When Benjamin Britten revised his Piano Concerto, Op. 13, in 1945, he replaced the original, mischievous Recitative and Aria with a new third movement, a haunting "Impromptu"; this is the most often performed and recorded version. However, this 2005 Naxos reissue of a 1990 Collins recording provides the listener an opportunity to hear both movements and to decide which is preferable. With the English Chamber Orchestra, under Steuart Bedford, pianist Joanna MacGregor delivers a satisfying performance, full of energy, ...
Read More
When Benjamin Britten revised his Piano Concerto, Op. 13, in 1945, he replaced the original, mischievous Recitative and Aria with a new third movement, a haunting "Impromptu"; this is the most often performed and recorded version. However, this 2005 Naxos reissue of a 1990 Collins recording provides the listener an opportunity to hear both movements and to decide which is preferable. With the English Chamber Orchestra, under Steuart Bedford, pianist Joanna MacGregor delivers a satisfying performance, full of energy, atmosphere, and considerable delicacy. The audio, though, is a little remote and under-recorded in places, and makes MacGregor seem too faint in the softest passages -- especially in the "Impromptu" -- and seriously diminished in presence. The Overture to Paul Bunyan, arranged by Colin Matthews in 1977, and the suite, Johnson Over Jordan, arranged in 1990 by Paul Hindmarsh, are competent orchestrations of Britten's unpublished pieces in piano score, and are entertaining filler. But like...
Read Less
Portions of content provided by Rovi Corporation. © 2024 Rovi Corporation.