocks, and
Colombina has
a first-class quarrel with her
Pantalon. Finally, the
Davidsbündler unite
in their grand final waltz-march, with all the fireworks and
bravura you could wish for. I never cared for
Carnaval.
After listening to Primakov, I think that I love it.
Kreisleriana. There is no pretence here. This is one of
the great masterpieces of musical history: a gripping self-portrait
of one of its most eccentric and ingenious composers. And here,
again, Primakov does not disappoint. About almost every
Kreisleriana that
I have heard, I have had some reservation. It was either too
dry (Kempff) or too watery (Pollini), too reckless (Argerich)
or too pushed (Wirssaladze). Sometimes the fingerwork was unsteady,
even with giants like Horowitz or Cherkassky. Often, instead
of hearing the music you heard the fingers. But I find nothing
to pinpoint on this disc. Every note, even in the most dense
passages, is placed with perfect accuracy. There is an effect
of three-dimensionality, well aided by the excellent recording
quality. The fast passages are appropriately demonic, the slow
ones are lyric, and the overall impression is ultimately dramatic.
And finally,
Arabeske. Can something new be said here?
Apparently, yes. Just compare the times. Horowitz - 6'18".
Pollini - 6'24". Primakov - 8'02". It does not sound
slow. It seems as if the pianist has rebuilt the piece from its
elements, transforming the
rondo-romance into a
fantasy.
Every episode has its face. The A minor episode receives an unexpected
tango flavor. And the ending, which usually seems rather poorly
attached to the whole, is suddenly natural. The tempo is very
much alive, and soft
rubato makes the music breathe. I
won't say that this reading discards the great and the good of
old: but it definitely offers a very interesting alternative
view.
I had not heard Vassily Primakov before; but on this evidence
he is equipped with both a deep intuitive understanding of the
music, and the power to bring this understanding to life. You
rarely hear so much thought behind each note. And he is not afraid
to do things his way. So, don't think "Oh, please, not another
Carnaval!
I already have three
Kreislerianas!" You want new
things? This is fresh. I hope he plans to record more Schumann!
The recording quality is excellent, and the extensive notes by
Malcolm MacDonald are high literature. My Recording of the Month,
definitely.
Oleg Ledeniov
Vassily Primakov
(piano) 
