Frédéric CHOPIN (1810-1849)
Piano Concerto No. 1 in E minor, Op.11 (arr. for piano and string quintet)
(1830) [39:59]
Piano Concerto No. 2 in F minor, Op.21 (arr. for piano and string quintet)
(1830) [32:40]
Gianluca Luisi (piano)
Ensemble Concertant Frankfurt (Peter Agoston, Klaus Schwamm (violin), Wolfgang
Tluck (viola), Ulrich Horn (cello), Timm Johannes Trappe (double-bass))
rec. March 2010, Ehem. Ackerhaus der Abtei Marienmünster. Hybrid SACD, DDD.
MDG 
9031632
[72:52] 
The orchestration of Chopin’s piano concertos is not perfect. Everyone will
agree. It’s not even known whether Chopin himself did the orchestration. We
do however know that he prepared versions for piano and string quintet and
published them even before the orchestral ones. These are the versions performed
here.
Certainly, clarity of texture, is one of the advantages of this approach.
The piano is not drowned under the heavy-handed orchestral tutti any
more. Therefore, there is no need for the pianist to over-shout the accompaniment.
The ensemble is more flexible. Some inner voices are better heard. I especially
loved the cello lines that resurface from the background and intertwine with
the piano. The slow movements attain a “honeyed” quality – à la Tchaikovsky
Second. At the end of the day, these piano concertos are not about dialog
between the soloist and the orchestra. They are piano showpieces, with the
orchestra added to punctuate and set off some sides and corners. The piano
part is still there; does it really matter much whether you place your diamonds
on black velvet or black silk?
There are disadvantages too, besides the expected “we are just not used to
it”. Some corners that are “rounded” when many instruments play the part become
sharp when there is only one voice to a part. I really miss the woodwind in
some places, like the first movement E minor coda. Also, when playing forte,
the strings sometimes seem to be trying to impersonate the full orchestra
and just strain and “squeeze” the voice out.
The sound of the restored 1901 Steinway is certainly attractive, but not especially
powerful. This lends fragile beauty to the slow movements and gentler places.
It also brings real quicksilver colors to more mercurial episodes, as in the
coda of the E minor finale. On the other hand, the sound lacks weight in the
more tempestuous places. For example, the mighty cascades at the end of the
E minor 1st movement development lose the overwhelming effect they
usually have. In the slow movement of the same concerto, the piano sound is
too sharp for real poetry to awake. The climax of the finale - before the
last return of the refrain - leaves the feeling of “what if”. I probably cannot
be a fair judge here: I am a Martha Argerich fan, and happen to love her “thundering”
approach to this concerto. I always return to the evergreen Pollini/Kletzki
on EMI. The latest live performance by Argerich and Kaspszyk from the 2010
Lugano box is also excellent.
The chamber approach suits the F minor concerto much better. Although it resembles
the Op.11 concerto as a twin sister resembles her brother, it is gentler,
less dramatic. Also, the role of the piano is greater here, and Luisi’s playing
is especially expressive and subtle, so it compensates for any discomfort
you may feel from the “adventurous” accompaniment. The coda of the first movement
is as sensitive and beautiful as ever. The piano is deeply poetic in the slow
movement, with strings murmuring softly. This movement probably benefits the
most from the reduction of forces. The rich piano part of the finale feels
good in chamber clothes. It glitters and flutters like a butterfly in the
sun. The mood is light and relaxed. Unfortunately, it also means that the
excitement is gone. It is beautiful – but boring.
Chopin is Chopin, and if you love his piano concertos you’ll find a lot to
love here. Also, it is interesting to envision what it was like when he played
his concertos in Parisian salons, with reduced forces. I wish I could be more
enthusiastic. Indeed, I hear more inner lines, but these lines are thin and
sharp, as if I saw on an X-ray the skeleton of a beautiful ballerina. I understand
that there is a lot on both sides of the weighing scales, and probably your
own head needs to be added to the equation. So I advise to listen to excerpts
online, if possible.
I cannot appraise the SACD sound quality, but on a regular player I do not
feel any especial depth of sound. Quite the contrary, strings sound shallow,
although the piano voice is captured well.
The booklet contains an engaging essay by Elisabeth Deckers in English, French
and German about the history of creation of the concertos in their various
arrangements, as well as advocacy for the chamber version of these works.
Oleg Ledeniov
The excitement is gone: beautiful but boring.