The third concerto is subtitled National Hollandais. As a Dutch expatriate, I was scared for a while that this work was devoted to our anthem or paid tribute in any way, shape or form, to the royal Dutch family... but this fear was fortunately unfounded. To the contrary, the composer was actually of anti-Orange persuasion. Bravo Henry!
Litolff decided to spice up the first movement of his third with the main theme of Beethoven's counterpart. The second, very French movement includes a slew of quotes including one from the main theme of the second movement of Beethoven 9. The slow movement is reminiscent of its counterpart in Chopin's nr. 2. The finale, based on a popular Dutch song, again exudes a revolutionary tone and gives the soloist plenty of opportunity for virtuoso display.
The fifth concerto, from 1870, follows nr. 3 by 22 years, and reflects a greater maturity. The scale of the opening movement, the thematic and harmonic development no longer exude the happy go lucky atmosphere of it's predecessors. The wonderful second movement starts in a Brahmsian, slow movement 1st concerto, mood to develop into a curious Chopin/Bruckner amalgamate before returning to the base. Litolff revisits familiar territory in the light Scherzo, to the finale with extends the polyphonic style of the piano part of the first movement into a challenging fugato section before resolving into more romantic fireworks.
Donohoe again does a stellar job. I have had the chance to see him in concert twice and both concerts were fabulous. While he is best known in the romantic and modern repertoire, he is equally well versed in earlier periods. I have fond memories of his rendition of Bach's fifth French Suite and hope that he may record some Bach in the future.
Litton and the Scots assist the soloist in ideal fashion and Tony Faulkner did his usual fine job in recording.
Bravo for Donohoe for this cd and Hyperion for this sublime series.
The Fifth Concerto did not enjoy as much popularity as the Third and Fourth concertos and this is its first recording. The Fifth has a broader orchestration and is darker and mature in character. However, make no mistake that this concerto is any less brilliant than those before it. The Scherzo is particularly memorable and no less engaging than the famous Fourth Concerto. This recording is a must for anyone who has the prior Litolff Hyperion disc and makes a great introduction to his music.
The Third Concerto, subtitled "National Hollandais" is a tribute to the Dutch people, who embraced his razzle-dazzle pianism with perhaps the greatest enthusiasm he had experienced up to that date (1845). To that end, the concerto uses Dutch melodic material and is in a singularly festive vein. The first movement, Maestoso, starts with martial flourishes in the brass and drums, and the brief march motif introduced by the drums shapes the whole of this celebratory movement. Except that some of the writing for piano displays the usual empty daring-do the great Romantic composer-pianists tossed together to show off their techniques, its an exciting and eventful movement. If the scherzo and slow movement are a somewhat less memorable, the last movement is an infectious romp for piano and orchestra, with an impressively triumphal coda.
Better still is the Fifth Concerto, in the weighty key of C minor. The first movement starts with an agitated figure in the strings that sets the mood of this more darkly dramatic music. There are heaven-storming passages for both piano and orchestra, but there is also a lovely, heart-on-the-sleeve melody played by the piano and cellos that's about as luscious as one of the big tunes in the Tchaikovsky and Rachmaninov concertos. For that alone Litolff's concerto should be welcomed back into concert halls.
But it has more going for it. First, we have gracious slow movement punctuated by moments of turbulent drama. The gracious stuff sounds like Mendelssohn; the turbulence recalls Saint-Saens--which is characteristic of this Janus-like composer. Then Litolff creates a fleet scherzo in the manner of the Fourth Concerto's justly famous one, though the present scherzo has something of the diabolic about it. Cunning music. Finally, the last movement has genuine tension and drama. For most of its length, it is a troubled, driven piece. The pianist injects moments of lyrical reflectiveness, but these are swept away by the whirlwind coda that concludes the work on an aptly stormy note. It's hard to believe this concerto, undoubtedly Litolff's best music, receives its first recording with this disc!
As in their earlier Litolff offering, Donohoe and Litton seem the perfect partners, Litton providing unfailingly symphathetic support for the pianist's committed playing. Certainly, this disc represents one of the best surprises in Hyperion's often surprising Romantic Piano Concerto series.
