Frédéric CHOPIN (1810-1849)
Scherzo No 1 in B minor, Op 20 [8:53]
Scherzo No 2 in B-flat minor, Op 31 [9:47]
Scherzo No 3 in C-sharp minor, Op 39 [7:20]
Scherzo No 4 in E major, Op 54 [10:49]
Piano Concerto No 2 in F minor, Op 21 [31:39]
Etude No 12 in C minor ‘Revolutionary’, Op 10 [2:36]
*
Impromptu No 1 in A-flat major, Op 29 [3:56]
*
Nocturne No 2 in E-flat major, Op 9 [4:02]
*
Seong-Jin Cho (piano)
London Symphony Orchestra/Gianandrea Noseda
rec. London, LSO St Luke’s, April 2021 (concerto); Hamburg,
Friedrich-Ebert-Halle, March 2021 (solo pieces)
Reviewed as pre-release digital download
* digital download only
DEUTSCHE GRAMMOPHON 486 0435
[78:57]
Seong-Jin Cho has received significant praise in the past for his
interpretation of Chopin, and this is the second instalment on DG of the
two great Piano Concertos with the LSO and its new chief conductor,
Gianandrea Noseda. (Piano Concerto No 1 and Ballades Deutsche
Gramophon 479 5941) This series enters into a crowded field of distinguished
names, from which it is surely this young pianist’s dream to stand out,
including Martha Argerich’s recording on Warner with Charles Dutoit and the
Montreal Symphony Orchestra. Compared to this, the first movement is
generally unmannered; rubato is more restrained, giving the opening
sections of the piano greater clarity of line, albeit sacrificing somewhat
the sheer breadth of tonal palette which still remains an Argerich secret.
This recording does, however, possess a wonderful ebb and flow between
intimacy and ardency. In the right hands, the middle section can show off
pianistic virtuosity, solo-orchestra interplay and, above all, musicality
in the shaping of every phrase, and Cho’s are accomplished hands indeed –
the lines simply seem to take flight, and the listener gets a remarkable
sense of the music’s natural unfolding.
I found the orchestra, particularly in the introduction, a little heavy;
bearing in mind that Chopin’s orchestral writing was, compared to his piano
works, still relatively traditional, a little more Classical transparency
and agility would have been appreciated, though such mannerisms are, of
course, much to personal taste. Once the piano takes over the line, the
accompaniment is sympathetic and never detracts from the soloistic action.
The second movement, a nocturne filled with pathos and beauty, speaks of
unrequited love. A deft touch at the keyboard is required to shape the
sprawling lines; one can always seek the melody hidden beneath the
ornaments, whether in the whispers of the opening or the agitated
undulations of the development. Here, Cho can play around a lot more with
the phrases, and he does so with a remarkable maturity of vision, applying
rubato generously to bring out the Romanticism wholly embodied by this
movement. I was surprised to find Cho even more expressive than Argerich
here, and he does perhaps bring this to the very edge of acceptability –
certainly there are points, albeit few, where the listener may just lose
track of the phrase in the bigger picture – but I would not hesitate to
forgive this when the ‘edge of acceptability’ brings with it such moving
beauty.
Virtuosic challenges notwithstanding, the sheer variety across the finale
means that it can be difficult to bring together structurally. A true
partnership between orchestra and piano is required to pull off the
interplay here, and Noseda and Cho are up there with the best. The two
inject a healthy dose of wit into the mazurka rhythms underpinning the
piece, whilst achieving sufficient contrast in the more tender sections of
the movements. Though direction in the phrasing can occasionally flag, a
common challenge in even the best of performances, the melodies alone are
generally able to tie the rondo structure together. Overall, this is a
stunningly accomplished performance from a young artist who holds
tremendous promise to become a leading interpreter of this composer’s
works.
The scherzi are given sympathetic performances; the first with its stunning
technicality, the second in particular with Cho bringing out the contrasts
in its wonderfully flowing, rhapsodic nature. The third is filled with
turmoil, angry outer sections framing a dark, quietly unsettled core,
whilst the fourth fluctuates between calm and passion. The Revolutionary
Etude, first Impromptu and second Opus 9 Nocturne are given as bonus tracks
solely on the digital download, generally played swiftly but never rushed.
This music is full of expressive possibilities, and each piece is played
with conviction, unfolding invariably naturally, invariably musically.
This two-part series has displayed the coming of age of Seong-Jin Cho as a
proficient interpreter of Chopin; the performances of the two concertos in
particular have been admirable and rival the best in spontaneous musicality
and expressive vision.
Colin C.F. Chow
