Sunday 10 January 2010

Grieg - Piano Concerto [Bolet/Chailly - RSO Berlin]

The Cuban Pianist Jorge Bolet recorded this right at the end of his life, i would classify him as of the old school slow and thoughtful Pianists, someone like Claudio Arrau, twins in a way, i love Bolet's Ballades by Chopin because they are also slightly on the slow but very insightful side, one of the best things Bolet has done.

It's hard to put my finger on why i enjoyed this disc so much on this hearing, certainly it's the genius of Grieg more than the genius of Bolet, the central adagio is shortish, only a fifth of the Concerto, and yet it centrally glues the whole work together, of course the adagio has such a lovely reprise in the final movement, Bolet is wonderful from 3:44 to 6:22, soothing and calming, languid and dreamy, i can't help but look at the booklet picture as i listen to this passage.

Other Composers have also had a reprise of the preceding movement in the finale, notably Beethoven's fifth Symphony, and what an inventive device it is, it's a wonder why it's not employed with greater frequency.