Sequeira Costa (b1929)

Costa’s discography is not extensive. A recent disc for Marco Polo contains piano solos by his teacher Vianna da Motta and is one of his most successful discs, whereas two discs issued in the mid-1990s received completely differing opinions. For the defunct label Collins Classics, Costa recorded a disc of Spanish music in arrangements for two pianos with Artur Pizarro. Eminent critic Lionel Salter found it ‘…a delightful disc which looks like going straight into my end-of-the-year “Critics Choice” list.’ Costa recorded Rachmaninov’s works for piano and orchestra in the early 1990s with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and Christopher Seaman in performances that were issued on the orchestra’s own label. A reviewer in The Gramophone found the idea of coupling the Concertos Nos 2 and 4 a ‘…refreshing change…but there I’m afraid praise ceases. Both performances here lack this pianist’s once customary impetus and finesse and although Costa’s playing is tasteful and articulate, it is hardly memorable or exciting…the accompanying notes on the pianist seem to make the curious assumption that musical greatness can be measured by the number of competition juries you serve on.’

A more recent release from 1995 includes both Chopin piano concertos with the Royal Philharmonic and Gilbert Varga, but in this repeatedly-recorded repertoire, as with Rachmaninov concertos, unless the performer has something new to say, there are always going to be superior versions available.

Courtesy of Jonathan Summers