LEIF OVE ANDSNES, PIANO, AND HAKAN HARDENBERG, TRUMPET, WITH PAAVO JARVI AND THE CITY OF BIRMINGHAM SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA; Britten, Piano Concerto; Shostakovich, Concerto for Piano, Trumpet and Strings; Enesco, Legende, for Trumpet and Piano (EMI Classics) ***1/2This is an exceptional album. The three works on this CD are well matched, and the two concertos are given a dynamic and thrilling performance by pianist Leif Ove Andsnes. And not to be outdone by his colleague, trumpeter Hakan Hardenberger is sensational in the hauntingly beautiful and technically difficult "Legende."
The piano concertos by Britten and Shostakovich are in many ways similar, although the Britten is more brilliant and virtuosic. But stylistically and structurally, they're not that far apart.
These two concertos were recorded live, and Andsnes is incredible here. His performance of the Britten, for example, is flashy, as you would expect with a bravura piece such as this one. But his interpretation is also well crafted and highly nuanced. Andsnes captures the spirit and the moods of this concerto wonderfully -- the dazzling pyrotechnics of the sparkling first movement "Toccata," the otherworldliness of the "Waltz," the lyricism of the "Impromptu" and the irony of the grotesque "March" finale.
Andsnes also turns in a first-rate performance of the Shostakovich. He treats the melodicism of this concerto almost delicately, but he plunges into the biting sarcasm of the finale with gusto.
In both works, conductor Paavo Jarvi offers a strong and compelling accompaniment with the City of Birmingham Symphony.
AWADAGIN PRATT, PIANO; TRANSFORMATIONS (EMI Classics) *1/2
Unfortunately, things don't go quite as well for newcomer Awadagin Pratt. This young pianist has the skills and virtuosity to tackle just about anything. His only drawback is that he lacks the musicality to pull it off.
For this album, Pratt plays Mussorgsky's "Pictures at an Exhibition," Brahms' Variations and Fugue in B flat major on a Theme by Handel, op. 24, and his own transcription of J.S. Bach's Passacaglia and Fugue in C minor, BWV 582. And in each case, Pratt plays these pieces stiffly, ploddingly and metronome-like. There is no vitality in his interpretations.
There are a couple of grateful exceptions, though. In Mussorgsky's "Pictures," he gives a nicely shaded and expressive performance of "Il vecchio castello." And "Ballet of the Unhatched Chicks" and "Limoges" are airy and played with a light hand.
But other than that, everything just sounds the same. Pratt needs to loosen up, feel the music and let himself go. The result will be a much more engaging and musically satisfactory performance.
You can reach Edward Reichel by e-mail at ereichel@desnews.com