The first theme of the Schumann Piano Concerto’s opening movement, straightforwardly intoned by the oboe, immediately passes to pianist Anton Kuerti, whose “affetuoso” treatment of the same passage foreshadows much of what is to come in this curiously unsatisfying performance. Part of the problem lies in Kuerti’s rhythmic fidgeting during passages marked “espressivo”, contrasting with his strange refusal to acknowledge the “poco ritards” that provide transitional bridges into new ideas or different sections. The cadenza, for instance, begins in exactly this pulled-about manner, although Kuerti’s unrelenting energy certainly honors Schumann’s “tempo giusto” directive. Note, too, in the coda, how Kuerti gives refreshing emphasis to those dissonant upbeats in the whirling triplet passages starting at letter “K”. Similarly, Kuerti does his best to weave the final movement’s toccata-like figurations into lyrical, shapely lines.
Neither soloist nor conductor seems to want to take the lead in the Introduction and Allegro Appassionato: the opening piano arpeggios lack Serkin’s, Ashkenazy’s, or Perahia’s assertion and melodic thrust, while the orchestral solos are balanced too far back in the mix. The Konzertstücke, however, boasts tremendous rhythmic vitality and pointed accents from all parties. However variable Kuerti’s concerted Schumann may be, the results are never routine.
