This is an enterprising ClassicO disc of a recital given in Aarhus by Tonya Lemoh, an Australian pianist now on the piano faculty at Copenhagen University. It makes for a most diverting concert programme and if some limitations are evident it certainly doesn’t diminish enthusiasm for some important features of her musicianship. Nor indeed of her invigorating choice of the Bentzon (more later), Ginastera and the Griffes.

The domestic catalogue is certainly not groaning under the weight of Griffes piano recordings, and that despite the fact that Myra Hess, no less, recorded a famous disc of The White Peacock back in 1929. The piano version is seldom programmed these days and it’s enjoyable to hear Lemoh’s performance, though the rather swimmy acoustic rather drains it of immediacy. The Fountain of the Acqua Paola fares rather better in his respect, which is fortunate as this is a work even less performed than its Opus mate. I enjoyed its glittering expressionism in this performance.

Ginastera’s Danzas Argentinas must owe something at least linguistically to Granados but the fruity, rhythmic nationalism is all Ginastera’s own. Short though they are the trio is convincingly played here – there’s buoyant malambo rhythm for the first, and a Criollo slow, sinuous second cousin of Ragtime, dance for number two. The third is a driving moto perpetuo, and a malambo of real vigour, played here with great assurance and attack.

Chopin’s sonata takes a while to get going and is consistently fast in the opening. I enjoyed the good più lento section in the Scherzo. It’s a shame that it didn’t settle down because the makings of an understanding performance are there. Brave of her to take on the Liszt, though its gargantuan presence is clearly not off-putting.

Bentzon’s Suite is a "transcribed version of a live performance" that the composer gave. There are eight movements. He declined an invitation to write down his own improvised performance, impishly declaring that he would write another sonata instead, so it was Tonya Lemoh and her husband, Thomas Walbum (Bentzon’s nephew) who transcribed it. Dating though it does from the 1970s and fully improvised it’s still a most rewarding opportunity to hear some "new" Bentzon. All the movements are short and they move from baroque sounding procedures, to rhythmic drive and neo-classicism. The Rigaudon is playful, the Courante surgingly dramatic, the Sarabande compact and concentrated, the Réjouissance suitably driving and full of élan, and the Sicilienne is elegant and weighted with aplomb.

There’s an encore to end the concert in the shape of the Bach-Busoni Ich ruf’ zu dir, Herr Jesu Christ. She takes a good tempo but phrase endings are rather droopy as a result of excessive rubato. But there are rewarding things here and Lemoh’s proselytising on behalf of Bentzon is especially to be welcomed.

Jonathan Woolf

see also review from Rob Barnett

 

 

Advertising Rates
Visitor stats
MusicWeb International
has over 21,000 Classical CD reviews on offer

Gerard Hoffnung Concerts &
The Bricklayer Story

New Releases

New Releases

23rd-27th May

MusicWeb Recommended Recordings 2007

DISCS OF THE YEAR 2007