Noel Mewton-Wood Vol 3 - Tchaikovsky, Piano Concertos

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Noel Mewton-Wood Vol 3 - Tchaikovsky, Piano Concertos

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Noel Mewton-Wood’s (1922-53) journey from underestimated virtuoso to present-day icon is cause for both celebration and irony. Glowing testimonials to his ‘genius’ (Sir Malcolm Sargent) from Myra Hess, Beecham, Schnabel, Bliss, Hindemith and Britten were countered by indifference from the major record labels and concert managements, a situation that doubtless contributed to his suicide at the age of 31. Behind an ebullient surface, Mewton-Wood was a romantic idealist, susceptible to depression and mood-swings. So it is hardly surprising to find the dichotomy reflected in performances which alternate a luminous poetic delicacy with a rare energy and bravura. [[i]Bryce Morrison, Gramophone, November 2003]

On Concerto 1
The Tchaikovsky concerto here was recorded in 1952 in Holland with Walter Goehr, an excellent conductor to have in concertos, and the Netherlands Philharmonic Orchestra, an orchestra which was made up of players from three radio orchestras and used by Concert Hall for recording purposes. They play pretty well for this recording, the brass in particular sounding very fine.
The introduction to this concerto launches quite smartly into a cadenza (possibly this structure rankling with Rubinstein) and Mewton-Wood has his goods on display from the off. He plays the grand opening powerfully without forcing his piano’s tone, and the second subject comes across with all the light delicacy which could be hoped for. This delicacy is shown off so well in the second movement where gossamer-like scurrying between piano and orchestra is so effective. The last movement with its famous “big finish” is very impressive indeed. [[i]excerpt from notes by Peter Joelson]
On Concerto 2
1952, in those days it was usual to perform Alexander Siloti’s (or Ziloti) edition which cuts Tchaikovsky’s work, mainly in the middle movement where the piano engages in lengthy dialogue with cello and violin soloists. Some of Siloti’s revisions to both the first and second concertos were made with Tchaikovsky’s consent; nowadays the listener is able to judge whether Tchaikovsky was well-advised or not.
Mewton-Wood plays with his customary vigour and fluidity, and his dynamic range is breath-taking from unforced loud to heart-stopping quiet. As in the other of Mewton-Wood’s recordings reviewed recently, the playing is wonderfully live and alive. The first movement is big, brilliant and grand, Mewton-Wood rising to the challenge most successfully, and lasts a little over half of the length of the whole work. The second movement leaves enough for Mewton-Wood to work on its lyricism. The last movement opens with rib-tickling energy and this allegro con fuoco ends with a typically customary Tchaikovskian big finish. [[i]excerpt from notes by Peter Joelson]
On Concerto 3, Fantasy
Mewton-Wood’s terrific technique and power are given full rein in the Third Piano Concerto, a work with which Tchaikovsky had some difficulties. Conceived as a Symphony in E flat first mentioned in 1892, the material was reworked into the form of a piano concerto. By the time of his death, only the first movement existed with orchestration, the other two movements in short score, movements of which the composer had a low opinion and discarded. The work was given its first performance by Taneyev in 1895. Not on the scale of the first two concertos, it still has barnstorming moments, none more so than the trepak final which Mewton-Wood brings off very well.
The Concert Fantasia is an earlier work, dating from 1885, and like the Third concerto, premiered by Taneyev. In two movements, the first bubbles and sparkles away, the second, Contrastes, has material for slow movements and a brash finale. The piano has long sections of unaccompanied passages, the contrasts of which Mewton-Wood points very well. [[i]excerpt from notes by Peter Joelson]