Frederic Chopin(1810-1849)
The Four Scherzi
Chopin composed four Scherzi ranging from Opus 20 to Opus 54. They tend
to be explosive works in the usual ABA sequence. First and last sections
are analogous and provide the fast and demonstrative music; the contrasting
middle sections are generally slower and exude a tender demeanor.
The Scherzo, as part of a larger work, was perfected by Beethoven.
Chopin's innovation was to present the Scherzo as its own separate piece
of music, very rich in emotional themes and complete in construction.
I have 15 versions of the Four Scherzi to review:
Claudio Arrau........Philips 468391(1984)
Vladimir Ashkenazy...Decca 466499(1967)
Vladimir Ashkenazy...Decca 460991(late 1970's)
Emanuel Ax...........Sony 44544(1987)
Idil Biret...........Naxos 8.550362(1990/91)
Nikolai Demidenko....Hyperion 66514(1989/90)
Anna Gourari.........Koch Schwann 31430(2001)
Adam Harasiewicz.....Philips 464025(1958/60)
Ivan Moravec.........Dorian 90140(1989)
Mikhail Pletnev......Deutsche Grammophon 471157(2000)
Maurizio Pollini.....Deutsche Grammophon 431623(1990)
Arthur Rubinstein....RCA 63006(1932)
Arthur Rubinstein....RCA 63026(1949)
Arthur Rubinstein....RCA 63045(1959)
Tamas Vasary.........Deutsche Grammophon 469350(1963)
There are a few administrative matters to relate. The Arrau performance
is part of a 7-cd set devoted to Arrau's Chopin recordings. I believe it
is the only current way to obtain his Scherzos unless you happen to find
the initial Philips issue on #412610.
Although the Ashkenazy/Chopin recordings from the 1970's and 80's are his
well-known ones, he did record Chopin earlier in his career as evidenced
by this 1967 recording of the Scherzi coupled with the 1964 Ballades.
Anna Gourari is a young and fetching pianist whose recordings for Koch
Schwann have met very mixed reviews. The Moravec Scherzi disc is likely
not in print currently; I picked it up on the used market. The Pletnev
performance is from a Carnegie Hall recital, and Rubinstein offers us three
different versions from three different decades of his life.
Scherzo No. 1 in B minor, Opus 20 - Referred to by the publisher Wessel
as "the infernal banquet", the B minor has opening thunderclaps and strong
dissonance at the conclusion; the B major middle section, based on an old
Polish Christmas carol, is heart-felt music to savor and contemplate. This
work, composed in 1831, is quite youthful and has an angry/vicious element
perhaps owing to the demise of the Polish Rebellion of that period.
Arrau's is a role-model performance. One thing that always impresses me
about Arrau is how well he integrates contrasting themes seamlessly with
his tremdendous hands. So it is with the B minor Scherzo. He's abrupt
and poetic at the same time, taking me from ferocious battles to extreme
melancholy; the blend of power and poetry is stunning. Although a very
slow version at the 11-minute mark, most of the reason comes from the
second section where Arrau gives a scrumptuous reading for the listener
to cherish. This version is definitely a 'keeper'.
Not quite a 'keeper' is the interpretation from Anna Gourari. I will say
that she's certainly abrupt, impetuous, and powerful in the first section.
What's lacking is much recognition of the music's beauty; all priority is
placed on upheaval, detail is blurred, the voices integrate poorly, and the
spacing can be unattractive. If there was enhanced excitement, all could
be forgiven. However, she doesn't provide the excitement or fine detail
which comes from Arrau. In the second section, Gourari redeems herself
with a hushed and lovely performance in the dream-like category and just
as rewarding as Arrau.
Gourari could take a few lessons from Mikhail Pletnev. He's just as fast
as she is but always gives us the glorious details and spontaneous changing
of moods of the music in a naturally flowing manner. His second section is
a gorgeous creation enhanced by such effective articulation, inflections,
and slightly altered rhythm I find infectious. The last ferocious minute
caps off a commanding interpretation I actually prefer to Arrau's.
Tamas Vasary sounds earth-bound compared to Pletnev. His first section
never penetrates me, although the second has a nice tenderness to it mixed
with nostalgia. I suppose it's a fine mainstream performance, but special
properties are not evident. Personally, I consider it faceless and would
rather go with Gourari whose second section is sublime.
Biret surprises me with her 'slash and burn' first section, sounding
like one 'pissed-off' pianist. The problem is that a natural lyricism is
largely missing; it's brutality at the expense of poetry. A version such
as Pletnev's supplies the upheaval at no cost to lyricism. Biret's second
section is a warm and affectionate winner, and her overall reading of the
B minor is at Gourari's level.
Demidenko isn't as choppy as Gourari in the first section, but he
often sounds rushed, provides little detail, and also loses track of
Chopin's poetry; his second section is charming but less emotionally rich
than Gourari's. I'll place his version on the lower rung with Vasary's.
Emanuel Ax also can be found at this level with some very weak accenting
which greatly dampens the first section's impact; also, his tender passages
have little to offer but ineffectual inflections. Concerning Ax's second
section, I've heard many versions with more heart than his.
Ivan Moravec supplies a highly concentrated reading of the first
section; it is powerful and loaded with tension and high drama. Add in a
beautifully flowing and emotionally deep second section, and the result is
a performance at Arrau's high standard. Both make Demidenko, Ax, and
Vasary sound inadequate to the task.
Pollini is quick-silver in the first section and very dramatic with fine
tension; however, I don't get the feeling that Pollini is really inside the
intensive angst of the section. Further, he can't hold a candle to Moravec
concerning the second section's poignancy. Although a decent effort, I
expected deeper feelings from Pollini.
My expectations from Harasiewicz were not high, but his first section just
about blew me away. He's fast but excellently detailed, and the strength
of his resolve is very impressive; this is a commanding version of the
section with the maximum degree of angst that the music can well absorb.
The second section is also exceptional with great nuances and a haunting
interplay among voices. Harasiewicz goes to the top with Pletnev.
This is a good time to trot out the three Rubinstein efforts. The 1932
version is the fastest, and I find the first section too fast to even
recognize each note. It does have quite a strong momentum, but nothing
else about Rubinstein's first section is impressive. However, you won't
find a quicker second section than Rubinstein in '32', and he still manages
to impart a deep emotional tie-in to Chopin. This is performance I'll be
listening to in the future, but only for the second section.
Rubinstein, in his '49' performance, displays greater command of the
architecture and is certainly superior as to sound quality. The vitality
of the first section can't be beat, and details are in abundance. At the
same time, I'm not enthralled with the second section which is more
romantic and insistent than the '32' reading.
Rubinstein's tempo slows down considerably in his '59' recording, although
it is still quicker than the norm. The first section is along the lines of
the '32' version in that poetry is sacrificed. Rubinstein's third try at
the second section is no better than his second attempt. None of these
Rubinstein performances exactly hits the spot, and I feel that the '59'
version has the negative distinction of possessing the least appealing
characteristics of the other two.
That leaves the two Ashkenazy versions which don't reach any heights,
although there is quite a difference between the two performances. First,
the earlier recording doesn't have the crispness and clarity of the latter.
Second, Ashkenazy's first section is more bold and demonstrative in the
'70's performance; the '67' has slack periods and attacks which are
relatively weak. One thing in common is that both second sections would
have benfited from greater expressiveness and a slower tempo.
Summary for the B minor Scherzo:
Outstanding - Pletnev and Harasiewicz.
Exceptional - Moravec and Arrau.
Recommended - Gourari, Biret, Ashkenazy '70s' and Rubinstein('32'&'49').
Take a Pass - Vasary, Pollini, Demidenko, Ax, Ashkenazy '67' and Rubinstein
'59'.
Don Satz
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