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Site review by Polly Nomial October 8, 2008
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Performance: Sonics (MC): |
This marks the maturation of Freddy Kempf from a great technician to a great musician.
Until now, many of Kempf's recordings have struck a false note - true, they were note perfect but there was a sense that he did not fully grasp the structure or emotions of the music. This disc completely transforms that impression and leaves one in awe.
The Mussorgsky opens the disc and Kempf's viewer is evidently in a hurry to get around the gallery whilst promenading; that said at no point does Kempf wilfully ignore any of Mussorgsky's markings. There is no sense of rushing or lingering over any of the portraits although the "sempre vivo" adopted for Gnomus gives little room for the "tutta forza" specified and this is one of the few episodes that sounds remotely underpowered (this is real nit-picking though!) In Tuileries, Kempf captures a delightful innocence that is completely at one with the music. With a sustained and powerful fortissimo that is never remotely forced, Bydlo is given a restrained power that allows the central section to be given an almost orchestral climax. The chicks have a lightness of touch that seems impossible on first hearing - the music really does trip off the keyboard here in the most delightful manner. The portrait of Samuel Goldenburg and Schmuyle starts off more severely than many but quickly builds up a venomous sense of foreboding which dissipates following another stroll around. Limoges is subtitled "The Market Square (The Big News)" and one can imagine a gossip running round sharing all before getting worked up into a dreadful state and falling headlong into the Catacombs, which are given a reading of gravitas. The time spent observing the dead is characterised by exemplary tremolando playing from Kempf that give a glistening sheen to the melody underneath. Baba Yaga is played in as muscular fashion as could be wished - the playing really is stunning here and any comparisons to luminaries such as Richter are in no way humbling for Kempf. The Great Gate of Kiev does not perhaps start in the grandest manner conceivable but this allows Kempf much more room to build climaxes than others in recent times and he really lets rip in a most exciting way in the closing pages. Wonderful stuff.
The Ravel is notoriously difficult to play but one wouldn't realise that here. From the opening watery pianissimo's to the thunderous cascade of notes at the climax of Ondine, Kempf's playing is at once immaculate, disciplined and refined in a completely different manner to the Mussorgsky that preceded. The tolling bell of Le Gibet is incessant without masking any of the melodic devices employed by Ravel and makes the whole affair rather creepy, presumably just as intended. Scarbo is one another level again but the apparent ease and facility that Kempf displays is spellbinding. One couldn't hope to hear this better played in concert or indeed in the imagination. Electrifying playing and again completely at one with Ravel and utterly self-effacing playing - no hint of a gallery here.
Then, the "encore" and what an encore - for there can be few more crowd-pleasing or thrilling show pieces than Balakirev's Islamey, especially when dispatched with the phenomenal accuracy and dexterity here. Kempf treats the score with admirable respect, indeed some might well wish for a little less than the 100% accuracy delivered in return for a slightly hotter head but there can be few interpretations on disc as accurate as this. Ideally, Kempf might have used a little more sustaining pedal just to blend some runs together and smooth off the odd slight edge in the writing but to hold this against him would be churlish in the extreme. The whole recital sounds so compelling that one could well imagine that this was a single take from a recital but for the completely silent audience - there is no way that the ending to either the Mussorgsky or Balakirev wouldn't have attracted storms of applause!
As for the recording and the state of the piano, I cannot imagine that BIS (or anyone) could be more pleased with the results here; one is in a perfect seat in the concert hall and the piano's tone just glows - credit also to Kempf here!
Like Sudbin's releases, this disc has that "play it again" factor in spades - very highly recommended for any or all of these triumphs of the pianistic repertoire.
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Copyright © 2008 John Broggio and SA-CD.net
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