George GERSHWIN (1898-1937)
Simon Tedeschi – The Gershwin Collection
Simon Tedeschi (piano)
James Morrison (trumpet), Sarah McKenzie (vocals)
Queensland Symphony Orchestra/Benjamin Northey
rec. various locations, 2007-13
ABC CLASSICS 481 1872 [62:09 + 69:07]
Now this is one GG that’s always worth a flutter,
which is why I was delighted when MWI editor Rob Barnett sent me this
set for review. It seems ABC Classics have taken the two separate issues
– Gershwin & Me (481 0032) and Gershwin Take
Two (481 0629) – and reissued them in a slipcase with the
title Simon Tedeschi – The Gershwin Collection. It may
not be the most elegant repackaging, but it is a cost-effective way
of marketing the discs at a time when global CD sales are under such
pressure. Jonathan Woolf was reasonably positive about Gershwin
& Me, although he did say this is ‘Tedeschi’s Gershwin’.
Frankly I don’t see that as a drawback, for Tedeschi has a winning
way with this music; after all, he’s been playing Gershwin since
he was 12. CD1 gets off to a spirited start with the early rag Rialto
Ripples, which Tedeschi plays with irresistible zest. The piano
sound may be upfront, but it’s commendably crisp and clear. It’s
certainly wide-ranging, for it copes well with the piston-like bass
pounding that underpins the first of the three Preludes.
Yes, Tedeschi does pause for effect, and dynamic contrasts are sometimes
exaggerated, but when the music is played with such obvious affection
it seems churlish to complain. He has a strong rhythmic sense, so important
in this repertoire, and he doesn’t flinch or fudge in the more
demanding passages of the third Prelude. The Gershwin evergreens,
such as Someone to Watch Over Me – given here in a surprisingly
effective arrangement by the jazz pianist and composer Keith Jarrett
– seem as wistful as ever; indeed, there’s a marvellous
sense of eavesdropping, of catching our pianist at his most relaxed
and reflective. Lovely.
On the whole these arrangements are most enjoyable; Percy Grainger’s
As Love Walked In has a warmth and generosity of spirit
that Tedeschi captures so well; in particular those Gottschalk-like
trills are beautifully done. This is a congenial and communicative recital
in which final notes and flourishes are allowed to fade into an appreciative
silence. I do like Tedeschi’s catchy rendition of Oh,
Lady Be Good! and his forthright, jammin’ way with Alexander’s
Ragtime Band. Pianist-arranger Dave Grusin’s take
on Nice Work If You Can Get It may not be as evocative as the
others here, but it’s still very engaging.
No such qualms about Tedeschi’s two Porgy arrangements.
Summertime speaks of contentment and gentle languor, and I
Loves You Porgy will surely bring a mist to the eye; it did to
mine. Really, Tedeschi is a most insidious artist, adept at bypassing
one’s defences with a sudden harmonic twist or a subtle shift
of rhythm. Speaking of the latter Tedeschi gives a bracing, nicely articulated
account of Gershwin’s signature piece, Rhapsody in Blue.
He and the Queensland Symphony under Benjamin Northey do Ferde Grofé’s
orchestration proud; some of the jaunty – nay, wicked
– playing from this band left me grinning like the village idiot.
What a riotous end to this delightful disc.
No question, Tedeschi is a showman, and some may feel his flamboyance
gets in the way of the music; that said, anyone who’s so alive
to the shape and idiom of these pieces, to the melting pot from which
they spring, deserves respect. And while the second CD is a tad bitty
I hoped it would give as much pleasure as the first. The recorded sound
is closer – and slightly harder – than before, but it’s
still perfectly decent. As expected the Prelude is deftly pointed
and nicely sprung, and the carousel of numbers that follow are essayed
with a familiar blend of brio and brilliance.
Yes, there is a bit of bluster – the Jazzbo Brown Blues
is somewhat overheated – but then trumpeter James Morrison cools
things down with his breezy accompaniment to Nice Work If You Can
Get It. He’s certainly soulful in Prelude (Melody No.
17), although by now I’d decided to reduce the volume by
a few notches. I must say I find the give and glow of the first CD more
appealing, but I sense those were very special sessions. Tedeschi is
gentler in the lovely Three-Quarter Blues, and the posthumously
published Impromptu in Two Keys is a delight.
If your toes aren’t all tapped out yet they’ll certainly
respond to Clap Yo’ Hands from Oh, Kay! Incidentally,
that musical is based on a book co-authored by another of Tedeschi’s
idols, P. G. Wodehouse. Sarah McKenzie adds variety to the programme
with her mellow, if not very memorable, renditions of Embraceable
You, from Girl Crazy, and the iconic Let's
Call The Whole Thing Off, from Shall We Dance. Tedeschi
takes centre stage again with what seems to be his signature
piece too, Rhapsody in Blue. This time he plays the solo-piano
version. Even without Grofé’s high-octane orchestration it’s
a terrific piece, played here with all the insight and imagination I’ve
come to expect from this fine pianist.
Given the choice I’d save the first disc from a burning building,
for it’s the most satisfying of the two. Not only is it pleasingly
programmed – and better recorded – it also has that knockout
performance of the Rhapsody. It's worth noting that at the
time of writing – August 2015 – the discs were still available
separately, so you do have a choice here.
Simon Tedeschi romps home in this repertoire; disc one is my
favourite, though.
Dan Morgan
twitter.com/mahlerei
Previous review (original release of CD1):
Jonathan Woolf
Contents list
CD1 – Gershwin & Me
[62:09]
Rialto Ripples (with Will Donaldson) [2:29]
Three Preludes [7:34]
Someone to Watch Over Me (arr. Keith Jarrett) [6:26]
Love Walked In (arr. Percy Grainger) [4:47]
The Man I Love (arr. Grainger) [4:13]
’S Wonderful (arr. Gershwin) [1:06]
Oh, Lady Be Good! (arr. Gershwin) [1:16]
Strike Up the Band (arr. Gershwin) [0:59]
Nice Work If You Can Get It (arr. Dave Grusin) [4:16]
Summertime (arr. Tedeschi) [5:47]
I Loves You Porgy (arr. Tedeschi) [3:15]
*Rhapsody In Blue (arr. Ferde Grofé) [18:47]
rec. 18-19 September 2012, Eugene Goossens Hall of ABC’s Ultimo
Centre, Sydney *live, 30 September 2007, Concert Hall of the Queensland
Performing Arts Centre, Brisbane
(Originally released on ABC CLASSICS 481 0032)
CD2 – Gershwin Take Two
[69:07]
Promenade (Walking the Dog) [3:04]
Prelude (Novelette in Fourths) [2:56]
Sweet and Low-Down (from Tip-Toes) [2:00]
Do-Do-Do (from Oh, Kay!) [1:20]
Jazzbo Brown Blues (from Porgy and Bess) [1:45]
Nice Work If You Can Get It (from A Damsel in Distress) [5:12]
Prelude (Melody No. 17) [3:10]
Merry Andrew [1:59]
Liza (All the Clouds'll Roll Away) (from Show Girl) [2:41]
Three-Quarter Blues [2:11]
Impromptu in Two Keys [1:35]
My One and Only (from Funny Face) [1:14]
I'll Build a Stairway to Paradise (from George White's
Scandals of 1922) [0:47]
Do It Again (from The French Doll) [2:07]
Clap Yo' Hands (from Oh, Kay!) [0:56]
Nobody But You (from La-La-Lucille!) [1:16]
Prelude (Rubato) [1:39]
Who Cares? (So Long As You Care for Me) (from Of Thee I Sing) [1:33]
Embraceable You (from Girl Crazy) [7:13]
Let's Call The Whole Thing Off (from Shall We Dance) [6:15]
Rhapsody in Blue (solo piano) [18:14]
rec. 28 August, 16-18 September 2013, Eugene Goossens Hall of ABC’s
Ultimo Centre, Sydney
(Originally released on ABC CLASSICS 481 0629)
