What an odd disc this is. When later Viennese composers write self-consciously referential works on themes of their illustrious predecessors, it often becomes painfully obvious just how woefully they measure up. Franz Schmidt’s Concertante Variations are based on the scherzo of Beethoven’s “Spring” Violin Sonata, but charming as they occasionally are, nothing in the score rises to the level of the theme. The orchestra remains very subdued throughout, only managing a volume above mezzo-forte at the very end, as Schmidt takes great pains never to cover his left-handed (only) soloist. The music is never less than pleasant, but also never particularly interesting.
That said, the variations offer a thrill ride compared to the concerto: 43 minutes of heavy-duty, relentless, insubstantial filigree–if you can imagine such a thing. Both this work and the variations were composed for, you guessed it, Paul Wittgenstein, who evidently liked them very much. Schmidt, for his part, wrote more music for one-handed pianist than just about any other major composer because, being a cellist, he preferred writing for a melody instrument and piano left-hand was about as close as he could get with a keyboard. He also very much admired Max Reger, and the result here sounds a little bit like the Reger Piano Concerto after liposuction.
The performances are very good. Markus Becker tackles both piano parts, which are far from easy, with fearlessness and conviction. His tone is lovely, his rhythmic precision admirable. Eiji Oue conducts with all of the clarity and discretion that Schmidt demands, but I can’t help but think that an awful lot of work has gone into this production for rather little return on the investment. That said, fans of this composer (and he does have some, deservedly) will surely want to add this very well-engineered disc to their collections.
