These recordings are
extremely well known. Their last appearance,
exactly as above, was in EMI's ‘Composer
in Person’ series but they have been
around for many years since the first
issue of the concertos in the late 1950s.
They radiate a great authority and are
instructive in the seemingly eccentric
tempo choices made. Especially in the
First Concerto one is often brought
up short by a surprising speeding up
here or a slowing down there. There
is of course a downside with this disc.
The sound is late 1950s mono and the
strings of the French orchestra are
caught with a raw vinegary bile which
some may find a problem. I don't; not
even when that caustic edge adds further
to the attack of Vaillant's viciously
spitting trumpet.
The First Concerto's
playfully sardonic gambols through the
styles of Prokofiev, Gershwin, Stravinsky
and Ravel are done without a wink or
indulgent smile and are all the more
effective for that. The composer and
Vaillant tear through the finale like
a twin fusillade of vitriol-laced hailstones.
The Second Concerto
has long been a personal favourite.
The concerto was premiered by the composer's
son Maxim on 10 May 1957 on the day
of Maxim's 19th birthday. The composer’s
own account is up against many good
versions. My favourites include Bernstein's
on Sony, Alexeev on CfP and, most recently,
the visceral Hamelin version on Hyperion.
The composer's own account is fearfully
exciting and is spat out with gritty
attack. Despite the age of the recording
the listener is left with a good sense
of the open natural analogue ambience
of the original. The sentimental second
movement gently guys Rachmaninov. The
succulent style was already familiar
to Shostakovich for he had used it in
his film scores.
I will not be letting
go of my allegiance to Bernstein for
the Second Concerto and the spanking
new Hyperion disc but this CD is fascinating.
It is a very special performance with
historic ambience and is after all the
most tumultuous of all versions. How
many coffees and cigarettes must Cluytens
and the composer have got through before
getting to the stage of being able to
record something this fast, sprint-rapped
and furious; clearly a performance predating
radar traps. By the way this is also
a treat for those who love their piano
sound to lean on the stonily brilliant
rather than the softened and cushioned.
The short and, I thought,
uncharacteristic Fantastic Dances
(they are early) and the
selection of five Preludes and Fugues
make a good contrasting companion
to the concertos. Of the Preludes
and Fugues the classically staid
No. 1 contrasts with the melancholy
evident in No. 4, the classical delicacy-gone-haywire
of No. 5, the serious majesty and complexity
of No. 23 and the almost Handelian gravity
emerging into regal urgency of No. 24.
This valuable and rewarding
release is completed by David Fanning's
valuable and honestly straightforward
accessible notes.
Rob Barnett
Great
Recordings of the Century - Full
listing
Dmitri Shostakovich (piano) 
