Customer Reviews

Ginastera: Variaciones concertantes

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This CD has been one of my favorites ever since it came out in 1994. It features bang-up performances of two 'light' piano concertos which unaccountably are rarely played in concert series. The classic referred to in the title is the 'Variaciones Concertantes' by Albert Ginastera (1916-1983). Santiago Rodriguez is a fabulous pianist, a silver medal winner in the 1981 Van Cliburn Competition and whom I heard play many times when he was teaching in my part of the country. I've never understood why has not had the career of a major virtuoso. He has made one of my favorite recordings of the Rachmaninov Third Piano Concerto with a Bulgarian orchestra also on this label; in fact, the Élan label was, if I'm not mistaken, started by Rodriguez himself. At any rate, his performances of these two current concerti are marked by, no pun intended, élan and brio, which is precisely what they require.

The Concerto in G by Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco (1895-1968) is his second concerto. In the usual three movements, it is filled with marvelous tunes, exciting fingerwork in the outer movements, and the middle movement is a melting love-song that is aptly subtitled 'all romanza.' There are Italianate melodic contours throughout, although they are, as often with this composer, tinged with Spanish inflections.

Carlos Surinach (1915-1997) was a Catalan trained in Barcelona and Germany. His 'Concertino for Piano, Strings and Cymbals' (how's that for an odd instumentation?; several types of cymbals are used, giving the piece an exotic flavor) is a three-movement, 16-minute work which sometimes reminds me of Falla's 'Nights in the Gardens of Spain.' All the Spanish melodic and rhythmic turns are there, as well as the faintly Moorish tinge from the cymbals and occasional melismatic turns of melody. This piece does not aim for a big splash, but rather does what it sets out to do, entertain and intrigue with its neoclassic, Stravinskian effects.

Alberto Ginastera (1916-1983) was undoubtedly Argentina's most famous composer of the modern era, and with good reason. 'Variaciones Concertantes' is a 25-minute set of variations on a subtle and memorable theme initially played tenderly by harp and cello. We get the expected Argentinean rhythms and melodies, but as reflected through the prism of Ginastera's mastery of modern orchestral technique. There is a violin mini-concerto in the 'variazione in modo di Moto perpetuo.' Although a completely tonal work, there are nonetheless moments of harmonic indecision that somehow give this 1953 work an enduring modern sheen. It has, of course, become a staple in the orchestral repertoire. It must be said that the Richmond Sinfonia does a first-rate job; their performance is entirely comparable to recordings of the piece by the London Symphony and the Royal Philharmonic. The conductor in all three pieces is George Manahan. He has since this recording become music director of the New York City Opera, after having conducted its touring company for several years; he is a first-rate musician.

Recommended.

Scott Morrison