Stephen Hough's Piano Postcards. Hyperion CDA68469.
I first listened to this back in July, and I'm STILL humming some of its music to myself in October. Clearly it made an impression on me. Indeed, I think it's absolutely delightful. Hough has essentially said that he wants to bring back the piano transcription as a respected art form. What a breath of fresh air in a classical world that can still feel stuffy! As Charles Rosen wrote in The Romantic Generation, the transcription genre enables special creativity, even genius, in the hands of a great proponent like Liszt. Hough definitely demonstrates some of this, with an uncanny ability to discover unsuspected expressive possibilities in simple, even unassuming tunes. Certain classical listeners might disdain choosing melodies from Mary Poppins or Frozen for such treatment. But Hough's gentle elaborations on them exude a special pathos that keeps me hitting "repeat." Add to his own scores some excellent performances of miniatures from around the map, and you have a real winner. One of my favorite releases of the year! Verdict: Highly Recommended
Sibelius: The 7 Symphonies. Jukka-Pekka Saraste, conductor; Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra. Ondine ODE15252T.
I had intended to do a longer write-up of this set either here or at Classical Candor. But I finally decided to offer more cursory impressions. Much is impressive about Saraste's third recorded Sibelius symphony cycle. The expressive highs can be excellent, as with the climactic points of the First and Second Symphonies, and the "Swan Theme" at the end of the Fifth. Parts of the Fourth are stunningly luminous. These performances are together Saraste's most interesting ones committed to disc. But they're also the fussiest. Too many passages, especially in the Sixth and Seventh, are labored. His first cycle's Third Symphony on RCA (Red Seal – 194397048124) is in my view the best ever. But this new one lacks its brisk suppleness; it begins to plod. I think overall Saraste is trying a bit too hard to make a statement with this set, like he knows it's a last hurrah or something. Sibelio-holics won't want to be without it, but I'll keep pushing the RCA mainstay for meat-and-potatoes listening. Verdict: Mildly Recommended
Women and the Piano. Susan Tomes, pianist. Hyperion CDA68489.
I almost wish I hadn't read the press release for this recording. "During my whole pianistic education," Susan Tomes tells us, "no teacher ever suggested I learn a piece by a female composer." Then: "Their extraordinary individual stories are revealed in Tomes’s thoughtful and deeply researched notes, allowing us to glimpse—often for the first time—their profound talents." So there it is. More special pleading. More hyperbole and inspirational stories padding offerings of modest intrinsic interest. Another motley assemblage of pieces whose collective claim to attention lies with shared biology. Listening to this repertoire without the propaganda is a nice thought. But deep down both 'The Advocates' and I know it wouldn't make a huge difference. They try to convince themselves that the same sexism which denied these women opportunities while they lived is preventing their canonization today. But the harsh reality is that all of these works (by the usual suspects and others) are competent yet undistinguished. There was no Jane Austen of classical music, and contemporary over-claiming won't suddenly make it so. The zealots will gobble this recording up regardless of what I say. To the non-zealots I say the following: by all means partake of its pleasant, well-played fare. But I for one won't lie to you by saying it is something more. Verdict: Soberly Recommended
Prokofiev: Symphony No. 1 in D, Op. 25 ("Classical"); Chout, Op. 21. Stanislav Kochanovsky, conductor; NDR Radiophilharmonie. Harmonia Mundi HMM905406.
Chout ("Buffoon") is Prokofiev's first completed ballet score. Perhaps surprisingly, this recording is only the fourth of the entire thing. Usually we encounter the 12-section suite, which I guess isn't that much of a step down from the 19 numbers included here. This work was a resume of sorts, one of the scores with which Prokofiev signaled engagement with trendier styles of the West. Still, it doesn't completely muzzle his personality. The signature driving rhythms, sardonic wit, and even glimpses of his incomparable tunefulness are all present and serve a rather twisted story. Its coupling with the much more familiar Classical Symphony is to my knowledge a first. The symphony, given a sparkling performance, rounds out the disc quite well. Both compositions date from approximately the same period in Prokofiev's career and show contrasting sides of his art. I enjoyed this very much. Verdict: Highly Recommended
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