Shostakovich: Piano Concertos Nos. 1 & 2 (CD Review)

by Ryan Ross

Yuja Wang, pianist; Andris Nelsons, conductor; Boston Symphony Orchestra. Deutsche Grammophon 486 6956

When last I reviewed Yuja Wang here, it was essentially to bemoan a mismatch between the works she had chosen to perform (Rachmaninoff’s piano-orchestral music) and her own temperament. Happily, this latest release of Shostakovich piano concertos and selected preludes/fugues steers her back to more predispositional pastures. Shostakovich is a much better fit for the kind of artistry she represents, where the jaunty, grotesque, and cinematic all play out in an inimitable and highly accessible mixture. Yes, this is a good pairing. But even here I can only offer one-and-a-half thumbs up and confess that not even ideal repertoire overcomes some nagging misgivings.

 

While the concerto performances offer plenty of needed excitement, I’m left with a slight sense of inconsistency. This manifests in multiple ways. First, there are a few balance problems. Sometimes it’s the orchestra slightly obscuring the piano where both are heard, as at Rehearsal 20 in the opening movement of Op. 35. We need to hear those pianistic arpeggios just a bit more clearly. But sometimes it’s the other way around, as when Wang’s blaring octaves overpower almost all else in the opening movement of Op. 102. More seriously, important melodic lines are at times underplayed, as with moments during the subordinate theme in the same stretch. Indicated soft dynamics shouldn’t be exaggerated here. Moreover, Wang occasionally over-pedals. She gets away with this more in the slower movements, where the consequences of doing so are blunted. But in the quicker spans her sound can dip into sogginess. And speaking of sound, Andris Nelsons and the Boston Symphony Orchestra aren’t entirely off the hook either. Some of the louder orchestral tuttis come off as coarse.

 

Second, I’m not always convinced by Wang’s expressive liberties. I realize that previously I criticized her “Sonic the Hedgehog” pianism as lacking in depth. I wonder if someone she trusts told her as much. Because here she clearly tries to incorporate rubato in solo/cadenza passages, but with mixed success. It’s a bit like someone being coached on humor who doesn’t naturally understand humor: when the jokes issue forth, they get mis-delivered. Some good examples come in quick succession during Op. 35’s finale. The solo passage at Rehearsal 60 features “oom-pah” textures that get obscured with too much tempo fluctuation at the onset; likewise, rubato saps desired momentum at Rehearsal 63. At the Allegro con brio right before the end we get a sudden burst of energy. This can be good, but here it’s just a little too protuberant.

 

For me the most successful performances on this recording are actually the small helping of preludes and fugues from Shostakovich’s Op. 34 and 87 cycles for solo piano. Here Wang is highly effective, bringing to life the various textures and moods in each of her chosen pieces. I’d definitely be interested in hearing her do the complete sets on recording. But for the concerti, my top choices easily remain Bronfman, Salonen and the LA Philharmonic on Sony (60667), and especially Hamelin, Litton, and the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra on Hyperion (CDA67425). Wang and Company rate a couple of notches below these more polished options.