Robert Fuchs (1846-1927)
Piano Concerto in B flat minor, Op. 27 (1879/80 - 40:37)
Serenade No. 5 in D major, Op. 53 (1895 - 22:04)
Franz Vorraber, piano
Luxembourg Philharmonic Orchestra
Alun Francis, conductor
Recorded Villa Louvigny, Luxembourg, June 2003
CPO 999 893-2 [62:56]

Composer: Robert Fuchs was an avid follower and friend of Johannes
Brahms who mentored his younger colleague and enthusiastically promoted
his music.  By having a treasured position in the 'Brahms Circle', Fuchs
attained a huge reputation as a romantic-era composer.  However, all
things must end, and the death of Brahms ushered in the demise of Fuchs'
popularity.  Not helping the situation was the fact that Fuchs did not
alter his compositional style as time progressed and specifically did
not adapt to the innovations made by Gustav Mahler.  Essentially, all
of Fuchs' music was melodic and well constructed, although thoroughly
derivative and generally not of great depth.

Program: The Piano Concerto in B flat minor is about the best music I've
heard from Fuchs.  It has incisive angst, particularly in the 1st Movement,
which gives it an emotional breadth no usually found in his music.  The
Serenade No. 5 honors the 50th anniversary of the musical career of
Johann Strauss and is a much gentler work than the Piano Concerto.

Performances: The Piano Concerto competes with just one other recording
- Martyn Brabbins conducting the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra with
Martin Roscoe on piano. Brabbins is quicker throughout and more lithe
than Francis; also, Roscoe has a silky suppleness not possessed by
Vorraber.  However, the relatively heavy Francis and craggy Vorraber
offer a viable alternative, and I find little difference in enjoyment
between the two performances.  The Serenade receives a fine reading
from Francis and the Luxembourg Orchestra who have an unerring sense
of the music's flow and dance requirements.

Sound Quality: Not much to say here.  I am neither impressed nor
disappointed with the soundstage.

Don's Conclusions: I strongly recommend the Fuchs Piano Concerto, and both
the Hyperion and CPO versions 'deliver the goods'.  The Hyperion coupling
is the Piano Concerto of Friedrich Kiel that is about on the same level of
inspiration as the Fuchs Serenade No. 5.  You really can't go wrong here,
so pick one of these two fine recordings and enjoy.

Don Satz
[log in to unmask]