This album will be released on June 4th, 2021
Schiff’s latest album is the first to have Brahms’s both Piano Concertos played on period instruments. (MD&G released a recording of the d-minor Concerto, played by Hardy Rittner and l’arte del mondo under Werner Ehrhardt, about a decade ago.) Schiff serves as both pianist and conductor, making him the second pianist to record the Concertos this way; Lars Vogt’s recordings with the Northern Sinfonia on Ondine were the first. I reviewed his recording of the second Concerto and felt the lack of a conductor impaired a generally excellent reading of the work (reviewed here).
Listeners probably come to this recording supposing a chamber music-like atmosphere, and there are many such moments in both Concertos. Indeed, the B-flat Concerto’s slow movement opens with a rarified atmosphere of rapt introspection, the cello solo played with a fragile beauty. And listen to how the lower strings change their articulation and color (CD2, track 3, 5’16”) to usher in a more circumspect mood for the dialogue between piano and clarinets.
Yet the sheer ferocity and weightiness of the first Concerto’s opening orchestral introduction signals these are ripely romantic performances. The string section (10.8.7.7.4) play with an enviable richness and agility, their tone never seeming undernourished. Balance between strings and winds is excellent, as is the balance between the orchestra and piano. The wind playing is always assured and distinctive, the OAE horn and clarinet players clearly relishing Brahm’s delectable writing. Schiff’s piano, built by the Leipzig firm Julius Blüthner in 1859, has a velvety richness and evenness of tone throughout the instrument’s register that suits this music perfectly. ECM’s recording captures just the right amount of room ambiance that allows every strand of Brahms’ dense writing to be clearly registered.
Related Classical Music Reviews
- Review: Brahms – Clarinet Sonatas – Jörg Widmann, András Schiff
- Review: Brahms Complete Symphonies – Berlin staatskapelle, Daniel Barenboim
- Review: Brahms – Piano Concerto No. 1 – Moog, Deutsche Radio Philharmonie, Milton
Schiff is an artist at the height of his powers. Always intensely musical, his rubato and phrasing are perfectly judged and entirely natural. His dispatches the second Concerto’s difficult opening cadenza with deceptive ease and draws out a wide range of colors from his instrument in both Concertos. Listen to the breathtakingly delicate color he summons in the first Concerto’s slow movement (3’02”).
His leadership of the orchestra is equally impressive. Orchestra-only passages reveal the same level of care and concern over shaping, phrasing, and color heard in the piano part. The music’s ebb and flow is masterfully managed, each section flowing into the next with an organic inevitability. While listening it is hard to imagine the music could be performed in any other way, such is the rightness of the interpretations.
The Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment plays with great sensitivity and charismatic finesse. Any concerns one might have that period instruments cannot match the beauty of their modern counterparts is disproven here. While the sound of the winds is more heterogenous than what we would hear from a modern orchestra, those varied hues only highlight Brahms’ masterful orchestration. Schiff and the orchestra are of one mind, producing fresh, unmannered, and oft times spellbinding beauty. Schiff recorded the d-minor with the Vienna Philharmonic and Solti for Decca in 1988-89. That reading is lyrical and beautifully played, but this newc performance is even more persuasive, Schiff connecting to the spirit and emotion of these Concertos in a way that only comes after spending decades exploring this music.
ECM’s ancillary materials are exceptional. Schiff writes an introductory note that describes his lifelong passion for Brahms and why he chose to record these Concertos with original instruments. He praises the OAE players, thankful for their close collaborative relationship. Peter Gülke then provides an erudite discussion of the two works. The only negative is that it appears this 2-CD set will sell at full price, making one wish each disc would include more of Schiff’s inspired music making. But that is mere nit-picking in the face of such impressive music making. These are performances that enrich our understanding and love for these masterpieces. Urgently recommended.
Brahms – Piano Concertos No. 1, Op. 15, No. 2, Op. 83
András Schiff – Piano and Conductor
Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment
ECM New Series, 2 CDs No. 4855770
Brahms – Piano Concertos – Recommended Recordings
Read more classical music reviews or visit The Classic Review Amazon store
Follow Us and Comment:
Get our periodic classical music newsletter with our recent reviews, news and beginners guides.
We respect your privacy.
