Jean-Efflam Bavouzet – Stravinsky: Concerto for Piano, Capriccio, Movements & Petrushka (2015/2022) [FLAC 24bit/96kHz]

After having won the Gramophone Award in 2014 for his recording of Prokofiev’s five piano concertos, exclusive Chandos artist Jean-Efflam Bavouzet here explores the complete works for piano and orchestra of another Russian composer of the twentieth century: Igor Stravinsky.

Bartók’s Piano Concerto No. 2, Ravel’s Piano Concerto for the left hand, and Stravinsky’s Concerto for Piano and Wind Orchestra make good company. First, Bavouzet considers them ‘the greatest concertos of the twentieth century’. Furthermore, he has recorded all of them with Chandos. Last, but not least, his recordings of both Bartók’s (CHAN 10610) and Ravel’s (CHSA 5084) were shortlisted for Gramophone Awards in 2011 (‘Concerto’ category). The winner? The latter, which marked the first collaboration between Jean-Efflam Bavouzet and Yan Pascal Tortelier, one that is resumed on the present album.

It starts with the crisp games with rhythms, polyphony, and classical form of the expressive, weighty Concerto for Piano and Wind Orchestra. Then the Capriccio is a piece that Stravinsky composed as a repertoire alternative to his concerto; he performed it more than forty times in the first four years after its creation. The anti-tonal, twelve-tone idiom of Movements represents Stravinsky’s experiments in the use of serial techniques.

Pétrouchka is a work for piano and orchestra as well, except that the piano here is not a solo instrument but rather part of the orchestral fabric. Moreover, Bavouzet himself has described blending in with the fortissimos of the orchestra as ‘one of the best musical experiences of my life’.

“… Chandos couples Stravinsky’s three familiar concertante works with a sensational Petrushka – Bavouzet seemingly revelling in an unfamiliar role as ‘orchestral’ pianist!. Best of all is the late Movements, which has never sound less dry and more enticing. Superb recorded sound.” (Guy Weatherall, Classical Music magazine)

“… joined by a very much on-form São Paulo Symphony Orchestra under the suave, alert direction of Yan Pascal Tortelier, he again demonstrates his affinity for genuine orchestral collaboration Capriccio is also pure delight, Bavouzet’s playing shot through with a sparkling lyricism that he even manages to inject into the 12-tone Movements. And if the piano in Pétrouchka is merely a member of the orchestra, Bavouzet nevertheless relishes his role in contributing to one of the tightest yet most theatrically lavish performances of this work committed to disc in a long time. Chandos’s sound is appropriately bright and detailed.” (Will Yeoman, Limelight magazine)

Tracklist:
1-01. Jean-Efflam Bavouzet – I. Largo – Allegro (07:23)
1-02. Jean-Efflam Bavouzet – II. Largo (06:23)
1-03. Jean-Efflam Bavouzet – III. Allegro (04:58)
1-04. Jean-Efflam Bavouzet – I. Presto (1949 Revision) (06:38)
1-05. Jean-Efflam Bavouzet – II. Andante rapsodico (1949 Revision) (04:50)
1-06. Jean-Efflam Bavouzet – III. Allegro capriccioso ma tempo giusto (1949 Revision) (05:37)
1-07. Jean-Efflam Bavouzet – I. Semi-quaver = 110 (02:56)
1-08. Jean-Efflam Bavouzet – II. Crotchet = 52 (01:17)
1-09. Jean-Efflam Bavouzet – III. Semi-quaver = 72 (01:05)
1-10. Jean-Efflam Bavouzet – IV. Semi-quaver = 80 (01:57)
1-11. Jean-Efflam Bavouzet – V. Semi-quaver = 104 (02:12)
1-12. Jean-Efflam Bavouzet – The Shrovetide Fair (05:29)
1-13. Jean-Efflam Bavouzet – The Magic Trick (01:37)
1-14. Jean-Efflam Bavouzet – Russian Dance (02:50)
1-15. Jean-Efflam Bavouzet – Petrushka’s Room (04:15)
1-16. Jean-Efflam Bavouzet – The Moor’s Room (03:20)
1-17. Jean-Efflam Bavouzet – Waltz (03:19)
1-18. Jean-Efflam Bavouzet – The Shrovetide Fair and the Death of Petrushka (01:06)
1-19. Jean-Efflam Bavouzet – Wet Nurses’ Dance (02:35)
1-20. Jean-Efflam Bavouzet – Pesant and Bear (01:27)
1-21. Jean-Efflam Bavouzet – Dance of the Gipsy Girls (01:09)
1-22. Jean-Efflam Bavouzet – Dance of the Coachmen and Ostlers (02:06)
1-23. Jean-Efflam Bavouzet – The Masqueraders (01:33)
1-24. Jean-Efflam Bavouzet – The Scuffle (00:46)
1-25. Jean-Efflam Bavouzet – Death of Petrushka (00:43)
1-26. Jean-Efflam Bavouzet – Police and the Juggler (01:06)
1-27. Jean-Efflam Bavouzet – Apparition of Petrushka’s Double (00:48)