Richter and Rostropovich Play Concertos by Robert Schumann

★★★★★

   Romanticism was artistic and intellectual movement of various directions and currents. One of dominants of the era was social and philosophical background of artistic activities. This was not new idea, but in prior eras it was always limited to one clear idea and all answers were already known. The one and only question was about how to render idea to find full understanding of listeners. In romanticism many composers were searching for new, more capacious musical construction and a new shape of musical forms. One of such ambitious composers was Robert Schumann (1810-1856), who was experimenting with new forms and trying to renew some classical ideas. He started as music critic and he was always aware of the possibilities and importance of meaning in absolute music. Most famous examples are his cycles of piano miniatures, cycles of songs and four symphonies. Also at least two of his concertos are concert favorites.

   Robert Schumann started composing piano concertos when he was twenty, but results disappointed him and in effect he criticized the idea of the form. In 1828 he worked on piano concerto in E-flat major, next year he tried to compose concerto for piano and orchestra in F major, then in 1839 he wrote one movement of concerto in D minor. When he was thirty, he wrote Fantasy in a Minor for piano and orchestra which became the first part of Piano Concerto in A Minor Op. 54, finished in 1845. His next concert pieces were Konzertstück for Four Horns and Orchestra Op. 86 and Introduction and Allegro Appassionato for Piano and Orchestra Op. 92, both composed in 1849, Cello Concerto in A Minor Op. 129 from 1850 and three concert works from 1853: Fantasy in C for violin and orchestra Op. 131, Introduction and Allegro for Piano and Orchestra Op. 134 and Violin Concerto in D minor.  Both concertos in A Minor are definitely most famous of Schumann’s concertos.

Richter Rostropovich Schumann - Concertos (1961, reissue 1971)

   Piano Concerto in A Minor is great success of Robert Schumann and His idea of emotionally driven concerto being continuation of Beethoven’s symphonic concerto and antithetic to concertos of Schumann’s contemporaries. The compact shape, fresh and clear melodic invention and construction subordinated to the clear dramatic idea are features of this work. The 1958 interpretation by Svjatoslav Richter (1915-1997) is probably the best rendition of Schumann’s Piano Concerto ever. Richter as virtuoso pianist had technical excellence and intellectual base sufficient to create great works of art. What makes him unique is his possibility of profound emotional connection with the composer’s idea and with listener’s sensibility. He communicates not as middleman; he is the fully proficient element of this process. His vision of Schumann is touchingly simple, like he was just playing notes finding them instinctively their natural place. Orchestra of Warsaw National Philharmonic conducted by Witold Rowicki sounds very good, with lots of space for soloist and well balanced proportions.
   Cello was one of instruments Schumann have studied in his youth, so he knew possibilities and limitations of the instrument enough good. But his idea of joining soloist with orchestra was rather to create emotional dramatic tension in musical narration than conventional piece in concerting style which he had so much criticized. He wrote concert in three united movements with concise solos and considerate answers in orchestral parts. In effect Cello Concerto in A Minor Op. 129 is Schumann’s great achievement and one of the best cello concertos ever. Its cheerful feeling, slide along and flowing action, reducing make it invariably great position in concert repertoire. Interpreted by Mstislav Rostropovich (1927-2007), one of best cellists recorded ever, Schumann’s Concerto sounds perfect, light and meaningful. Accompanied by the Leningrad Philharmonic Orchestra under Gennadi Rozhdestvensky, Rostropovich’s 1961 brilliant performance shows charm of Schumann’s Cello Concerto. Many qualities mentioned on Richter’s interpretation of Schumann’s Piano Concerto and Mstislav Rostropovich’s rendition of Cello Concerto in A Minor Op. 129 have their counterpart in each other. No wonder Deutsche Grammophon joined these two recordings in one album in 1961 and republished it in 1971. Five stars for these breathtakingly performances is quite natural rate.

Witold Małcużyński – Tchaikovsky – Concerto B-flat Minor op. 23

THE 100th ANNIVERSARY OF WITOLD MAŁCUŻYŃSKI'S BIRTH

   One of best pianists in 20th century Poland was Witold Małcużyński (Malcuzynski, Malcuzynsky, Malcuzinsky), pianist whose career was temporarily suspended by 2nd world war, but flourished in 50’s, giving him master position in Poland and internationally recognized authority in romantic pianism. He was famous as interpreter of Fryderyk Chopin’s music and great performer of romantic concertos by Liszt, Brahms, Tchaikovsky and Rachmaninov. He has recording contract with Columbia Records but his recordings were also published by EMI and Angel Records. Before the war he was supported by Ignacy Jan Paderewski. Later as he was recognized worldwide, Małcużyński was able to continue some activities also on diplomatic field. He had contribution in returning to Wawel Castle in Kraków collection of works of art saving from the war in Canada. 

   He was born August 10th 1914 in Koziczyn (now Kazokine near Švenčionys – Lithuania) and since the age of 5 he was learning piano. As 15 years old he was accepted into Warsaw Conservatory where he studied in classes of Jerzy Lefeld and then Józef Turczyński. He graduated with honors in 1936 and the same time became laureate of fifth prize in International Music Competitions in Vienna. Next year he won third prize in Third International Chopin Piano Competition in Warsaw. In 1938 he moved to Paris for invitation to study in Paris with Marguerite Long and Isidor Philipp. In September 1939 after Germany attacked Poland, he joined the army and thank to Ignacy Jan Paderewski was incorporated as a member of artistic corps. After Germans captured Paris, he fleed to Portugal, and in October 1940 he moved to Argentina. Two years later he moved to USA and after the war he back to Europe and settled in Switzerland.  

Witold Małcużyński - Tchaikovsky - Concerto B-flat Minor (1961)

   He was one of these intellectuals who delayed their comeback to Poland for political reasons. As one of most successful Polish artists, after his return to Poland in 1958 Witold Małcużyński was celebrated as a national hero. He was frequently performing and recording artist, unquestioned authority in artistic style, member of jury in Long-Thibaud-Crespin Competition in Paris (1946, 1955, 1960, 1965, 1977), Queen Elisabeth Music Competition in Brussels (1960), Magda Tagliaferro Competition in Paris (1960) and International Chopin Piano Competition in Warsaw (1960, 1965, 1975). He was performing with Paul Kletzky, Serge Koussevitzky, Pierre Monteaux, Fritz Reiner, Artur Rodziński, George Szell and giving recitals of Polish music. In 1961 Witold Małcużyński recorded two great romantic piano concertos – Concerto No. 1 B-flat Minor by Pyotr Tchaikovsky and Concerto No. 3 D-Minor by Sergei Rachmaninov.
   Performance of Tchaikovsky's Concerto B-flat Minor op. 23 with Polish National Philharmonic Orchestra, the orchestra Małcużyński made debut with, were symbolic return to his beginnings. Pianist is main artist of this performance. Orchestra is following him with necessary precision, which is part of great contribution of conductor Witold Rowicki. The sound of orchestra is even but sometimes little too flat, just opposite to the sound of the piano exploding with colors and emotions. Such difference was probably the effect of sound producer decisions. Maybe orchestral sound was suppressed to enhance the effect of the piano. Recording with Polish National Philharmonic Orchestra under direction by Witold Rowicki was great achievement of artists and one of mandatory item in every Polish records collection. This performance was recognized as perfect interpretation and reprinted many times in Poland and other countries. Four stars for great performance.

Jan Krenz – Berlioz – Symphonie fantastique

Hector Berlioz was not the first romantic, but he was the creator, who broke the schematic solutions of classical forms and redefined the nature of a symphony orchestra. Apart from composing, Hector Berlioz was the author of numerous essays, in which he focused on the various musical issues. He is also well known as the author of important idea of orchestration and Grand traité d’instrumentation et d’orchestration moderns which was in fact both the manual for instrumentation and probably most comprehensive textbook on possibilities of musical instruments. And this was fundamental work for composers of late Romanticism and twentieth-century modernity. Among many composers who studied Berlioz’s treaty were Gustav Mahler and Richard Strauss. From academic point of view, as much significant as this treatise was Symphonie fantastique – the perfect example of romantic program symphony.

This symphony was one of the cornerstones of Romantic music. Being the model realization of program symphony, it is also an example of excellent symphonic structure, which did not follow the plan drawn up by the Viennese classics. Instead of it was based more on the narrative potential of the expanded symphony orchestra. Especially impressive is the cast of brass section (4 horns, 2 trumpets, 2 cornets, 3 trombones, ophiocleide and serpent – these two in modern scores had been substituted by 2 tubas) and enlarged group of percussion instruments. The symphony was premiered in December 1830 in Paris Conservatoire but after many performances in the years 1831-1845 Berlioz made many revisions trying to build perfect work. In 1931 Hector Berlioz composed sequel of this work Lélio, ou le retour à la vie Op. 14b for speaking actor and orchestra.

Jan Krenz – Berlioz – Symphonie fantastique (1983)

There are plenty of great performances and editions giving Symphonie fantastique preferential position in romantic music catalogue. Their diversity testifies to the universality of presented drama and the adequacy of the means of expression. Interesting rendition of Symphonie fantastique was recorded by Jan Krenz with Warsaw National Philharmonic Orchestra and published by Polish label Polskie Nagrania – Muza in 1983. This performance is rather deep and bitter than nice or easy, sometimes it’s even raw with modern kind of romantic pathos. Jan Krenz, widely known in Poland and abroad conductor and contemporary composer, led his own, intensively emotional and personal interpretation of this great symphony. It is steering in direction of increasing dramatic contrasts between positive emotions and moments of rough visions and despair. 

Krenz recording has pure musical meaning. But the album is witnessing Polish history in its own way. Recorded in Warsaw May 24 to 27, 1980, three months before Solidarity revolution, has been published three years later after one year of freedom, the state of war and enforced stabilization thereafter. Deeply emotional recording gives image of hope and perplexity that tore the Poles in 1980, but 1983 edition’s cover shows only a bouquet of roses, like publisher have the intention to reduce unstable emotions and preserve them on the level of individual exaltation and ritual practices.

Krzysztof Penderecki – Jutrznia

Born in 1933, Krzysztof Penderecki was first composer in after war generation, who has emancipated from dictatorship of avant-gardism. In mid seventies his style evolved and reach the point close to post-romantic stylistic idiom. Seventies and than eighties were the decades many listeners became weary of conceptual and experimental music. And so did composers who were more and more isolated in close circle of contemporary festivals and workshops. Considerable group of composers was looking for the ways to reunite with the audience expectations. But still it was a kind of surprise when after period of short and formally simple compositions, Penderecki turned towards great cycle-forms leaning on polyphonic structures and traditional narrative ideas of musical construction.
In predominant majority of critical studies, this turn marks second period of Penderecki’s creative output, but from perspective of few next decades it looks like consistent process of creating his own and highly legible style. After St. Luke’s Passion (1965) and Dies irae (1967) he composed two part oratorio Orthros (sometimes called Matins but best know from original Polish Jutrznia or in Old Church Slavonic Утреня). Based on Orthodox canonical prayers of Great Saturday and Sunday oratorio consists of two parts – The Entombment of Christ and The Resurrection of Christ. Oratorio finished in 1971 together with composed five years earlier Passion according to St. Luke forms a Holy Week triptych. Composer was planning and preparing for this piece many years before. Looking for inspiration he studied rites of various Orthodox churches and sects as well the connection between them and religious works of Tchaikovsky and Rachmaninoff. Especially Bulgarian spiritual heritage became significant experience in composer’s research.

Krzysztof Penderecki – Jutrznia

Oratorio Jutrznia or Утреня – the major work of Polish composer was also the great recording project in early ’70s. The Warsaw National Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Andrzej Markowski was good basis for National Philharmonic Choir and Polish Pioneer Choir. Vocal parts, especially massive choral entries are crucial factor in sonoristic structures of first oratorios written in ’60s by Krzysztof Penderecki. Narrative functions were carried mainly by soloists, so this made essential the presence of wide set of solo voices. In this performance took part sopranos Delfina Ambroziak and Stefania Woytowicz, mezzosoprano Krystyna Szczepańska, tenor Kazimierz Pustelak basses Włodzimierz Denysenko and Bernard Ładysz as well as bassi profondi Boris Carmeli and Peter Lagger.  The double album was published in 1971 (Muza - Polskie Nagrania SX 889-890) and become the cornerstone of composer’s international career. In next decades this recording was reedited for digital media, and widely cited.