August 27, 2018

  • Virtuosic Khachturian from Stepan Simonian

     

    Khachaturian: Piano Concerto; Concerto Rhapsody
    Stepan Simonian, piano.
    Rhenish Philharmonic State Orchestra/Daniel Raiskin
    CPO 777 918
    Total Time:  54:57
    Recording:   ****/****
    Performance: ****/****

    Aram Khachaturian’s (1903-1978) music was quite popular throughout the third quarter of the 20th Century.  His ballet Gayane (1942)  tends to be the most well-known with the suites, or selections thereof still being crowd pleasers, along with music from Spartacus (1950-54) .  His larger-scale works though have much to offer as well with their blend of Armenian folk influences couched in modern romantic dress.  One can hear this well in the work on this release, the Piano Concerto in Db (1936).

    The three-movement concerto might best be described as a sort of Rachmaninoff-Prokofiev hybrid infused with Armenian references.  Of course, while the melodies may seem “authentic” they are mostly of Khachaturian’s own invention.  The opening movement, in a general sonata form structure, features a secondary thematic idea that feels quite folkish in nature.  There is also an extensive virtuosic solo section that moves us into a powerful coda reiterating the opening melody.  The central “Andante” is notable for its sinuous bass clarinet solo at the opening which is then explored more by the piano.  The music takes on more exotic flavor coupled with a good sense of Russian dramaticism.  The piano is equally seductive here as the movement progresses.  The finale is notable for its grandiosity which includes a great demanding virtuoso cadenza before music from the first movement returns to finish things off.

    The  concerto was performed in Boston by William Kapell in 1943 which essentially launched the composer’s popularity in the US.  The BSO and Kappell subsequently recorded the work which is still available in the catalogue among several other fine versions.  Add to that this intense and dramatic one by an orchestra that notably performed this work with the composer in its own history.  Stepan Simonian’s technique is never questionable here.  The big cadenzas are really quite engaging bravura moments in the work.  The Rhenish orchestra also matches this virtuosic ability with an engaging interpretation helmed by Daniel Raiskin.  Orchestral textures are clear which allows you to hear some of Khachaturian’s wonderful color.  Next to Alicia de La Roccha’s Decca recording this one becomes the modern version to beat.

    The other work here is the Concert Rhapsody for Piano and Orchestra from 1965.  The piece was composed for the recent Van Cliburn Silver Medalist, Nikolai Petrov.  It opens with an intense modernist solo that has a rather vicious and angry edge.  This more intense, dissonant quality winds its way through the work lending it a quite stark feel far from the lyrical romanticism of the composer’s more familiar works.  One might connect it with the modern Socialist Realism of the Soviet Union, but this may be a stretch.  It is a piece of quite modern music reaching to the edges of tonality without becoming completely atonal.  There are Shostakovich-like flares of dissonance and orchestral writing that also appear in this interesting work with even some jazzy inflections.  It is as if Khachaturian is looking backward through a distorted filter with mixtures of rage and melancholy.  Again, Simonian makes a great case for this piece in an intense and engaging performance.

    Naxos issued a similar repertoire pairing featuring Oxana Yablonskaya a couple decades ago that is still respectable.  Simonian’s performance timings are fairly close in the concerto with the second movement being brisker.  He also has a brisker interpretation for the accompanying rhapsody which also gives him a slight edge.  He is a noted interpreter of Bach, and this maybe one reason why his performance has this clear, crisp contours.   If you are exploring Khachaturian’s concert music, this is a good way to start giving the listener hints at his popular early style and later developments.  The accompanying booklet essay is an exercise of focus as it is often hard to follow, most likely losing something in translation.  It does an overall good job of exploring Khachaturian as a composer but the discussion of the music itself tends to get lost.  Musical examples are included and there are good photos as well.  Some headers in the booklet might have helped focus the information better.  Otherwise a stellar addition to the Khachaturian discography!