Robert SCHUMANN (1810-1856)
Piano Concerto in A minor, Op. 54 (1845) [31:38]
Edvard GRIEG (1843-1907)
Piano Concerto in A minor, Op. 16 (1868) [31:04]
Lyric Pieces, Op. 43: No. 5 (Erotik) [3:25]; No. 5 (Melankoli)
[3:41]
Lyric Pieces, Op. 68: No. 5 (Bådnlåt) [3:15]
Claude DEBUSSY (1862-1918)
Images, Book 1: No. 1, Reflets dans l’eau [4:56]
Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli (piano)
Orchestra del Teatro alla Scala/Antonio Pedrotti (Schumann), Alceo Galliera
(Grieg).
rec. 4 September 1942, Milan (Schumann); 2 September 1942, Milan (Grieg concerto);
6 September 1942, Milan (Erotik); December 1939-January 1940, Milan
(Melankoli, Bådnlåt); 27 October 1948, Abbey Road
Studios, London (Debussy). ADD
NAXOS 8.111396 [77:58]
This disc is no. 3 in the Naxos series Great Pianists: Michelangeli. The familiar
coupling of the Grieg and Schumann concertos is supplemented with three of
Grieg’s Lyric Pieces and from the Debussy Images. Michelangeli
was always very selective about his repertoire, and tended to re-record favourite
works several times. In the case of the Schumann, he recorded this another
three times to my knowledge, in 1955, 1956 and 1984. He essayed the Grieg
again in 1965. The Debussy track gives a fascinating preview of his famous
recording from the 1970s, followed by those of 1982 and 1993. All the Grieg
and Schumann recordings mentioned were live performances, so this disc, surprisingly,
documents his only studio recordings of these concertos.
The Schumann opens quite broadly, becoming more lively as the movement progresses.
The width of the tempo fluctuations mark this as a performance somewhat of
the old school. The soloist breaks several chords in a way which would not
be heard nowadays. Michelangeli’s approach is, however, always individual,
and this never feels routine. The textures often recall chamber music, with
sensitive duetting between the soloist and wind principals. After the intensity
of the first movement, the Intermezzo can be rather a let-down; on
this occasion Michelangeli plays it with enough intensity and projection to
make it more interesting than it often seems. The finale is not taken too
fast, but is allowed to breathe. Michelangeli’s pianism is superb throughout,
with wonderful clarity of articulation and intuitive phrasing that never seems
hurried. The recording is a bit constricted at the tuttis, with a little surface
swish in the Intermezzo, but the treble has enough sparkle to capture
Michelangeli’s consistently attractive tone.
The solo flourish at the beginning of the Grieg is crisply dispatched, with
a pronounced rallentando for the second subject. The Adagio is tenderly
built by Galliera, but the horn solo is a bit muffled. The finale has a coiled
rhythmic tautness. The slower episodes are again quite a bit slower, but the
music never sags. The piano, however, has gone a bit out of tune by the time
we get to the return of the main theme. From the extraverted mood of the outer
movements to the more contemplative slow movement, the work’s wide emotional
range is strongly projected by Michelangeli. His imperious technical command
is always evident, and the dynamics are carefully shaped without sounding
calculated. Both Pedrotti and Galliera work up quite a bit of tension in their
supporting roles, and the La Scala orchestra plays well. The piano sound is
more realistic in the Grieg, but in both cases the sound is very acceptable
for the period, with just a little distortion at the tuttis. The Lyric
Pieces are perhaps a little bit clinical; they and the Debussy, however,
give further evidence of Michelangeli’s tonal variety and cultivated
phrasing.
Like Michelangeli, Sviatoslav Richter recorded the Schumann concerto several
times. His 1975 Monte Carlo recording is a minute faster in the first two
movements, although the timing of the finale is almost identical to Michelangeli’s.
The Grieg coupling is quicker also, again by about a minute for each of the
movements. Richter’s performances are more “modern”, both
in terms of the recorded sound, and in the less extreme tempo fluctuations
within the outer movements. Listening to these performances made me realise
the similarities between these great artists. Both can be relied upon to turn
in performances of the utmost virtuosity and range of tonal colour. Each has
a distinctive view of the work, which can be executed rather rigidly. Neither
is notable for spontaneity.
Michelangeli’s early accounts of the Grieg and Schumann concertos have
sensitivity, fantasy and authority in a near-ideal combination.
Guy Aron
Sensitivity, fantasy and authority in a near-ideal combination.
Masterwork Index: Grieg concerto ~~ Schumann concerto
Naxos Historical series: Michelangeli
Support
us financially by purchasing this disc from: |
|
 |
 |
 |
|