No sooner had I reviewed the 7th volume of Koukl’s
complete survey of Martinů’s solo piano music than
this disk appears. It heralds a complete recording of the composer’s
works for piano and orchestra. That is no bad thing, for we fans
of this wonderful composer have, for too long, had to seek out
imports to satisfy our interest in him. Now we have a label which
is easily available worldwide taking an interest. It’s
about time.
Martinu wrote five piano concertos. Their composition covered
the whole of his composing career, from 1925 to 1958 and they
display a variety of “accents”, although they all,
ultimately, speak with the same voice. The 3rd Concerto was
written for Rudolf Firkušný and it’s a big
piece in three large movements playing for a fraction over half
an hour. The first is declamatory in style and it is followed
by a movement which is part slow and passionate and part fast
and angular. The finale is playful, and quite joyous. It is the
kind of musical work which aims to have something for everyone.
I got to know the work from the old Supraphon LP with Josef Páleníček
with the Czech Philharmonic under Karel Ančerl (SUAST 50386)
and what a performance that is! One of the problems with Martinů is
that he wrote far too much and wasn’t sufficiently self-critical,
therefore, even some of the major works, the 3rd Concerto included,
need very careful and thoughtful handling in performance. Páleníček
achieves a coherence in the music which I feel lacking in Koukl’s
performance, for the latter seems content not only to let us
hear the music, but also to feel the structure. Koukl merely
allows us to hear a piece of music. One of the major problems
with this work is that the toccata movements are relentless,
and, ultimately, they can become boring, Koukl fails to vary
his tone colour sufficiently to allow for this and by the end
my ears were ringing with too big piano tone and rushes of
notes.
The 5th Concerto was composed
for the Swiss pianist Margrit Weber (Stravinsky wrote his Movements
for piano and orchestra for her) and it’s written
in an easier language than the 3rd. Lyricism takes
precedence over motor rhythms. The orchestration is richer
too, though not
thicker. The first movement is a kind of tortured allegro which
has a very rich vein of lyricism; proof, if it were needed,
that even towards the end of his life Martinů could produce a
work so full of life. The middle movement is a kind of disturbed
night music enclosed within a chorale. The finale, although fast,
isn’t one of his insistent moto perpetuos, rather it’s
easy-going, again full of the life spirit. Koukl seems happier
in this work, he gives an especially fine interpretation of the
slow movement, but it still doesn’t feel right. It lacks
the lightness necessary to make this delightful piece flow. Weber’s
own recording, with Rafael Kubelik conducting the Bavarian Radio
Symphony Orchestra, has been re-issued, coupled with its orignal
partner - Falla’s Nights in the Gardens of Spain -
and Alexander Tcherepnin Bagatelles, op.5 and Weber’s Konzertstück,
op.79 - with Fricsay and the Berlin Radio Symphony Orchestra
(Deutsche Grammophon 463 085-2). This is a much more understanding
performance.
The Concertino is an earlier work and has a little of
the Martinů of the 1920s Paris years, but with a deeply
searching slow movement - a very serious section within a lightish
piece. Even though this is the most successful performance
here it still leaves me dissatisfied for it is too hard in
execution
and it never smiles! I always liked the Supraphon LP of Eva
Bernathova, with conductor Jiri Pinkas (SUAST 40909 - coupled
with the Double
Piano Concerto) for it is much lighter and allows more light
and air into the piece.
As it stands, this issue will give a lot of pleasure to those
who don’t know the pieces and haven’t heard the recordings
I’ve mentioned. However, these performances cannot be considered
to be the last word on this subject. Both pianist and orchestra
are far too po-faced for this music. One thing much of Martinů’s
music does is smile and that is what is missing here. I recommend
it for the competition is almost non-existent, but keep your
eyes open for more idiomatic performances which may become
available.
Bob Briggs
Giorgio Koukl (piano) 
