Of Polish family, born
in Breslau, Moszkowski received his
musical training in Dresden and Berlin.
He went on to be famous as a teacher,
a touring pianist and conductor - he
appeared regularly in late Victorian
London - and a composer. Though he wrote
an opera, a violin concerto and a number
of symphonic works, only his writing
for piano – for solo piano, for four
hands and for piano and orchestra (notably
the Piano Concerto in E major, Op 59)
– has attracted much attention in recent
years.
Ulrich Koella and Gérard
Wyss here present a selection of the
works for piano duet. The selection
doesn’t include the work in this medium
which did most for Moszkowski’s contemporary
fame – the opus 12 set of five Spanish
dances. It does, however, include their
successor, in the form of the three
further dances which make up op. 65.
These dances, like their predecessors,
are as much generally exotic and sensuous
as specifically ‘Spanish’, though the
closing Habanera is a partial exception;
they make enjoyable and colourful listening.
All of the music on
this CD has charm and elegance and none
of it seeks any great profundity of
feeling. The romantic interest in folk
dance underlies most of the work here,
but in Moszkowski the folk dance has
been made thoroughly polite, made entirely
fit for the salon. These are folk dances
too refined for dust or sweat. Even
when his dances have titles like ‘Deutsche
Reigen’ (‘German Round Dances’) there
is nothing remotely rustic about them.
Of the Deutsche Reigen, No. 3 has a
particularly ingratiating charm and
No. 4 is both attractively vivacious
and formally satisfying.
Aus Aller Herren Länder
also exists in an orchestral version
– a recording of which is available
on Naxos, played by the Polish National
Radio Orchestra conducted by Antoni
Wit. It is made up of six pieces each
named after a country: Russia, Germany,
Spain, Poland, Italy and Hungary. The
lively saltarello which ‘represents’
Italy is particularly striking, though
the expressive ‘German’ andante is also
rather fine in a different way.
The set of four Polish
Folk Dances, op. 55, is unsurprisingly
rather nostalgic in tone, especially
in the second of the two mazurkas; the
closing krakowiak is a gem, played here
with persuasively dancing phrasing and
rhythm.
Brahms and Chopin are
informing presences in this music. Moszkowski
is steeped in both German and Polish
traditions of pianism and from them
produces music for four hands which
has a mildly distinctive flavour of
its own.
Koella and Wyss are
both experienced performers in chamber
music, and both are well-known as accompanists
of lieder. They are, in short, experienced
team players, which shows in their performances
on this CD. Each takes the role of primo
piano in different parts of the programme.
The often considerable difficulties
of Moszkowski’s writing evidently hold
no fears for them and anyone with an
interest in this repertoire will surely
enjoy this CD.
Glyn Pursglove
Ulrich Koella, Gérard Wyss (piano)
