ANTONIN DVORAK (1841–1904)

 

Concerto for Piano & Orchestra

Op. 33 (B 63) (1876)*

in G minor

I           Allegro agitato – Poco tranquillo – Tempo I – Poco tranquillo – Tempo I

II          Andante sostenuto

III        Finale. Allegro con fuoco – Poco sostenuto – Tempo I

 

Concerto for Violin & Orchestra

Op. 53 (B 96) (1879, revised 1882)†

in A minor

I           Allegro ma non troppo – Poco meno mosso – Quasi moderato

II          Adagio ma non troppo – Poco più mosso – Tempo I – Più mosso – Un poco tranquillo, quasi tempo I

III        Finale. Allegro giocoso, ma non troppo – L’istesso tempo – Tempo I – L’istesso tempo – Tempo I

 

James Ehnes - violin†

Rustem Hayroudinoff - piano*

 

Yuri Torchinsky - leader

BBC Philharmonic/ Gianandrea Noseda

 

When Gianandrea Noseda was appointed Chief Conductor of the BBC Philharmonic, great things were expected – the reputation of this young

conductor preceded him.  What was less expected was the diversity of repertoire that he would conduct, with equal success. His releases for

Chandos, from Prokofiev to Dallapiccola, routinely pick up accolades from the critics. This disc features two of Dvorák’s neglected concertos,

performed with great élan by soloists James Ehnes and Rustem Hayroudinoff. Both works have been overshadowed by Dvorák’s more popular Cello Concerto in B minor, but, as is apparent from this recording, both are delightful pieces, full of Slavic colour and folk rhythms, and characteristic of Dvorák at his best.

 

The shapely orchestral phrasing at the start of the Piano Concerto immediately indicates that this is going to be no mere vehicle for solo display. Gianandrea Noseda has a refined ear for the sonorities of Dvorák's scoring, and they play a key role in this performance, as they should.

The Piano Concerto has never had the same popularity as some other Dvorák works, but Rustem Hayroudinoff is a persuasive exponent of its grandeur, its rhythmic thrust and the passages of delicacy and decoration that establish an exciting dialogue with the orchestra.

The Violin Concerto features the exceptionally musical James Ehnes as soloist in a performance that captures the work's combination of brio and voluptuous passion.

Again, Noseda harnesses the BBC Philharmonic for a resolute statement of the concerto's intent, and he continues in the same positive, sensitive vein by illuminating the orchestral timbres that lend the score such vibrancy. Last year's anniversary led to quite a few new Dvorák discs, but this attractive coupling merits special attention.

Geoffrey Norris, Telegraph

 

Chandos CHAN10309