Composer: Ernst Krenek
Performer: Mikhail Korzhev, Eric Huebner, Nurit Pacht, Adrian Partington
Orchestra: English Symphony Orchestra
Conductor: Kenneth Woods
Format: FLAC (tracks)
Label: Toccata
Catalogue: TOCC0392
Release: 2017
Size: 1.02 GB
Recovery: +3%
Scan: yes
Piano Concerto No. 4, Op. 123
01. I. Allegro, agitato e pesante
02. II. Molto adagio
03. III. Allegro, molto vivace
Concerto for 2 Pianos, Op. 127
04. I. Allegro vivace
05. II. Andante
06. III. Allegro vivace
07. IV. Adagio
Double Concerto for Violin & Piano, Op. 124
08. I. Andantino
09. II. Allegro ma non troppo, deciso
10. III. Andantino
11. IV. Allegretto
12. V. Lento
13. VI. Allegro
14. VII. Tempo di ländler
Little Concerto, Op. 88
15. I. Andante sostenuto
16. II. Andantino
17. III. Allegro energico
18. IV. Andante, liberamente
19. V. Adagio
20. VI. Allegretto
Ernst Krenek’s seven piano concertos – four for solo piano, one for two pianos, one with violin and one with organ – is one of the major concerto-series of the twentieth century, but also one of the least familiar.
This second instalment in their first complete recording reveals breath-taking bravura writing. Krenek revels in a virtuoso piano technique, the dazzling orchestration and the stylistic integration of serialism and good-natured recollection of Viennese tradition.
The first volume in this series was an outstanding critical success – among many other encomia, it was a Sunday Times ‘Record of the Week’, and in his blog ‘Classical Ear’ Andrew Achenbach gave it two five-star ratings and wrote: ‘Performances are first-rate: Mikhail Korzhev proves a superbly stylish, fearless and eloquent exponent, and he enjoys admirable support from a hugely spirited English Symphony Orchestra under Kenneth Woods’s unfailingly cogent lead. Both the production and presentation likewise leave nothing to be desired’.