For Volume 24 of 'The Romantic Piano Concerto' Hyperion went to Portugal
to celebrate one of the country's greatest musical sons. José Vianna da
Motta, if he is remembered at all, is primarily known as a very fine
pianist. He was one of Liszt's last pupils, became a friend of Busoni,
and left a small body of very impressive 78rpm recordings. After many
years based in Berlin he returned to his country of birth as director of
the Lisbon conservatory and became central to the musical life of the
country. And like many other performers of the day, he also composed.
Though
he later went on to compose songs, chamber works, and a symphony, both
his works for piano and orchestra are early works and were never
published. Indeed the A major Concerto was never performed in Vianna da
Motta's lifetime and the world premiere was given by the forces
assembled for this CD the day before the recording sessions took place!
The Concerto is unusual in being in two movements, the second of which
is a set of variations which serves the purpose of both slow movement
and finale. The Fantasia Dramatica was premiered by the composer in
1893; its three movements make it almost more of a concerto than the
earlier work. Both works, though using the harmonic language of the
time, show real individuality in their ideas. The conventional conflicts
of the 19th century concerto being largely replaced by an integration
of the piano with the orchestra which suits the primarily lyrical ideas
(though there is much very awkward virtuosic writing which testifies to
da Motta's pianistic ability).
The CD is completed with the Ballade for solo piano of 1905. The composer regarded this as his greatest piano work. Hyperion
José Vianna da Motta (1868-1948)
Piano Concerto in A major [26'03]
Fantasia Dramática [28'54]
Credits :
Concertmaster [Leader] – Aníbal Lima
Conductor – Martyn Brabbins
Orchestra – Orquestra Gulbenkian
Piano – Artur Pizarro
terça-feira, 27 de fevereiro de 2024
VIANNA DA MOTTA : Piano Concerto In A Major • Fantasia Dramática • Ballada, Op 16 (Artur Pizarro · Orquestra Gulbenkian · Martyn Brabbins) (2000) Serie The Romantic Piano Concerto – 24 | FLAC (image+.cue), lossless
terça-feira, 16 de janeiro de 2024
OSWALD : Piano Concerto In G Minor, Op 10 ♦ NAPOLEÃO : Piano Concerto In E Flat Minor, Op 31 (Artur Pizarro · BBC National Orchestra Of Wales · Martyn Brabbins) (2014) Serie | The Romantic Piano Concerto – 64 | FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless
More than five dozen strong and counting, Hyperion's series devoted to
the Romantic piano concerto continues to recover absolutely unknown
music. Here are a pair of pianist-composers, both successful performers
in their own time; Henrique Oswald was born in Brazil, while Alfredo
Napoleão was a Portuguese who spent considerable time there, and they
would likely have known each other's music. At least outside of Brazil,
the country's concert music of the late 19th century is represented
mostly by Ernesto Nazareth, whose dance pieces occupied a position in
musical life somewhat similar to that of Scott Joplin in the U.S. Most
concert music at the time would have followed European models, with no
national Brazilian influence. So it is here: much of Oswald's music
apparently follows French influences, but the ambitious opening movement
of the Piano Concerto in G minor, Op. 10, is in the Tchaikovsky mold,
with sweeping melodies that seem to burst the bounds of the
piano-orchestra interaction. The highlight of the whole album is that
concerto's slow movement, which uses the piano in a unique way to
chromatically embroider a big, sentimental melody. The tarantella finale
is not on the same level. Napoleão's concerto is even more grandiose,
with a nearly 20-minute opening slow movement that holds up
structurally, and a fast scherzo and finale. Either one of these pieces
could be added to a symphonic piano concerto program with profitable
results, and Portuguese American pianist Artur Pizarro brings the
desired virtuoso flair, with the BBC National Orchestra of Wales under
Martyn Brabbins staying out of his way as needed. Recommended for anyone
interested in Brazilian music. James Manheim
Tracklist :
Piano Concerto In G Minor Op 10 (30:10)
Henrique Oswald
Piano Concerto No 2 In E Flat Minor Op 31 (36:59)
Alfredo Napoleão
Credits :
Conductor – Martyn Brabbins
Leader – Nick Whiting
Orchestra – BBC National Orchestra Of Wales
Piano [Steinway & Sons] – Artur Pizarro
