Notes and Editorial Reviews
MONTSALVATGE
Poema concertante.
1
5 canciones negras.
2
Danzas concertantes:
A la española.
Concerto breve
3
•
1
Rachel Barton Pine (vn);
2
Lucia Ducho?ová (ms);
3
Jenny Lin (pn); Celso Antunes, cond; NDR RPO
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•
HÄNSSLER 98.642 (54:37)
These wonderful pieces by Montsalvatge are given sparkling performances on this disc by a variety of outstanding interpreters. Moreover, it’s heartening to see yet another Rachel Barton Pine disc on a label other than Çedille, excellent though her output for them may be. Perhaps this will expand her European reputation; certainly, her piquant, charming, and heartfelt performance of the
Poema concertante
is superb, with plangent legato phrasing that simply sings and soars. ArkivMusic indicates that this is its only currently available recording.
In the
Canciones negras,
conversely, mezzo Lucia DuchoÀová has some very celebrated competition: Victoria de los Angeles and conductor Rafael Frühbeck de Burgos (EMI 69502), Teresa Berganza with pianist Felix Lavilla (DG 435848), and Montserrat Caballé and pianist Alexis Weissenberg (EMI 67681, a special reissue available only at ArkivMusic). Yet except for the famous “Canción de cuna,” a de los Angeles and Caballé specialty (I should also add here, a Kathleen Battle specialty), DuchoÀová holds her own with them, and that is saying much. Our conductor, Brazilian-born Celso Antunes, does a fine job in all of this music, but especially shines in “A la española” from the
Tres danzas concertantes
and the
Concerto
(or
Concierto
)
Breve.
In the latter work there is also some famous competition, from Alicia de Larrocha with conductor Frühbeck de Burgos on Decca Eloquence 4762971. However, the duo of Jenny Lin and Antunes does an equally fine job, the pianist playing with an incisive attack that Larrocha only occasionally displays, and equaling Larrocha in the lighter, more playful passages.
In the end, your decision to acquire this CD may come down to two things, whether or not you already have other performances of the
Canciones
and the concerto, or whether or not you feel the need to acquire the
Poema concertante.
(Of course, a third factor may be if you are a fan of either pianist Lin or violinist Barton Pine.) As for me, this disc is a keeper, if not necessarily a desert-island disc, simply because of the high performance level exhibited throughout and my enjoyment of Lin’s and Barton Pine’s playing.
FANFARE: Lynn René Bayley
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Works on This Recording
1.
Poema concertante for Violin and Orchestra by Xavier Montsalvatge
Performer:
Rachel Barton Pine (Violin)
Conductor:
Celso Antunes
Orchestra/Ensemble:
North German Radio Philharmonic Orchestra
Period: 20th Century
Written: 1951
2.
Canciones negras (5) by Xavier Montsalvatge
Performer:
Lucia Duchonova (Mezzo Soprano)
Conductor:
Celso Antunes
Orchestra/Ensemble:
North German Radio Philharmonic Orchestra
Period: 20th Century
Written: 1945; Spain
3.
Dances Concertants (3): A l'espanyola by Xavier Montsalvatge
Conductor:
Celso Antunes
Orchestra/Ensemble:
North German Radio Philharmonic Orchestra
Period: 20th Century
Written: 1960; Spain
4.
Concierto breve by Xavier Montsalvatge
Performer:
Jenny Lin (Piano)
Conductor:
Celso Antunes
Orchestra/Ensemble:
North German Radio Philharmonic Orchestra
Period: 20th Century
Written: 1953; Spain
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