Tim Mahon wrote:
>Tall Poppies TP081 (1996 release)
>Alkan: Symphonie, Op. 39, Nos. 4-7
> La chanson de la folle au bord de la mer, Op. 31, No. 8
>Magnard: Promenades, Op. 7
>Stephanie McCallum, piano
I waited to respond to this post until after I heard the McCallum CD. I
ordered it and have listened to it several times. I have not yet really
listened to the Magnard.
My first feeling was one of relief - relief that this CD was easier to
listen to than her Op. 35 Alkan Etudes. That recording is so loud and
harsh that it is actually tiring to listen to. This CD of the Symphonie
shows much more dynamic range in her playing. She also seems to have
combed her hair for this booklet cover photo. An improvement all around.
I have often felt that reviewers were choosing their words very carefully
when it came to commenting on Alkan recordings. Any release at all was a
signal to celebrate. I think that we are now past that point and reviewers
of late have been more prone to speak in other than glowing terms about
performances that were somehow lacking.
The Symphonie happens to be my favorite of all of Alkan's solo piano works
for some reason, and Le Festin d'Esope is my least favorite. I have the
other 5 versions of the Symphonie by Ponti, Lewenthal, Gibbons, Ringeissen
and Smith. I think that these are all that have been recorded except for
the elusive John Paul Bracey LP from the '60's. Who the heck is he
anyway?? I hereby offer a FREE visit to my Alkan Web Page to anyone who
can find him. Actually, it's free anyway, but I now have a counter so that
I can tell how many hits I am NOT getting.
I was going to say which version of the Symphonie is my favorite, but
on listening to each one again while preparing this post, I find that I
really don't have a clear favorite. The Ponti version was the first that
I bought, and it was on vinyl. Its CD incarnation is a little harsh in
spots, but the interpretation is very good. Lewenthal is quite acerbic -
to use one of his favorite adjectives, and plays very fast. The BMG High
Performance CD is a great improvement over the LP that I paid a small
fortune for years ago. It seems smoother and warmer. You can't beat this
performance!! Gibbons plays quite lushly and Ringeissen should have his
head examined. He plays these 4 Etudes so slowly that I am surprised that
they fit on a single CD. What was he thinking? He can certainly play fast
- he practically owns the Scherzo Diabolico, and listen to his Op. 35
Etudes.
McCallum is more like Ronald Smith, but that in not too surprising since
she studied with him. I don't hear anything in her reading that makes
it stand out above the others except for a few well-placed and effective
rubatos. Alkan probably would not have approved, but I thought they
contributed to the performance. Somehow, she seems to barely miss the
rhythmic drive that both Ponti and Lewenthal have that makes this music
sound really orchestral. Her Marche Funebre is faster than Smith's and
she varies her dynamic range more than some of the other pianists, or at
least I noticed it more. Maybe that is the key here. There are more
things that I *notice* with McCallum than with the others. I am more aware
of her rubato, her dimuendos and other methods of expression that say, with
Lewenthal. Not necessarily a bad thing, but they seem a little calculated
and less a spontaneous outgrowth of the music.
What a wonderful situation we now have!! There are 6, yes six, versions
of these 4 Etudes - ALL available on CD's and all with very good sound.
For a pianist to even want to play these pieces AND to actually be able
to get through them up to speed almost guarantees that that there will be
something of value in each recording. The only good solution is to have
all the versions and listen to them as often as possible.
Where are you Marc-Andre Hamelin? - we are waiting.
Joel Hill
Tallahassee, FL - USA
ALKAN Web Page: http://www.nettally.com/joelhill/alkan
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