Alexander Mosolov (1900 - 1973) - Piano Concerto No. 1, Op. 14 (1927)
I. Andante lugubre (Lento) [0:00]
II. Tema con concertini. Lento sostenuto [9:01]
III. Toccata. Allegro comodo [20:23]
Steffen Schleiermacher, piano
Berlin Radio Symphony Orchestra, Johannes Kalitzke (2014)
Alexander Mosolov's Piano Concerto No. 1 was composed around the same time as his most famous work, Iron Foundry. The work is in three movements and typically lasts around 25 minutes.
"The Andante lugubre (Lento) of Mosolov’s Concerto for Piano and Orchestra No.1, Op14 (1927) opens quietly and brooding as a plaintive melody appears. The music rises up as the piano is heard in the orchestral texture, underpinned by percussion before it strides forward rather in the manner of Prokofiev, becoming ever more fractious. Soon a solo limpid, slow passage for piano arrives that becomes increasingly strident. The orchestra re-join to push the music forward to a jazz like slow section for orchestra, a rather curious episode where the music grows in vacuous, rather sleazy sounds. Eventually the music moves stridently forward, again recalling Prokofiev, before quietening only to suddenly start up again to dart to the rumbustious coda.
Brass introduces the Tema con Concertini (Lento sostenuto) as the piano is accompanied by a heavy clumping orchestra. Soon a skittish orchestral section moves around the piano theme before a wild violin is heard as the music tries to slow, but a raucous orchestra pushes the music ahead. Often the music sounds as though it might break down with Mosolov reaching a very modernist style. The piano enters to help regain a coherence and forward drive soon leaping into a manic, wild episode, rushing ahead. There is a languid moment for piano and orchestra before the music again speeds and a trivial little tune for piccolo is heard. The cadenza slowly works over the material, building into some formidable passages, brilliantly executed by Steffen Schleiermacher. The orchestra re-joins to lead with the piano to a dynamic and formidable coda.
The orchestra leaps in to open the Allegro. Molto marcato before falling in order to slowly build the music with piano through more raucous and skittish passages running madly forward with continual orchestral outbursts. Eventually the piano takes the lead to hurtle forward, with all of the orchestra having a say, to a massive coda."
(source: theclassicalreviewer.blogspot....)
Original audio: • Alexander Mosolov: Con...