Solomon, born Solomon Cutner in 1902,
began his career at a tender age and
met with great acclaim. He was so physically
small that they had to build an instrument
to fit him at his debut. He continued
to play concerts until he was sixteen,
at which time he left the stage altogether
for seven years of study. Upon his return,
he became one of the world’s foremost
pianists, playing recitals and concerts
with all of the major orchestras. He
would be forced into an early retirement
in 1965 by a debilitating illness, but
would live for another 23 years.
In this, the second
volume of The Piano Library’s survey
of his early recordings, we hear performances
from 1942 to 1944 of solo music by Brahms
and a major chamber work of Beethoven.
In the Handel Variations,
Brahms clearly demonstrates his deep
and thorough knowledge of the music
of his predecessors. Technically speaking,
the variations hark back to Bach’s Goldbergs
in their style, yet the romantic Brahms
is present in this tribute to baroque
keyboard music. Most notably, there
is the ever-present play between the
alto and tenor voices, a device beloved
of the composer, and his signature rhythmic
gestures, especially the use of the
hemiola, germane to both Handel and
Brahms.
Recorded before the
era of multiple takes and easy electronic
splices, this is a performance that
in my opinion actually sounds like a
performance rather than a pastiche of
perfections. It is refreshing to hear
the occasional less than perfect piece
of passage-work, a dropped note or two
and the odd mismatched chord. Nonetheless,
Solomon plays with a nimble touch and
a great sense of style. He pours great
energy into each variation and gets
a clean clear tone from the piano. His
tempi are sprightly and he uses a wide
range of colors, making each variation
fresh and exciting.
The two shorter works
are played with a seriousness and profundity
that is mesmerizing. I found that he
was able to bring off the depth of feeling
that is so vital to Brahms without ever
being maudlin or turgid. In short, this
is Brahms playing as it should be heard.
The Beethoven is slightly
pared down, with a repeat or two eliminated
as is typical for the era, so as to
make for fewer sides per issue. Solomon
and his collaborators are a taut, fine
ensemble, balance is excellent and the
players match each other in richness
and quality of tone. There is an fine
sense of give and take between the players
and no trace of rivalry can be heard.
These musicians play together for the
good and service of the music, and despite
the limitations of the age of the recordings,
achieve a warm, generous sound. The
third movement in particular is played
with a sensitivity and warmth that I
often find missing in more contemporary
recordings ... it is as if these artists
are playing for the genuine love of
the music, and not just to get something
down on record and move on to the next
project. It is obvious that they have
lived with the piece and its composer
and have a definite idea as to what
they wish to say.
The Piano Library have
over the years issued a treasure trove
of wonderful historical recordings,
and this one is no exception. It would
be so nice however if this and other
companies that restore old recordings
would give us some program notes. Except
for the cursory comments about the artist,
there is nothing at all about the music.
It is such a small thing. We can see
their catalogue online, is it really
so much to ask for a bit of commentary
about the music itself?
Sound quality and restoration
are excellent. I played this disc in
my car and on my home stereo, and I
will say that listeners are better served
by better equipment. In short, it is
very nice to have these fine performances
readily and relatively inexpensively
available again. Good listening for
collectors and the curious passerby
alike.
Kevin Sutton
Solomon, piano 
