COMPOSERS: Saint-Saëns/Poulenc
LABELS: Teldec
WORKS: The Carnival of the Animals; Concerto for Two Pianos
PERFORMER: Güher & Süher Pekinel (piano)Radio France PO/Marek Janowski
CATALOGUE NO: 4509-97445-2 DDD (1990)
The Carnival of the Animals is a genuinely witty piece of music. This may seem to be stating the obvious, but nobody seems to have pointed it out to the performers here.
There is little sign of anyone relishing Saint-Saëns’s whimsical sense of humour, or even the moments of exquisite beauty. By not even attempting to convey an infectious enjoyment of the music, this performance can only be deemed a failure.
An engaging account of Poulenc’s marvellous two-piano concerto does little to redeem a disc which lasts for a measly 38 minutes. Not recommended. Christopher Dingle