Search - Panderewski, Melcer :: Polish Piano Concertos

Two fabulous pages of the broad range of the romantic genre

Hiram Gomez Pardo | Valencia, Venezuela | 07/26/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Inspired in the most enrooted Polish musical tradition the Paderewski Piano concerto Op. 17 does not enjoy of a major and even more deserved acknowledgement. It's a piece of brilliant style, according the patterns of like kind, such as Joachim Raff, Bronsart or Adolf von Henselt, for instance. Piotr Paleczny is a solvent pianist who demonstrates passion and fire in this Romantic Concerto. Maybe you do not know it so well, but when you listen the second movement Romance you will agree this is one of the most beloved ones you have ever heard before. To my mind the definitive performance of this score belongs to Earl Wild.



Melcer Concerto is truly a cross between Liszt and Tcahikovsky. It own an enraptured lyric flight and an admirable orchestration with lovable passages, filled of romantic fire and overwhelming inspiration. It's well known, the natural stamina, arduous conviction, steeled fingering and special flair displayed by Michael Ponti, every time he decides with striver bravery and feline elegance these unknown pieces of the repertoire for the piano. The final result was naturally an effervescent performance filled of that rush so typical of him that, combined with his magisterial temperament and bravura technique make of this neglected Concerto an admirable finding that you should not miss under no circumstance. Since I got that record in 1997, I usually heard with special careful attention.



Tadeusz Strugala demonstrates an accurate precision, expressive unfolding and brilliant clarity. The booklet does not abound in explicit details about him but we may to sense an absolute lack of flippancy, and a visible directorial talent.



If you are seeking for new recordings of determining pages of the romantic repertoire, go for this record. Absolutely rewarding and dazzling.



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