Saint-Saëns: Piano Quartet & Quintet

 

I really came to this recording to hear the Piano Quintet in A Minor from French composer Camille Saint-Saëns. The others I have heard already, and done better elsewhere (BLOG).

The lone Piano Quintet is an early work from Saint-Saëns, thus it bears the hallmarks of a burgeoning musician. The piano part was obviously intended for Saint-Saëns to play himself, as it is virtuosic and demanding. The A-minor key actually helps the youthful work, for it adds a dimension of built-in drama inherent using such a mode.

I am not too keen on all of the unisons and octaves written into the work, as these moments sound undernourished and thin each time they pop up. As with his other chamber music, the inner movements provide the music the most character, here with a chordal chorale from the piano with whirling strings surrounding it in the second movement, and a fleet third-movement Scherzo with virtuoso piano scales to contrast.

Setting the fourth movement in a fugal form may have been a mistake on the part of Saint-Saëns, waving his allegiances to the musical past with no subtlety. Perhaps if the theme the composer set in counterpoint weren't so complicated, where it is hardly a showcase motive for the listener.

Perhaps it is because I have recently been listening to Beethoven's piano concertos from Leif Ove Andsnes, a player of great clarity and precision, but Brazilian pianist Cristina Ortiz sounds a little under-rehearsed here. Her pedaling is suspect at times and the piano itself isn't the finest sounding of such instruments to put on a major recording.

The winning Piano Quartet in B-flat Major bears many of the same performing issues, but the troubles include the Fine Arts Quartet as well, who don't tune so well in those aforementioned unisons and octaves. Here, the piano sounds even more clattery, perhaps due to the virile playing of Ortiz. I had already heard an excellent recording of this work from the Mozart Quartet linked above, and they cohere the strings with the piano nicely, whereas this recording is obviously a vehicle for the pianist. Luckily, the Fine Arts Quartet plays with great feeling as well, meeting Ortiz's strong portrayal; it is all just a little too rough and ready in the end. Odd too, since the recording lists four days dedicated to their sessions together.

I do enjoy the swooning quality these performers give the Barcarolle in F Major, a short one-movement work for piano quartet. They imbue the music with a little more juice than I have heard previously, and I can appreciate such a choice.

So what to think? There are enough recordings of the Piano Quartet to let this recording slip past without cause for missing something, but the Piano Quintet is a little harder to come by. Some of the issues I found fault with are inexcusable for a major release, but they may be small enough for some to still enjoy the program, especially the less programmed items.

 

 

Works
Piano Quintet in A minor, op. 14 (30.08)
Piano Quartet in B-flat Major, op. 41 (31.45)
Barcarolle, op. 108 (9.09)

Performers
Fine Arts Quartet
   Ralph Evans, violin
   Efim Boico, violin
   Nicolò Eugelmi, viola
   Robert Cohen, cello
   Cristina Ortiz, piano

Label: Naxos
Year: 2013
Total Timing: 71.12

If the recorded sound was off, but the performances were awesome, this would be a different story. As it is, there are performing issues here to contend with.

But if you enjoy Cristina Ortiz's aggressive piano in Saint-Saëns, maybe stop by for the Piano Quintet and Barcarolle.

Find more Saint-Saëns recordings HERE!