I dare say there is at least one
name most music lovers will have encountered in the heading
for this disc: the name of Szymanowski. Karłowicz,
though not a negligible figure, has not made a name for
himself on a level with that of his compatriot. This is
a pity, because although his idiom is comparatively conservative,
his writing possesses a lively awareness of melody. His
songs are particularly well regarded in Poland, as is this
concerto, his only output in the genre.
Cast in three
movements the concerto weaves a path of “vigour and inventiveness”,
as the useful liner notes put it throughout the lengthy
thirteen-minute first movement. Virtuoso technique is called
for, particularly in the first movement cadenza, but it
the composer’s rich sense of melody that is the major concern.
Indeed, if one knows the works of composers such as Wieniawski,
then in Karłowicz it is possible to detect the link
between his oeuvre and that of Szymanowski’s more individual
style. The second movement, which follows almost unbroken
from the first, is a soft and soulful Romanza – and here
the soloist must appear as both the poet and his beloved
wrapped into one. The finale contrasts the atmosphere nicely,
with a perky classical rondo.
Soloist. Orchestra
and conductor are all new to my hearing. In recent years we
have grown used to a rich stream of musical talent from Eastern
Europe becoming better known in the West. The Poles, along with
the Czechs, have beaten the path that musicians of other countries
are steadily following. This is a state of affairs I can only
applaud when the playing on offer on this recording is as assured
and gutsy as the Karłowicz concerto shows it to be. Pior
Pławner’s playing is polished, but not overly so. There
are a few moments towards the end of the third movement when
he sounds in danger of veering slightly from true pitch. There
is no indication on the packaging that this is a live recording,
and the orchestral ensemble is too ‘together’ to indicate a
live performance in progress but in building to the work’s climax
Pławner gives the feeling that it might be helps
to heighten the excitement. All this after he has dashed of
a fearsomely intricate first movement without worry and beguiled
with the beauty of his tone in the second. He is recorded forward
of the orchestra, though not so far forward as to sound in a
separate acoustic. The orchestra acquit themselves favourably
throughout, bringing dashes of individual colour to specific
lines – the winds make a valuable contribution in this way.
Czesław Grabowski leads it all with compelling conviction.
Szymanowski’s Violin
concerto no.1 has been the subject of many recordings
in recent years. To all intents and purposes a single movement
work, it was written very much with the assistance of violinist
Paweł Kochański, who himself scored the single cadenza.
Szymanowski was clear about its place – along with Mythes
– in establishing his personal style.
Whilst the soloist naturally plays
an important role, it is the orchestra and conductor who establish
with their brief tutti passages and accompanying sections the
framework that the soloist works within. Czesław Grabowski
and the orchestra take a marginally more spacious view of the
work than is sometimes encountered: Kaja Danczowska and Warsaw
National Philharmonic under Kazimierz Kord on CD Accord ACD
026-2 (see review)
come in a bit faster than the present version. Individual flexibilities
of chosen tempi are small, and each version is persuasive in
its own way. Overall though I prefer the extra punch that the
CD Accord version has. But should one compare the present recording
to Jennifer Koh and the Grant Park Orchestra under Carlos Kalmar
(Cedille CDR 90000 089), then Pławner and Grabowski are
much to be favoured – Kalmar gives his orchestra too much room
to relax into, after which they cannot be pulled into shape
with sufficient speed.
I like the clear
voicing that the Zielona Góra Philharmonic gives to line and
texture within their playing. It leaves both bodies of sound
stated and subtle shadings hinted at. Pławner takes the
high wire act of Szymanowki’s solo line very much in his stride,
but for me his reading does not quite evince the emotional qualities
contained in Kaja Danczowska’s recording. Her recording remains
my first choice for the concerto.
A recommendable
disc for the pair of violin concertos presented; they are played
with spirit and adventure
Evan Dickerson
Comparative reviews
Karlowicz:
Kulka Little
1 Little
2
Szymanowski 1:
Danczowska
Oistrakh
Kulka
Wilson
Dong
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Piotr Pławner (violin)
