Todd
New member
The good folks working on the BBC Legends series managed to put together another CD of performances by St Annie, so I had to hear it. This time around the disc is filled with three big works that Annie played many times and that suit her style. Theres Schumanns great Carnaval, and a pair of LvB sonatas, namely the 10/3 and the 31. Thats three big, great works.
The disc starts with Carnaval from 1963, and in many ways it fits right in between her earlier EMI studio recording and her later Palexa recital recording. Its closer to the accuracy of the former while possessing more of the in-the-moment inspiration of the latter. Its also decidedly hard-hitting. The opening Preambule demonstrates that nicely enough, displaying passion and intensity (and some slips) in a heavy duty rendition of the piece. And that heavy duty feel continues, to some degree, through the next three pieces. Its not until Eusebius that Annie opts for a different style, and here its appropriately dreamy and nearly introspective. Florestan, as one might guess, is more intense and passionate. Annies Papillons are some seriously fierce, yet buoyant little critters, perhaps closer to wasps than butterflies, but then she comes around to deliver a Chopin of delicate, nuanced, and at times subtly desperate intensity. A couple more of the remaining pieces show what this is about, too: Panton et Columbine is nearly frantic, and Paganini is a mad dash. Annie caps off the work with a nearly dizzying Pause and a vigorous, thundering concluding march here of pushy brothers that gives into reckless abandon and has the slips to show for it. Its not Cortot like in that regard, but its still not a score watchers dream All told, this is an invigorating version, a fun listen, but not a top tier performance, and not quite as good as Annies own EMI recording. Im still glad I got it.
Next up are the two LvB sonatas, both from 1987 when Annie was in her 73rd year, not that theres a great deal that gives away her age. The early sonata opens with a strongly voiced Presto possessed of a solid rhythmic underpinning and clear part playing. There are a few slips, and a few times Annie seems to lose focus, but she quickly recovers and gets back on her way. The Largo comes off as a great tragic movement. A great, unyielding tragic movement. Annies playing is relentless as she ratchets up the tension that ultimately gets released, almost, during piercing, crashing crescendos. She pushes the movement at a not quite brisk but never sluggish pace that makes it an ordeal. (I mean that in a good way.) She lightens things up with a comparatively breezy (for Annie only) Menuetto before undertaking a clear, striking, bold n beefy Rondo. Sure, it could be more jocular, but then it wouldnt really fit into the rest of the conception. So, a fine performance, if not one of the very best.
The same holds true for the Op 31. Annie actually takes an almost light approach, at times, in the opening Allegro Vivace. One can actually sense some fun here and there as Annie almost glides across the keyboard. She does push a few passages a bit too hard, and she still has a tendency to play loud passages loud n sharp (which I like), but she maintains a semblance of control at all times. The fine Adagio grazioso is perhaps not graceful enough, but sweet yet strong trills over insistent bass and a decidedly driven middle section make for a nice listen. The Rondo is back to deadly serious Annie territory, and is intense nearly nail-bitingly so with almost all traces of fun drained out. The unyielding forward momentum is unmistakable, and overall its well worth listening to at least a few more times.
So another Annie release is out, and again Im glad to have it. Shes past her peak in the LvB, and the Carnaval is perhaps a bit too strong for some, but overall the disc fleshes out St Annies discography quite nicely. World beaters these recordings may not be, but for Annie fans, theyre well worth it.
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The disc starts with Carnaval from 1963, and in many ways it fits right in between her earlier EMI studio recording and her later Palexa recital recording. Its closer to the accuracy of the former while possessing more of the in-the-moment inspiration of the latter. Its also decidedly hard-hitting. The opening Preambule demonstrates that nicely enough, displaying passion and intensity (and some slips) in a heavy duty rendition of the piece. And that heavy duty feel continues, to some degree, through the next three pieces. Its not until Eusebius that Annie opts for a different style, and here its appropriately dreamy and nearly introspective. Florestan, as one might guess, is more intense and passionate. Annies Papillons are some seriously fierce, yet buoyant little critters, perhaps closer to wasps than butterflies, but then she comes around to deliver a Chopin of delicate, nuanced, and at times subtly desperate intensity. A couple more of the remaining pieces show what this is about, too: Panton et Columbine is nearly frantic, and Paganini is a mad dash. Annie caps off the work with a nearly dizzying Pause and a vigorous, thundering concluding march here of pushy brothers that gives into reckless abandon and has the slips to show for it. Its not Cortot like in that regard, but its still not a score watchers dream All told, this is an invigorating version, a fun listen, but not a top tier performance, and not quite as good as Annies own EMI recording. Im still glad I got it.
Next up are the two LvB sonatas, both from 1987 when Annie was in her 73rd year, not that theres a great deal that gives away her age. The early sonata opens with a strongly voiced Presto possessed of a solid rhythmic underpinning and clear part playing. There are a few slips, and a few times Annie seems to lose focus, but she quickly recovers and gets back on her way. The Largo comes off as a great tragic movement. A great, unyielding tragic movement. Annies playing is relentless as she ratchets up the tension that ultimately gets released, almost, during piercing, crashing crescendos. She pushes the movement at a not quite brisk but never sluggish pace that makes it an ordeal. (I mean that in a good way.) She lightens things up with a comparatively breezy (for Annie only) Menuetto before undertaking a clear, striking, bold n beefy Rondo. Sure, it could be more jocular, but then it wouldnt really fit into the rest of the conception. So, a fine performance, if not one of the very best.
The same holds true for the Op 31. Annie actually takes an almost light approach, at times, in the opening Allegro Vivace. One can actually sense some fun here and there as Annie almost glides across the keyboard. She does push a few passages a bit too hard, and she still has a tendency to play loud passages loud n sharp (which I like), but she maintains a semblance of control at all times. The fine Adagio grazioso is perhaps not graceful enough, but sweet yet strong trills over insistent bass and a decidedly driven middle section make for a nice listen. The Rondo is back to deadly serious Annie territory, and is intense nearly nail-bitingly so with almost all traces of fun drained out. The unyielding forward momentum is unmistakable, and overall its well worth listening to at least a few more times.
So another Annie release is out, and again Im glad to have it. Shes past her peak in the LvB, and the Carnaval is perhaps a bit too strong for some, but overall the disc fleshes out St Annies discography quite nicely. World beaters these recordings may not be, but for Annie fans, theyre well worth it.
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