Bortkiewicz’s life story is a melancholy
one. He could have recorded or made
piano rolls like contemporaries such
as Medtner and Rachmaninov but he execrated
mechanical reproduction of music. While
Rachmaninov turned his hand to concert
tours Bortkiewicz would only play his
own music.
He was born in the
Ukraine, studied at St Petersburg and
Leipzig, lived in Berlin brushing shoulders
with Scharwenka, Busoni and d’Albert.
The buffeting of the Great War forced
a return to Russia but the Revolution
drove him out first to Istanbul and
then in 1922 to Vienna which remained
his home from circa 1922 until the end
of his life. Unlike Medtner he found
no Maharajah of Mysore; there was to
be no Maecenas for him. Rachmaninov
prospered in Hollywood. Bortkiewicz
put down roots in Vienna and sank deeper
into neglect.
Bortkiewicz is another
passionate late-romantic. Loosely speaking
you could say that his idiom is early
Rachmaninov - the Rachmaninov of the
First Piano Concerto and The Rock.
Tchaikovsky is a strong presence and
Schumann is always in the background
if filtered through turn-of-the-century
musical voices - specifically Slav voices.
The big-boned Sonata was written in
Vienna where the composer evidently
remained in touch with the grand and
turbulent spirit of the late nineteenth
century. By contrast the Suite is, as
expected, more gracious and ingratiating
than impassioned. The same goes for
the three transcriptions. The echoes
are of Dvořák
but with a throbbing Tchaikovskian sentimentality
entering in the Meditation.
The recording is of epic range made
in a resonant acoustic which gives emphasis
to the piano although Persinaru’s Alessandro
Gagliani instrument (c.1710) assertively
cuts through.
If you have heard the piano concertos
and two symphonies (Hyperion) you will,
I think, agree that his music deserves
better. Once again we are the losers
by its neglect. This disc is warmly
welcomed. I have high hopes that Hyperion
might record his high-tide romantic
concertos for violin and cello.
These are first studio recordings of
the Bortkiewicz items but we should
not forget the two vividly characterized
Morceaux by Rachmaninov. Both have East
European flavourings, zigeuner paprika.
The Danse Hongroise has a number
of gestures that inevitably remind the
listener of this composer’s most famous
piano prelude.
The notes are supplied by Ateş
Orga - a writer we hear far too little
from.
The unapologetic recording might be
‘strong meat’ to some ears but the music
here is more than worth the bargain
price asked of you by Warners. A strong
late-romantic Russian contender among
this month’s batch of new releases.
Rob Barnett
FURTHER BORTKIEWICZ LINKS AND REVIEWS
Biographical Links
http://www.musicweb-international.com/classrev/2000/mar00/thadani.htm
http://www.musicweb-international.com/classrev/2000/mar00/bortkiewitz.htm
http://www.musicweb-international.com/classrev/2000/mar00/bortworks.htm
Hyperion Piano Concerto No. 1
http://www.musicweb-international.com/classrev/2000/mar00/bortworks.htm
Hyperion Symphonies 1 and 2
http://www.musicweb-international.com/classrev/2000/mar00/bortkiewitz.htm
http://www.musicweb-international.com/classrev/2002/Dec02/BORTKIEWICZ.htm
Cristian Persinaru (violin) 
