COMPOSERS: Grieg
LABELS: Praga
WORKS: Piano Concerto in A minor; Violin Sonata in G, Op. 13; Psalms, Op. 74/1, 3 & 4
PERFORMER: Sviatoslav Richter (piano) David Oistrakh (violin)Lev Oborin (piano) Jaromír Belor (baritone)Pavel Kühn Mixed Choir, Moscow Philharmonic SO/Kiril Kondrashin
CATALOGUE NO: PR 250 048 ADD (1972-85)
Richter is infuriatingly reckless in this dismal and repellent account of Grieg’s Piano Concerto. His apparent disdain for the music, and the unbelievably scrappy, overblown orchestral accompaniment, result in mere travesty. Oistrakh’s affectionately dignified playing is undermined by the primitive Czech Radio recording from which this 1972 performance of the G major Sonata has been salvaged, and sound quality improves little in 1985 tapings of several of Grieg’s Op. 74 Psalm settings. Completely unsatisfactory, and of questionable artistic significance in any case. Michael Jameson
Grieg: Piano Concerto in A minor; Violin Sonata in G, Op. 13; Psalms, Op. 74/1, 3 & 4
Richter is infuriatingly reckless in this dismal and repellent account of Grieg’s Piano Concerto. His apparent disdain for the music, and the unbelievably scrappy, overblown orchestral accompaniment, result in mere travesty. Oistrakh’s affectionately dignified playing is undermined by the primitive Czech Radio recording from which this 1972 performance of the G major Sonata has been salvaged, and sound quality improves little in 1985 tapings of several of Grieg’s Op. 74 Psalm settings. Completely unsatisfactory, and of questionable artistic significance in any case. Michael Jameson
Our rating
2
Published: January 20, 2012 at 2:33 pm