Jesper Bühl and
Lennart Dehn can take considerable pride
in this disc. The coupling is both generous
and original. The addition of the youthful
and compact piano concerto was an open-handed
gesture. Other labels have simply coupled
Tamara and the First Symphony.
Of course the way is now open presumably
for a similar Aarhus venture with the
Second Symphony and Second Piano Concerto
to round out the picture. This would
also give Oleg Marshev a work of more
grit and fibre than the showy glitter
of Balakirev’s first youthful effort.
Danacord's results
across the board are outstanding in
audio terms and Loughran is a doughty
interpreter of the Russian nationalist
romantics - part of his heritage as
a BBC radio orchestra conductor. That
said the tone of the Aarhus strings
is good though not as lustrous and stinging
as the USSRSO for Svetlanov on BMG-Melodiya
nor as the Philharmonia with the same
conductor on Hyperion. Of course neither
of those alternatives offer the First
Piano Concerto. In addition in a very
few places rhythmic emphasis seems smudged
and unstrung as at 5:02 in Tamara
where I would have expected a tauter
control. Loughran certain captures the
Bakst-Diaghilev abandon of the bacchanale
at 16:12. He is similarly successful
when things turn murderous as sultry
seductress Tamara becomes Tamara assassin
and as the hapless traveller's body
floats down river as another victim.
The First Concerto
is amongst the earliest Russian examples
of the piano concerto with only Anton
Rubinstein's first two preceding it.
Mogens Wenzel Andreasen's note mentions
‘Chopin with a Russian accent’ - very
close, I would say. If you know the
early Scriabin Piano Concerto and perhaps
the Arensky those also are closeish
cousins without the invincible melodies
of the Scriabin work. This performance
is rather heavy-footed at 1:22 in the
orchestral introduction but once things
hot up and the piano appears the scene
is transformed. Every bit as good as
the Hyperion coupling of the two Balakirev
concertos.
To the Symphony. After
a mournful and evocative introduction
we are treated to a tight and successful
Allegro vivo with the bustle
of adrenaline rising to a regal statement
at 4:21 being well carried off. The
Mendelssohnian elfin scherzo
is irresistibly woven with the oh so
Russian counter-melody. The andante
is nicely hushed though I do think
that the solo clarinet phrasing is rather
matter of fact. This is after all one
of the most romantic of Russian symphonic
andantes. As an alternative you may
wish to try either Karajan or Beecham
on EMI or Svetlanov on Hyperion or BMG-Melodiya.
The movement does however sound succulent
and for an example of its strengths
try the award-winning recording of the
harp and other instruments at the end
of the andante. Oriental evenings
are put aside for a very Russian vigour
in the Finale (3:12). The Slav flavour
of the woodwind is beautifully caught
at 5:12 onwards. The final tramping
bacchanale and reminiscences of houris,
palanquins and exotic evenings is extremely
well done.
I have the occasional
quibble and would not want to be without
Beecham or Svetlanov but the more I
hear this resonant yet detailed recording
the more I like it. A ‘slow-burn’ then
and a disc I happily recommend.
Rob Barnett
Oleg Marshev (piano) 
