Moritz Moszkowski; Edvard Grieg - Piano Concertos (Joseph Moog)

Information

Composer: Moritz Moszkowski; Edvard Grieg

• (01) Moszkowski - Piano Concerto in E major, Op. 59
• (05) Grieg - Piano Concerto in A minor, Op. 16

Joseph Moog, piano
Deutsche Radio Philharmonie Saarbrücken Kaiserslautern
Nicholas Milton, conductor

Date: 2015
Label: Onyx Classics
http://www.onyxclassics.com/cddetail.php?CatalogueNumber=ONYX4144

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Review

Whatever scintillates and delights is here in super-abandance. For brilliant pianist (and later spin-master for Benjamin Netanyahu) David Bar-Illan, the Moszkowski Concerto is ‘first and foremost an orgy of pianism, an intoxication of what the instrument can do, a celebration of sound, sparkle and speed. Its the kind of assault on the senses experienced at a fantastic firework display. Plus a little pulling at the heart-strings. Profound? No. Thrilling? Yes.’

This is admirably put, though neither Bar-Illan’s recording nor any other (Piers Lane and Michael Ponti) come within distance of Joseph Moog’s. From Moog everything sparks and thunders. A virtuoso to the manner born, notes stream from his fingers like cascading diamonds, his playing alive with what David Fanning so wittily called ‘the boggle factor’. Hear him leap, released, like a greyhound straining in the slips, from the Andante’s dreams into the Scherzo vivace, though with ample time in the former to relish the more serious side of Moszkowski’s ebullient nature (for this, try the deeply expressive second étude from Op 24, memorably recorded by Seta Tanyel – Hyperion, 12/96, A/02). Again, hear him once more frolicking through vaudeville tunes in the finale. At 7'05", as the concerto approaches its grandiloquent close, you will witness a heart-stopping bravura of a sort rarely encountered.

After this, the evergreen Grieg Concerto comes as something of a makeweight. But Moog’s engulfing command is complemented by poise and reflection (the first-movement cadenza and first entry in the central Adagio). His sprint to the finale’s finish could hardly be more joyous or exhilarating. This is entirely a young pianist’s view, though in truth Lipatti was only two years older than 28-year-old Moog when he made his famously regal recording. Moog’s performance is greeted with a storm of cheers, wolf-whistles and all. Clearly he is already among the most brilliant of pianists; and in the Moszkowski his orchestra and conductor let their hair down and relish every bar of this delectable fin-de-siècle virtuoso fling.

-- Bryce Morrison, Gramophone

More reviews:
MusicWeb International  RECORDING OF THE MONTH
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/music/classicalcdreviews/11685791/Moszkowski-Piano-Concerto-review-sumptuous-and-glistening.html
https://www.audaud.com/moszkowski-piano-concerto-in-e-major-grieg-piano-concerto-joseph-moog-p-deutsche-radio-philharmonie-saarbruecken-kaiserlautern-nicholas-milton-onyx/
https://www.pianistmagazine.com/reviews/cds/joseph-moog-delights-the-listener-with-the-moszkowski-concerto
https://www.allmusic.com/album/grieg-moszkowski-piano-concertos-mw0002846860
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Grieg-Piano-Concerto-Op-16-Moszkowski/dp/B00W4FTJP6

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Moritz Moszkowski (23 August 1854 – 4 March 1925) was a German-Jewish composer, pianist, and teacher of Polish descent on his paternal side. Although less known today, Moszkowski was well respected and popular during the late nineteenth century. Among his teachers are Eduard Franck, Friedrich Kiel, and Theodor Kullak. Moszkowski was quite prolific, composing over two hundred small-scale piano pieces, which brought him much popularity. He also wrote larger scale works including two Piano Concertos, a Violin Concerto, three orchestral suites, and a symphonic poem.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moritz_Moszkowski

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Edvard Grieg (15 June 1843, Bergen – 4 September 1907, Bergen) was a Norwegian composer and pianist. He is widely considered one of the leading Romantic era composers, and his music is part of the standard classical repertoire worldwide. His use and development of Norwegian folk music in his own compositions put the music of Norway in the international spectrum, as well as helping to develop a national identity, like Sibelius and Dvořák for their own countries. He is the most celebrated person from the city of Bergen, with numerous statues depicting his image, and many cultural entities named after him.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edvard_Grieg

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Joseph Moog (born December 26, 1987 in Ludwigshafen am Rhein ) is a German pianist and composer. He studied with Bernd Glemser at the Hochschule für Musik Würzburg and with Arie Vardi at the Hochschule für Musik, Theater und Medien Hannover. Moog performs classical, romantic and modern piano repertoire internationally, and has made a name for himself by performing numerous rarities. Moog was named Young Artist of the Year in 2015 at the Gramophone Classical Music Awards, and also is a double winner of the International Classical Music Award (ICMA).
https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joseph_Moog
https://www.josephmoog.com/

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