The two piano concertos receive splendid performances, and they are marvelous works–certainly two of the finest 20th-century compositions for piano and orchestra. No. 2 combines memorably lyrical thematic material with a real opposition of personalities between piano (chromatic, full of wit) and orchestra (sweetly diatonic). No. 4 is a remarkable piece, almost athematic but full of arresting sounds and textures, written in two formally fluid movements. It’s a mesmerizing work, and Robert Kolinsky plays the piano part with a winning combination of improvisational fantasy and firm rhythm. He’s just as convincing in the Second concerto’s rapid-fire exchanges between piano and orchestra, while Vladimir Ashkenazy and the Basel orchestra accompany colorfully.
The late Overture, a bouncy seven-minute concerto grosso, opens the disc in high spirits, and the only small disappointment comes in the form of Ashkenazy’s slightly droopy reading of The Frescoes of Piero della Francesca. He certainly relishes the music’s luminous textures, but particularly in the first movement Martinu’s syncopated rhythms need sharper articulation and a touch more energy. Ancerl, for example, is a bit quicker, slightly more focused, and it makes all the difference. Still, for the concertos alone this well-engineered disc deserves very serious consideration. Recommended.
