Track Listing

1. 1. Allegro maestoso
2. 2. Andante con anima
3. 3. Allegro brillante
4. Suite: 1. Waltz
5. Suite: 2. Nocturne
6. Suite: 3. Mazurka
7. Suite: 4. Romance
8. Suite: 5. Galop
9. 1. Sabre Dance
10. 3. Dance of the Rose Maidens
11. 5. Lullaby
12. 8. Lezghinka

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #41183 in Music
• Released on: 1992-09-30
• Number of discs: 1

Customer Reviews

you may find it cheaper under its other entry
Check the disc under its other entry, where at the time of writing you can find it for significantly cheaper: Khachaturian: Piano Concerto; Gayaneh Ballet Suite; Masquerade Suite. You'll also find my detailed review, in which I contend that Orbelian and Järvi's traditional approach doesn't serve the concerto so well: it makes it sound majestic and powerful, but also heavy-footed and plodding. The version available on CD by the work's dedicatee and first performer, Lev Oborin, with Mravinsky conducting the Czech Philharmonic in a live concert given in Prag in 1946, is disqualitifed by its dismal sonics (Aram Khachaturian: Concertos for Violin & Piano), but turn to Antonin Jemelik and Alois Klima with again the Czech Philhmaronic, a recording from 1960 (Khachaturian: Piano Concerto ; Borkovec :Piano Concerto No 2), to discover the wild energy and irresistible forward drive that the composition contains. You will have no clue with Orbelian-Jarvi, as with most other versions (I haven't yet heard any by Kapell, so I don't know how HE took it, but as his recordings were made in 1944-46, the sonics certainly won't be up to date).

Serviceable Recording
Khachaturian is rarely called a profound composer and this is not exactly a profound recording. Yet it is serviceable and Neeme Jarvi draws inspired playing from the Scottish National Orchestra.

The Piano Concerto in D flat major is in the virtuosic style of Rachmaninov and Lizst yet it is without the sometimes distracting bravura of Lizst's piano concerti. In its place, it has the spirit of Armenian folk music, as does all of Khachaturian's music. The first movement is in a loose sonata form, with the cadenza featuring prominently in the development. The second movement is mainly atmospheric, with an appearance of what sounds like a musical saw. It's hard to get used to at first, but on repeated listening, you'll realize how much it really adds to the piece. The last movement is brilliant, fast-paced, and hair-raisingly difficult. Yet Orbelian handles it admirably. Together with Jarvi's conducting (he tones down some of the more overblown orchestral passages) this is a charming recording. This is the piece that first made Khachaturian famous and it's easy to see why.

The Masquerade Suite comes from incidental music that Khachaturian wrote for a play by the same name. Jarvi gives a good rendition of it, especially in the Russian sounding Waltz, the central Mazurka and in the witty Galop. However, the playing isn't exactly inspired, though the players are obviously enjoying themselves.

The recording closes with "Four Movements From Gayeneh." This is not the entire ballet suite. Rather, it is four selections from the suite, including the famous Saber Dance. The movements are played well, but Khachaturian enthusiasts may prefer Tjeknavorian's recording of the entire suite. This CD does withstand repeated listening, though some may tire of Khachaturian's incessantly folksy writing. The sound is good on these recordings, though reverberant. All in all, a serviceable recording, though barely worth the high Chandos price.

The best modern recording available
The Orbelian/Jarvi is the best modern recording of the piano concerto bar none. Majestic and breath taking. Full of emotion and changing moods. Fair warning: Obelian playes heavy and Jarvi pulls all the stops. The result, however, is pure magic. Brilliant. If you want a lighter reading, try Serviarian-Kuhn. However, I find Serviarian's flat and lacking any emotion at all. I recommend Orbelian but music is a matter of personal preference so I encourage you to get both. You will find one of them to be a desert island CD!