Sergei Prokofiev Piano Concertos 2 & 5
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Sergei ProKofieV Piano Concertos 2 & 5 Vadym Kholodenko Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra Miguel HartH-Bedoya 1 PROKOFIEV Piano Concertos 2 & 5 / Vadym Kholodenko / Fort Worth SO / Miguel Harth-Bedoya HMU 807631 © harmonia mundi Piano Concerto No. 2 in g minor, opus 16 (1913) Piano Concerto No. 5 in g major, opus 55 (1932) SERGEI PROKOFIEV (1891-1953) Prokofiev composed his Second Piano Concerto during the winter of Prokofiev completed his Fifth (and last) Piano Concerto in 1932. Piano Concerto No. 2 in g minor, opus 16 (1913) [33’26] 1912-1913 and dedicated the work to the memory of his dear friend, Max Prokofiev was again the soloist in the Concerto’s premiere, which took Schmidthof, who committed suicide in April of 1913. Prokofiev was the place in Berlin on October 31, 1932. The legendary German conductor, 1 I. Andantino; Allegretto 12’11 soloist in the Concerto’s September 5, 1913 premiere, which took place in Wilhelm Furtwängler, led the Berlin Philharmonic. 2 II. Scherzo. Vivace 2’43 Pavlovsk, a suburb of St. Petersburg. Prokofiev arrived in Berlin immediately before the Concerto’s 1913 was also the year in which Igor Stravinsky’s revolutionary premiere. Furtwängler (an accomplished composer in his own right) 3 III. Intermezzo. Allegro moderato 6’42 ballet, The Rite of Spring, stunned the music world, inspiring riots at its informed Prokofiev: “I have left one whole rehearsal for you. This is, of 4 IV. Finale. Allegro tempestoso 11’48 Paris premiere. Perhaps the reaction to the first performance of Prokofiev’s course, too little for such a difficult score, but each of us will try to work Second Piano Concerto was not quite as violent as that which occurred in as hard as possible.” Despite the abbreviated rehearsal time, the premiere Piano Concerto No. 5 in g major, opus 55 (1932) [23’30] Paris on May 29, 1913, but the Pavlovsk concert still remains one of the of the Fifth Piano Concerto was a success. 5 I. Allegro con brio 5’20 more infamous scandals in music history. An anonymous writer for the Prokofiev originally planned to title the work “Music for Piano “Petersburg Journal” described the scene: and Orchestra,” but later decided upon the traditional “Fifth Piano 6 II. Moderato ben accentuato 4’07 Concerto.” Prokofiev composed the Concerto during a period when, by 7 III. Toccata. Allegro con fuoco 1’56 A youth with the face of a high school student appears on stage. This his own admission, he was seeking a “new simplicity” in his music. But 8 IV. Larghetto 7’03 is Prokofiev. He sits down at the piano and starts either wiping off nine years after the premiere of the Piano Concerto No. 5, Prokofiev 9 V. Vivo 5’04 the keys or trying them out to see which ones produce a high or low wrote: sound. All this is done with a sharp, dry touch. The audience is uncertain. A few get upset. One couple rises and turns to the exit— The work turned out to be complicated, a fate that pursued me V adym Kholodenko piano “Music like that can drive you crazy!” Others leave their seats. The fatally in a number of opuses dating from that period. True, I young artist concludes his concerto with a mercilessly dissonant was searching for simplicity, but I was also afraid it would turn Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra combination of sounds from the brass. The scandal in the audience into refrains of old formulas, into an “old simplicity,” which serves Miguel HartH-Bedoya is now full-blown. The majority of them are hissing. Prokofiev bows little purpose in a composer looking for the new. In my search for impudently, and plays an encore. Exclamations resound all around: simplicity, I sought a “new simplicity,” but then it turned out this “The devil take this Futuristic music! We want to hear something new simplicity, with its new techniques and—most of all—its new pleasant! We can hear music like this from our cats at home.” intonations, was not perceived as simplicity at all. This recording was made possible through the Another group—the progressive critics—are in ecstasy: “It’s a work generous support of Mrs. Mercedes T. Bass of genius!” “How innovative!” “What spirit and originality!” Despite Prokofiev’s reservations about the Fifth Piano Concerto, he frequently programmed the work, both when he appeared as soloist, and The influential St. Petersburg critic Vyacheslav Karatygin observed: “The as conductor. It is true that performances of the Fifth Piano Concerto are audience booed. This means nothing. Some ten years hence the same comparatively rare. But in the care of a sympathetic pianist, conductor, audience will pay for this booing with unanimous applause for the then and orchestra, the Prokofiev Fifth Piano Concerto is a compelling and famous composer who will be recognized in all of Europe.” thrilling experience. In time, of course, Karatygin’s prophecy was fulfilled. When The Concerto is in five movements. The soloist immediately listening to this Concerto today, audiences may wonder what caused such presents the first movement’s Allegro( con brio) principal theme—an a vituperative response at the work’s premiere. What emerges instead is extended, wide-ranging melody, set in ¾ meter. In the second movement a work of tremendous dynamism, a superb challenge for the pianist’s (Moderato ben accentuato), a “tick-tock” figure in the winds and brass technical and interpretive abilities. It should be noted that the original serves as the basis for a satiric march, and brilliant flights by the soloist. score, destroyed by fire, was reconstructed by Prokofiev in 1923. Whether The third-movement Toccata (Allegro con fuoco) invokes the Baroque Prokofiev made radical changes to the original score remains a subject of tradition of showcasing the soloist’s dexterity. The Concerto’s only slow debate. movement (Larghetto) is the work’s emotional centerpiece. The energy The Piano Concerto No. 2 is in four movements. The opening and biting humor of the previous movements yield to heartfelt lyricism. movement (Andantino; Allegretto) features two principal themes, the An energetic central episode builds to a stunning climax. In the finale first cast in octaves and marked“narrante” , the second more angular. (Vivo), the soloist offers a furtive presentation of a scurrying theme An epic solo cadenza develops the two themes. The brief second- that serves as the basis for music of arresting energy. The momentum movement Scherzo (Vivace) is a vigorous perpetuum mobile. The third- reaches an unexpected hiatus with a brief hushed episode (Più tranquillo), movement Intermezzo (Allegro moderato) is in the spirit of a march, whose featuring repeated seraphic ascents by the soloist, before the final bars momentum abates only in the final measures. The Concerto’sFinale hurtle to an abrupt, enigmatic conclusion. (Allegro tempestoso), by turns brilliant and reflective, culminates in a – KEN MELTZER furious conclusion. 2 PROKOFIEV Piano Concertos 2 & 5 / Vadym Kholodenko / Fort Worth SO / Miguel Harth-Bedoya HMU 807631 © harmonia mundi Concerto pour piano n° 2 en sol mineur, op. 16 (1913) Concerto pour piano n° 5 en sol majeur, op. 55 (1932) Prokofiev composa son Deuxième concerto pour piano au cours de Prokofiev acheva son Cinquième (et dernier) concerto pour piano en l’hiver 1912-1913 et le dédia ensuite à la mémoire de son ami Max 1932. La création eut lieu le 31 octobre de la même année, à Berlin, avec Schmidthof, qui s’était suicidé en avril 1913. Le 5 septembre suivant, le compositeur en soliste et le légendaire chef Wilhelm Furtwängler à la le compositeur lui-même tenait la partie soliste lors de la création du tête du Philharmonique de Berlin. concerto, à Pavlovsk, dans la banlieue de Saint-Pétersbourg. Prokofiev arriva à Berlin juste avant le concert. Furtwängler, Le 29 mai de la même année, Igor Stravinsky révolutionnait la lui-même compositeur accompli, lui annonça : « J’ai réservé toute musique avec le ballet Le Sacre du Printemps, dont la création parisienne une répétition pour vous. C’est évidemment bien trop peu pour une déclencha l’émeute. La réaction du public au deuxième concerto pour partition aussi difficile, mais nous essayerons tous deux de faire piano de Prokofiev ne fut pas aussi violente mais le concert de Pavlovsk de notre mieux. » Malgré le manque de répétitions, la création du est resté dans les mémoires comme un des plus fameux scandales de cinquième concerto fut une réussite. l’histoire de la musique. Un contributeur anonyme décrivit la scène À l’origine, Prokofiev voulait intituler son œuvre « Musique pour dans le « Journal de Pétersbourg » : piano et orchestre » mais il se ravisa et choisit l’appellation traditionnelle « Cinquième concerto pour piano ». La composition date d’une époque Un jeune homme au visage de collégien entre sur scène. C’est où, de son propre aveu, il recherchait une « nouvelle simplicité » dans sa Prokofiev. Il s’assied au piano et commence à promener ses doigts musique. Toutefois, neuf ans après la création, il écrivit : sur le clavier comme s’il essuyait les touches ou cherchait la plus aiguë ou la plus grave, au hasard, mais toujours avec un toucher Le travail s’avéra compliqué – une malédiction qui s’abattit sec, un peu brutal. Le public ne sait comment réagir. Certains sur plusieurs de mes œuvres datant de cette époque. Certes, je auditeurs se mettent en colère. Un couple se lève et se dirige vers la recherchais la simplicité, mais en même temps je craignais de sortie — « Ce genre de musique est à vous rendre fou ! » D’autres tomber dans des refrains de formules éculées, dans une sorte de personnes se lèvent aussi.