Search - Erich Leinsdorf, Vladimir Golschmann, Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra :: Piano Concertos: Grieg / Liszt / Chopin

Profile of a wonderful artist

07/10/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"What a wonderful way to recognize Leonard Pennario for his great contribution to American keyboard performance--a superb reissue!Pennario's Grieg is worked out to a "t" without being in any way standoffish or apologetic. He and Leinsdorf are remarkably involved, melodic, virtuoso, imparting a great enjoyment in playing that the work needs in order to not seem overplayed, sappy and bombastic. This is one of the great readings.And you know what would happen when Golschmann and Pennario got together!--drama, virtuosismo of the highest order, the sine qua non of insight. Pennario gives us a remarkable argument for how the Liszt and Chopin are more alike than not! The Liszt gets more delicacy and the Chopin more zing, and the cross-pollination brings us to reconsider the content of both pieces: with Pennario, Liszt emerges as a virtuoso with more than just technique to trounce; he has a sweep and an emotion that yanks us harder by being powerful rather than noisy. Chopin was not the effete, sniveling wuss the George Sand would make us believe, but a real lion, ambitious for achievement, unyeilding in his ambition to revolutionize piano composition and performance technique. In all this, Pennario is a crafty and insightful interpreter who managed to refresh these pieces for a lot of jaded audiences. With Pennario the listener gets to hear what its was about these works that gave them their immortal status.So buy this...it's not much money, the sound is just fine and the musicianship the finest ever."