By MT60166
10-Mar-2010

Clifford Curzon in Grieg and Falla  

These were famous performances of the early 1950s, and this issue presents them in an excellent form, in good mono sound.

Clifford Curzon plays sensitively in both works. The Grieg is conducted by the Russian conductor Anatole Fistoulari - his broad treatment of the orchestral part (especially noticeable in the opening of the second movement) affects the style of Curzon's playing from the start, and this is an ampler and more obviously virtuosic performance than the one Curzon later recorded in stereo with the Norwegian conductor Oivin Fjeldstad. The later performance is to be preferred, and is easily obtainable, but that doesn't mean that this earlier alternative isn't also a very good one.

This is Clifford Curzon's second recorded performance of the Falla 'Nights' - there is an earlier one with the same Spanish conductor made in the 1940s. Curzon's delicate and refined style suits the work well, and the orchestra is lively and idiomatic. The same conductor later recorded the work a third time, in San Francisco with pianist Arthur Rubinstein, but Curzon keeps to the composer's marked tempi and indications more precisely and the balance with the orchestra is better. Short of a performance with a Spanish pianist, this is as good as any.

The mono recordings were always good for their day, and remained in the LP catalogues for many years. It is excellent that they are now available in this new form, both for comparison with other performances and as excellent performances in their own right.
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