Han Na Chang plays Prokofiev: Sinfonia Concertante and Cello Sonata

Sergei Prokofiev: Sinfonia Concertante and Cello Sonata
Han-Na Chang, cello
London Symphony Orchestra
Antonio Pappano, conductor.

The CD I have is a budget reissue from their previous "award winner" release. The original which was universally acclaimed by critics had a much more decent, classy cover. I don't know if the hideous cover is the intention of the marketing gurus who wanted this album to scream BUDGET GREATEST HIT so much. The fonts which formed the words looked blah and add insult to injury there is this hideous clay doll or whatever that "graced" the bloody cover. And lets not mention the pretentious copyright disclaimed in the disc that tells us how much money the people involved in the recording would lose yak yak yak. But it explain why Cheng Hooi (my friend who ordered this online for me) charged me only RM 38 for that CD, considering its from overseas. I don't mind paying extra money for the cover above since I'm going to ask Han-Na Chang to autograph it (Me: Miss Chang, this is NOT a pirated cd and yes, this legit cd exists and its from EMI) - the horrors. No, Mr Cheng Hooi I'm not blaming you, sorry.

The only significant recordings of Prokofiev' Sinfonia Concertante are done by late maestro Rostropovich, who premiered it alongside a orchestra conducted by Sviatoslav Richter. Yes, you read that right and the cover analysis claims it is the only time the legendary pianist ever hold a baton. Subsequently he recorded it with other orchestras and you should watch the video of him playing it with a French orchestra despite its rather dry acoustics. This is the most difficult mainstream classical work for cello, a work that would've made Paganini bang his head on the wall and wish he could write like that. The elusive enigma that remains is that the late maestro never recorded it with a top-notch orchestral accompaniment, say Leningrad Philharmonic or a Chicago Symphony. When this present recording came out, it is of no surprise it went straight to "benchmark" acclaim. This is the reference recording, boast the critics.

Miss Chang's virtuosity tackles the work with relative gusto and finally a London Symphony Orchestra does justice accompanying her. One particular vivid moment was in 2nd movement where the trumpets gave a squael that sounded like those old-fashioned Russian brasses from Leningrad Philharmonic (at around 6 mins and 11 mins recap on the CD) and it sounds stunning. Miss Chang's highlight is the Herculean 2nd movement, where the soloists alternates from "heavenly dreamness to frenzied madness" to quote her. She does that with ease, jumping from beautiful lyrical melodies to a series of cellistic Olympian gymnastic hurdles. Prokofiev wrote that with Rostropovich's virtuosity in mind, no surprise after all. Better, her tempi is faster than what Rostropovich normally does if that doesn't freak you out.

Miss Chang's rendition of the Sonata for Cello and Piano is very fine, although to be frank the work doesn't move me. In fact I am not a great admirer of Prokofiev as much as Shostakovich. Han-Na Chang isn't just a flashy virtuoso cellist. In fact watching a YouTube video of her playing Shostakovich 1st concerto with BBC Symphony her slow movements moved me a lot with her genuinely anguished rendition, which shows the maturity of her interpretative powers, although only a glimpse. The power of her playing and vision has much compared similarities to Rostropovich and won't be surprised if she is indeed the heir to the Late Maestro of cello. All fans of cello and cellists should listen to this recording.

My only quip (or grunts) is the recording sound. Somehow for an album made in 2002, the engineering isn't quite up to par. There are a little "glare" typical of early digital recordings made in 80s and I am annoyed by the "whooshing" sounds and the breathing grunts in the Prokofiev, presumably from the soloist. The engineers could do a lot better making sure these annoyances are least distruptive as possible. But then EMI engineers don't really match those from DG especially evident in Simon Rattle's Berlin Philharmonic recordings (I welcome brickbats regarding this). Still, considering Han-Na Chang's visit to DFP this January, this album will give a glimpse of her talent - for those who are curious.

Technical: 10
Interpretation: 9
Recording: 8

Public Service Announcement UPDATED

To percussionist Mr Steven Wassmansdorf, apologies for calling you a ***** in Ma Vlast blog, thinking it was just a bloody light banter. These things happened because there isn't a Editor around to check and censure my writings to approval.

Vänskä/Hamelin winning combination makes it concert of the year 2008

Sunday 7th December 2008

Carl Nielsen: Symphony no. 2 "The Four Temperaments"
Brahms: Piano Concerto no.2

Marc-Andre Hamelin, piano
Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra
Osmo Vänskä, conductor.

I do not think the general audiences in yesterday's performance had ANY idea the potent combination of two musical giants that graced that hall that weekend. Finnish conductor Osmo Vanska is one of the best working conducting talents today whose Sibelius cycle with Lahti Philharmonic and Beethoven symphonies with Minnesota Symphony won widespread acclaim. He is a great champion of today's contemporary composers such as Kalevi Aho, Rautavaara, Gubaidulina and Robert Kajanus. Marc-Andre Hamelin on the other hand is the biggest pianist for the 2008-2009 season whom is pitifully underrated here. Demonstrated by lack of autograph session and general atmosphere of his reception, Hamelin's celebral but intelligent and sensuos virtuosity is probably more well received at Carnegie or Concertgbouw as opposed to DFP audiences accustomed to circus antics of Bang Bang.

All praise to maestro Vanska who drew out one of very best and most unified ensemble playing I have ever heard live in DFP. I've never heard the lower brasses sounded more ferocious playing the Nielsen symphony. The first movement began and ended with a bang with the strings weaving in and out effortlessly and the brasses belowing like CSO on steroids. At one moment the trombones suddenly bellowed out three razor-sharp sforzandos which was jaw-dropping. The pastorale second movement is gorgeous and I like how the dynamics is gradually reduced to needle-dropping silence at the coda. After a melancholic Andante, the jaunty finale; Allegro Sanguineo sounded more restrained compared to boisterous renditions in other recordings but Vanska made a distinguishable contrast when the previous Andante movement was recapitulated halfway and then goes back into the jaunty mood moving into coda.

I was seated four rows from the stage and I could not hear the Steinway balances properly during the first movement of Brahms 2nd Piano Concerto. I had a little trouble trying to hear Hamelin's left-hand during the 1st movement although by subsequent movements I could hear his playing more clearly. Hamelin gave a literal reading at that movement and it was a little shaky even for a virtuoso of his caliber with a couple of wrong notes here and there but he is a human being after all. Vanska actually gave a powerful, taut accompaniment pretty much like how his Beethoven with Minessota sounds like. After a driven Allegro Appasionata, we has a pretty swift reading of the Andante which has none of the over-indulgent pathos and sentimentality of other typical recordings. That said I thought at one turbulent passage before the music began to wind down (bar 51 shortly before C figure) Hamelin played that passage too quick as if he just glossed through the notes. Nevertheless it is a minor quibble. Finally for the last movement, Vanska and Hamelin gave a spirited and upbeat rendition which is a much needed break from typical Viennese-salon interpretation we're accustomed to. I like the tempi for a playful, scherzi-like passage (bar 97) where the mood is more upbeat than the usual. Overall this is not a typical Teutonic Brahms concerto. The orchestral accompaniment-like texture is almost HIP-like, very muscular and I am fascinated by various small details in Vanska's interpretation, the little attacks and accents in phrasings. You have to admit Hamelin doesn't have much problems with the Brahms despite some minor slips and his insight on the concerto is enlightening (he already recorded it with Andrew Litton and Dallas Symphony if not mistaken).

Hamelin gave two encores after the Brahms; one an arrangement of a French song by pianist Alexis Weissenberg and another a piece entirely of his creation called Little Nocturne. The French song has a certain jazziness of a salon-kind of a feel and Hamelin's Nocturne recalls the late romantic feeling of Godowski's pieces.

I met Hamelin after the concert and the person, as one of the very few super-virtuoso pianists who tackles Alkan, Busoni, Godowski pieces he is a charming man with modest airs. I asked whether he could come here and have a recital next time and he replied "well, that is not my decision. Of course I would love to if I am invited next time". Terrible gaffe by me. I noticed the bulk of scores he carried and asked what it is. It is a Saint-Saens work for piano and orchestra called "Africa" which he would perform in New Jersey. I am particularly fascinated how he practices everyday so I asked him. He replies that he doesn't have any fixed routines or methods for practices and maybe typical for virtuosos like him he could pound a Busoni concerto in the morning without warming up. But a fascinating advice he gave me regarding practice; "You have to do a LOT of practising without the instrument. You think about the work, how certain passages are to sound, how the nuances are to be shaped." When I ask does it involve studying of score he replied that by doing so it reveals a lot of insights you do not notice earlier as you spend more time practising the same work. I asked whether he enjoyed his stay here and he replied absolutely, except for the previous night at 11 pm when it was abnormally warm.

I do not know whether the rest of audience appreciated the concert. Certainly to open a solo recital here, one main concern would be to sell the seats. Even when Arcadi Volodos came here the seats wasn't as packed as one would expect. And maybe it would be the only time Hamelin performs here like how Pierre-Laurent Aimard came here once playing Beethoven Emperor in 2001. Even so, how often such as potent winning combination of a conductor and soloist happens at DFP?