PADEREWSKI Piano Concerto STOJOWSKI Symphonic Rhapsody
View record and artist detailsRecord and Artist Details
Composer or Director: Ignacy Jan Paderewski, Zygmunt (Denis Antoni) Stojowski
Genre:
Orchestral
Label: Warner Classics
Magazine Review Date: 11/2017
Media Format: CD or Download
Media Runtime: 55
Mastering:
DDD
Catalogue Number: 9029 57875-6
Tracks:
Composition | Artist Credit |
---|---|
Concerto for Piano and Orchestra |
Ignacy Jan Paderewski, Composer
Ignacy Jan Paderewski, Composer Iuventus Orchestra Jonathan Plowright, Piano Lukasz Borowicz, Conductor Polish Sinfonia |
Symphonic Rhapsody |
Zygmunt (Denis Antoni) Stojowski, Composer
Iuventus Orchestra Jonathan Plowright, Piano Lukasz Borowicz, Conductor Polish Sinfonia Zygmunt (Denis Antoni) Stojowski, Composer |
Author: Jeremy Nicholas
The Rhapsody, composed between 1898 and 1900 and dedicated to Harold Bauer, is a freewheeling fantasy (it lasts 15'32") that alternates brooding lyricism (some lovely cor anglais solos) with perky Polish dance rhythms and passages of exhilarating Romantic virtuosity. I doubt you’ll be disappointed. Plowright is one of those pianists who can make even the most banal ideas seem original and rewarding.
Paderewski’s Concerto is among the best of its kind. Begun in 1882 and completed in 1888, it has been recorded several times, most famously by Earl Wild (with the LSO under Arthur Fiedler in 1970) in sound that belies its age. It is an undeniably thrilling reading, fast and furious – and just a little bit hectic: compare his first movement of 15'35" with Piers Lane’s 16'30", Piotr Paleczny’s 16'35" and Felicja Blumental’s 16'19". Plowright is slowest of all at 16'38" but savours the piano-writing with greater depth and detail than anyone, his transition into the eloquent third subject reminding one of a similar passage in the first movement of the Brahms D minor. Plowright shares Wild’s view of the central Romanza (9'20") but again brings more heft to proceedings in the finale without compromising its essential showy character. His partnership with the talented Łukas Borowicz is proving to be most fruitful.
If that were not enough, Plowright rounds off the disc with Paderewski’s ineffably lovely Nocturne in B flat, Op 16 No 4. Should you fail to respond to this, then the chances are that you don’t enjoy listening to the piano.
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