A belated thank you for your support, Antonio.

Wednesday, August 24, 2016

Bohuslav Martinů - Cello Sonatas (Steven Isserlis)


Information

Composer: Bohuslav Martinů
  1. Cello Sonata No. 1, H. 277: 1. Poco allegro
  2. Cello Sonata No. 1, H. 277: 2. Lento
  3. Cello Sonata No. 1, H. 277: 3. Allegro con brio
  4. Cello Sonata No. 2, H. 286: 1. Allegro
  5. Cello Sonata No. 2, H. 286: 2. Largo
  6. Cello Sonata No. 2, H. 286: 3. Allegro commodo
  7. Cello Sonata No. 3, H. 340: 1. Poco andante
  8. Cello Sonata No. 3, H. 340: 2. Andante
  9. Cello Sonata No. 3, H. 340: 3. Allegro (ma non presto)

Steven Isserlis, cello
Peter Evans, piano
Date: 1988
Label: Hyperion
http://www.hyperion-records.co.uk/dc.asp?dc=D_CDH55185

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Friday, August 12, 2016

Ludomir Różycki - Piano Concertos; Ballade (Jonathan Plowright)


Information

Composer: Ludomir Różycki
  1. Ballade in G major, Op. 18
  2. Piano Concerto No. 1 in G minor, Op. 43: I. Andante - Allegro
  3. Piano Concerto No. 1 in G minor, Op. 43: II. Andante con moto
  4. Piano Concerto No. 1 in G minor, Op. 43: III. Allegro giocoso
  5. Piano Concerto No. 2: I. Moderato in tempo
  6. Piano Concerto No. 2: II. Allegro giocoso

Jonathan Plowright, piano
BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra
Łukasz Borowicz, conductor
Date: 2014
Label: Hyperion
http://www.hyperion-records.co.uk/dc.asp?dc=D_CDA68066

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Review

The first thing to say (because it is the first thing you will notice when you play this disc) is that this is an outstanding recording of a piano and orchestra. The soloist is ideally placed in the sound picture, with the City Halls in Glasgow providing a clean, crisp acoustic allowing every detail to emerge with character and clarity. Hats off to David Hinitt (engineer) and Jeremy Hayes (producer). Even more impressive is the partnership between soloist and conductor. For the second time in this series, Jonathan Plowright and Łukasz Borowicz are like alchemists in the way they can raise first-class second-rate music to another level, a couple of fiercely combative squash players at times, two firm friends reminiscing on a long country walk at others. Borowicz’s control of his Scottish players is quite masterly, and Plowright should be paid in bags of gold to reveal how he produces such a rich, singing tone throughout the enormous dynamic range he conjures up, from thunderous roar to mere whisper.

As to Vol 67 itself, I have now listened to it straight through several times with increasing enjoyment. I do think this is one of the more worthwhile discoveries of Hyperion’s Romantic Piano Concerto series, certainly up there with the Stojowski concertos, for instance (Vol 28, 6/02), which, as it happens, also features Plowright.

Ludomir Różycki (1883-1953), little known outside his native Poland where he spent most of his career, was a pupil of Zygmunt Noskowski and Engelbert Humperdinck. All three works – the Ballade (1906) and the Piano Concertos Nos 1 (1918) and 2 (c1943) – have dangerously highly calorific helpings of gorgeously spun Romantic themes set against a richly orchestrated backdrop and pages of bravura piano-writing, in short epitomising what most of us think of as a Romantic piano concerto. Among many memorable highlights are the Ballade (10'35") with its apt but unexpected ending, the first movement of the Second Concerto (written in war-torn Poland) and its defiant, life-affirming finale. Reassuring, as comfortable as Sunday night on the telly – only a hair-shirt cynic could fail to enjoy Różycki.

-- Jeremy Nicholas, Gramophone

More reviews:
http://www.musicweb-international.com/classrev/2016/Feb/Rozycki_PCs_CDA68066.htm
http://www.audaud.com/rozycki-ballade-piano-concertos-nos-1-2-jonathan-plowright-piano-bbc-scottish-sym-orch-lukasz-borowicz-hyperion/
http://www.allmusic.com/album/the-romantic-piano-concerto-vol-67-r%C3%B3zycki-mw0002909305
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Rozycki-Concertos-Jonathan-Plowright-Orchestra/dp/B017MZSK70
https://www.amazon.com/Romantic-Piano-Concerto-Vol-67/dp/B017MZSK70

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Ludomir Różycki (18 September 1883 Warsaw – 1 January 1953 Katowice) was a Polish composer and conductor. He was, with Mieczysław Karłowicz, Karol Szymanowski and Grzegorz Fitelberg, a member of the group of composers known as Young Poland, the intention of which was to invigorate the musical culture of their generation in their mother country. His ballet Pan Twardowski was the first Polish large-scale ballet to be performed abroad.

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Jonathan Plowright (born Yorkshire 1959) is a British concert pianist. His USA debut was at Carnegie Hall in 1984. His UK debut followed in 1985, at Wigmore Hall. Plowright performed worldwide, championed neglected music from Polish Romantic composers, Stojowski, Paderewski and Melcer, which he has recorded for Hyperion Records.

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