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Piano Concerto No.1 in C major, op.15 Piano Concerto No.2 in B-flat major, op.19 Piano Concerto No.3 in C minor, op.37 Piano Concerto No.4 in G major, op.58 Piano Concerto No.5 in in E-flat major, op.73 "Emperor"
Bagatelle in C minor, WoO52 |
City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra · conducted by Walter Weller
CHANDOS CHAN 9084-86
3 discs [78'44" + 79'23" + 77'42"] full-price
This review is generously sponsored by HMV Singapore.
by Derek Lim
Having sung lately in the Beethoven Choral Fantasy, I must admit that
it has settled my idea of the Beethoven concertos as a whole. I remember
when I first listened to the Violin Concerto that I thought to myself, "This
must be one of the most boring things I have ever heard" -- now I find it
pure gold. The piano concertos were not easy fare either; I was more used
to the flashy virtuosity of Tchaikovsky and other composers.
Beethoven's first movement structure is I find very much "just" a set of
variations, for example. But Beethoven's gift for sound and tone makes
these mere variations sparkle with invention. He is like Brahms, a genius in
the variation. Brahms' Fourth Symphony's last movement is virtually a study in
this, yet, like Beethoven before him, the variation is only incidental to
the overall "programme", or direction of the piece. The movement in the end
never fails to reflect the adventurous spirit of Beethoven.
Do John Lill and Walter Weller live up to this spirit? In spirit of
performance, they are on the whole not really adventurous. In the first
movements, for example, though they are in themselves very different.
Perhaps I could generalize a little: Walter Weller's shaping of the works is
not as accurate as that of Lill's -- he manages to make the orchestral tuttis
sound rather un-spirited sometimes. The City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra (CBSO)
is not in top form unfortunately, away from their usual conductor (Sir Simon
Rattle, who is by the way leaving the CBSO), they don't seem to play just as
well. Sharpness is lacking, for example, and ensemble though finer than
most, could be bettered.
Lill has a nice tone and his virtuosity cannot be
doubted, though there is a part in the "Emperor" which I though could have
warranted a retake -- Lill's playing sounds a little clumsy. Overall Lill
tends to have a more heroic conception of the last three concertos,
especially in the first and last movements. Beyond that, I rarely had
the feel that the conductor and the soloist were one in conception of the
work.
I find that the most satisfactory is in fact the Third. This is
played well indeed, and is one of the rare chances where the soloist and
conductor really seemed to cooperate. The "Emperor", though not without its
faults, is on the whole very well taken -- Lill's own brand of athleticism
shows up here, to great effect. He could afford to be more Romantic, though.
The First and Second Concertos, often overlooked in concert halls due to
their less memorable tunes and their lesser degree of maturity, are
performed in a more understated manner, though again I find that the
conductor gets somewhat in the way. These concertos are less demanding
where ensemble is concerned, and fare rather better where the pianist is
also the conductor. Not the most special playing here.
John
Lill doesn't lack experience in these works, on the contrary this is
probably the third time he's recording these. However, for a Tchaikovsky
First Prize winner I find his playing a little lacking in spontaneity. He
does a fine job with the middle movements, though again, for me, the tone of
the piano gets in the way of things.
When Beethoven composed, in between the "serious" works -- the symphonies,
the sonatas, the concertos, he would also compose Bagatelles, or literally,
"jokes". These are little short solo piano works that include, for example,
the famous Für Elise, to an unknown lady whom Beethoven had admired.
While
the complete Piano Concertos and Bagatelles have been recorded many times over, this is probably the first time that they are
being presented together in a set. The Bagatelles show a different side of
Beethoven's psyche, and it is good to have them played so well here. Again,
I wish for a little more daring, but I am grateful that Lill does not try
to overplay these works. He's more an "un-interventionist" [Oh dear! The Editor disclaims all responsiblity for this word - Ed.], I guess -- his
interpretation doesn't get in the way between the listener and the music.
All in all, I find that Lill has pretty good musicianship and his musicality
is undoubtable. A pity though, that the sound is what it is -- to my ears
not the most satisfactory. A worthy listen, though, for that Third
concerto, and also the Bagatelles. A rewarding set, in its own way, though
it in no way displaces the many sainted recommendations -- Fleisher/Szell (Sony Essential Classics, et
al for the last three concertos.
The Choral Fantasy, unfortunately not included in this set as it is in some,
contains a myriad of ideas that are later found in the Violin Concerto, the
Piano Concerti and the Triple Concerto. The Fantasy was never my favourite;
in hindsight, now, I find it a little like a compendium of Beethoven
concertos, if you get what I mean, and one of the most quirky and loveable
for that. Seeds of all the other concertos are found in this single
one-movement piece. What specifically?
Perhaps I generalize again, but overall I don't find the sound very
satisfying at all. The piano that John Lill uses doesn't have the most
pleasant quality available -- in fact I find it rather lacking in colour and
it has a rather harsh tone. Each man to his own I guess. The strings lack
body, something I find in some recordings on the Snape label; and the Orchestra is on the
whole rather recessed. The piano is much too forward for my liking.
|
Beethoven
Joy, Bright spark of Divinity |
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The Beethoven Mystique 9 Symphonies (Karajan 1963) 9 Symphonies (Wand) 9 Symphonies (Hanover Band) 9 Symphonies (Zinman) Piano Variations (Frith) Piano Variations (Scherbakov) Piano Concerti (Lill) Piano Concerti Nos.1 & 2 (Uchida) Violin Concerto (Menuhin) Violin Concerto (Milstein) Cello Sonatas (Wispelwey) |
Derek Lim has no problem reaching for the B section either......
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228: 28.6.98. up.14.10.98
Readers' Comments
From: Simon Ashurst (sashurst@chandos-records.com / Tuesday, October 13, 1998 at 22:27:03)
As a Chandos employee I must inform you of one blaring mistake. The Beethoven boxed set by John Lill is not in the Collect Series and therefore should not be mid price. [The mistake has been corrected. - Ed.]