Customer Reviews

Joseph Jongen: The Complete Piano Works, Vol. 2

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Although there have been a few single-disc surveys from other pianists, Diane Andersen's series for PAVANE remains the only complete recording of Joseph Jongen's piano music. Jongen was the pre-eminent Belgian composer of his time (the early 20th century until 1953), and I find his refined yet luxuriously sensual art a lasting source of fascination and enchantment.

Vol.2 has been easily available for a long time, but for years, PAVANE inexplicably has kept Vol.1 as scarce as the proverbial poultry's denticles (I was lucky enough to find a Vol.1 about four years ago on AMAZON a few months after I bought Vol.2, but since then I've seen only two other copies for sale). This state of affairs has probably deterred many potential buyers from investigating Vol.2. This is unfortunate--the works in Vol.2 are every bit as important as those in Vol.1, many of them remaining the only recordings. Further, Vol.2 consists of three very generously filled discs, whereas Vol.1 was only two.

For example, among the important works in Vol.2 are: the Toccata; the two Ballades (both fairly late works, both masterpieces of harmonic ingenuity, full of inventive and grateful pianistic figuration, especially No.2), the three Concert Études, 13 Préludes (a collection of rapidly-changing moods, most less than 3 minutes, each a distillation of their evocative titles of just a word or two--Inquiètude, Nostalgique, Eau tranquille, Appassionato), and 10 Pieces, Op.96. The third CD is filled out with Jongen's delightful works for piano four hands, where Ms. Andersen is joined by composer/pianist André de Groote.

Much of this music represents Jongen's mature style, wherein he has assimilated many influences of the music of his time and before. Franck is present in the chromaticism of some of the melodies and the cyclic devices. Debussy's harmonic innovations are acknowledged in passages of parallel chords and whole-tone scales. Often, the metallic glint of Ravel is to the fore, but the sharp edges are softened with the meandering modal harmonic progressions of Fauré (although Jongen is usually more extrovert than Fauré). There is even the occasional whiff of Scriabin. This not to say that Jongen does not have his own style (the case of the first movement of his "Sonatine" in Vol.1, being too obviously modeled on Ravel's, is a RARE example of misjudgement--we all have our idols). I merely describe Jongen in reference to other composers to give the reader some idea of what to expect.

As in her recordings of Jongen's chamber works, Belgian pianist Diane Andersen plays with complete sympathy and understanding of Jongen's idiom, and the sort of technical fluency that belies difficulty (Jongen was an accomplished organist and pianist). Andersen understands that even in his most flamboyant moments, Jongen writes humanly-felt music, not soulless display. It is true that the sound is a little bright, but that's what the treble control is for.

It would be a shame to deprive oneself of so much voluptuous yet strongly-structured music simply because Vol.1 is hard to find. Besides, as we collectors know, the hunt is half the fun, and, in this case well worth it. In the meantime, although Gary Stegall's Jongen recital Jongen: Piano Music duplicates 7 of the Préludes and the "Sarabande triste", at least one can hear the "Sonatine", "Claire de lune", and "Soleil à midi". Recommended to fans of Ravel, Fauré, Debussy, D'Indy, Dukas and the impressionists.