Piano Concerto No.1
16 Waltzes Op. 39
Emmanuel Despax Piano
Miho Kawashima Piano
BBC Symphony Orchestra
Andrew Litton Conductor
Signum Classics SIGCD666
Full Price
The Review
It is every generation’s right to put on record their interpretation of the standard repertoire and Despax is a capable and sensitive pianist who certainly deserves to tackle Brahms’ massive First Concerto, at almost an hour one of the grandest and most taxing works in the genre.
It needs a conductor who can really help the soloist with the architecture, though, and I’m not convinced that Andrew Litton is the man to do it. He is an amiable and efficient accompanist but he simply does not do enough with the orchestral detail to make this version stand out from the crowd. Somehow it is all too careful. The balance also makes the piano all but drown the orchestra at times, so this may not be entirely Litton’s fault. Knowing the exacting standards the producer, Andrew Keener, sets I am surprised he was satisfied. The orchestra rumbles along in the background in the first movement Maestoso at a tempo that is steady but begins to drag after a while. This makes Despax sound as if he is trying to force some drama into the performance.
On the other hand there is languorous beauty to be found too. The listener is wrapped in Brahms’ warm blanket of late Romantic yearning with only occasional outbursts to suggest that feelings might be more fraught. The Adagio that follows indulgently takes its time but there is too little contrast with the Maestoso, so that it almost sinks into slumber; lovely in a way but surely there is a difference between being reflective and only half awake. Despax seems to be almost overawed by the task of interpreting such a gigantic work. The Rondo finale could come as welcome relief but both Despax and Litton approach it in boots. While the BBC SO’s playing is immaculate they are either held back or encouraged to stomp, undoing many finely crafted moments, the rich cello sound, the lovely blending of horns and clarinets. I wanted so much to like this recording because I admire everyone involved in it but instead I found myself losing patience.
When Despax is joined at the keyboard by Miho Kawashima for the four hands partnership of the waltzes, the mixture of brilliance and flow works much better, though is still a tendency to lean too heavily on the first beat of the bar. It would be good to hear Kawashima in a recording of her own because on this evidence she has a lot to offer. My suspicion is that it will be for the waltzes that this recording is listened to repeatedly and the concerto will be enjoyed more elsewhere.
SM