Zarzycki & Żeleński: Piano Concertos (Hyperion Romantic Piano Concerto 59)

Album review

For its acclaimed series of the Romantic Piano Concerto, Hyperion has delved deeply into the most obscure areas of the repertoire to extract odd gems that still have some sparkle, in spite of the thick dust of neglect. Volume 59 presents three works by Polish composers, the Piano Concerto in E flat major of Wladyslaw Zelenski, along with the Piano Concerto in A flat major and the Grand Polonaise in E flat major of Aleksander Zarzycki. These works are virtually unknown today, even in Poland, and while they reflect the influences of major 19th century composers -- Chopin above all, followed by Brahms, Liszt, and Saint-Saëns -- they show little originality and seem rather routine. This is not to say that they are incompetently written or unappealing, because they feature plenty of flashy passagework, and the orchestral writing is vivid enough to hold one's attention. The performances by pianist Jonathan Plowright and the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, led by Lukasz Borowicz, are grand displays of virtuoso showmanship, backed by a vigorous orchestral accompaniment with touches of flamboyance. While the pieces will be utterly new to the majority of listeners, there are sufficient conventions and clichés of the concerto genre that no one will feel lost while hearing them. Hyperion's reproduction is exceptional, and the centrally placed piano has a strong presence in front of the robust orchestra.

© TiVo