Jean SIBELIUS (1865-1957)
Piano Pieces:
Valse Triste Op. 44 No.1 [5:26]
Impromptu in B Minor Op. 5 No.5 [3:18]
10 Pieces Op. 58 [32:31]
5 Pieces Op. 85 [9:34]
5 Romantic Pieces Op. 101 [13:05]
5 Esquisses Op. 114 [9:08]
Valse Triste Op. 44 No.1 [5:06]
Vladimir Ashkenazy (piano)
rec. 9-11 December 2007, Järvenpää talo and Ainola (last track). DDD/DSD
EXTON EXCL-00017 [77:08]
He is a versatile pianist, Vladimir Ashkenazy, and over the course of his
long career he has put out recordings of almost every important work of the
Romantic era, with a large proportion coming close to definitive status. He
is a product of the Soviet system, where rigorous technique came first, and
putting some real weight on the keys was de rigueur. But as his fine
Chopin recordings, to give just one example, demonstrate, he is also a pianist
with a sensitive side who can make melodies sing and can draw out all sorts
of subtle textures.
All of which makes him the ideal interpreter for Sibelius. His playing here
does the composer's piano miniatures many favours. His playing style is always
definite but never pedantic, and despite his vintage - I calculate he is 73
- he still has the dexterity to pull off Sibelius's many fast accompaniment
textures with grace and elegance.
The programming here is interesting. Ashkenazy avoids the longer piano works
and sticks to the miniatures, which on the whole are presented as complete
opus sets. As the opus numbers demonstrate, the works span the composer's
life, or at least the part of it in which he was writing music. Despite that,
the overriding impression is of stylistic continuity. Almost every work is
based on a theme with strong melodic identity, and presented in a context
of flowing and idiomatic accompanying figures.
The sound quality is very good and is up to the usual high standards set by
the Exton label. The SACD sound allows the timbral identity of the pianos
to come through well, with all those higher harmonics really doing their job.
Listeners who appreciate some atmosphere in their piano recordings may be
disappointed, however. For one thing, there is no surround mix, it is CD and
stereo SACD only. Also, the microphones are placed up close and there is very
little ambient resonance. The main part of the recording was made in a concert
hall, but you wouldn't know that to listen to it. I've no objections myself
to this matter-of-fact style of audio presentation, although it is perhaps
out of step with the almost impressionistic sound-painting in many of the
works.
The one show-stopper on the disc is Sibelius's own transcription of his Valse
Triste, which both opens and closes the programme. The last rendition
is on Sibelius's own piano at his home, Ainola north of Helsinki. It's a gimmick
really, and Ashkenazy is not the first to have paid homage to the composer
in this way. It is a nice sign-off though, and both the piano itself and the
audio that the engineers manage in this less than ideal environment are better
than you'd imagine. All round, this disc is an attractive proposition, with
Exton demonstrating that top quality audio is not just a benefit in orchestral
recordings; it has a great deal to offer the piano repertoire too.
Gavin Dixon
An attractive proposition demonstrating that top quality audio has a great
deal to offer the piano repertoire.