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Fanfare

Volume I of The Operatic Pianist was reviewed in Fanfare 38:1 by Raymond Tuttle. I listened to this disc follow-up CD before reading that review and found that my reaction was very similar. There is no questioning Wright’s scholarship regarding the subject of operatic transcriptions, and one admires not only his dedication to the genre but also his own contributions to it. His transcription of music from Il pirata and Il trovatore are fine examples that do not pale in comparison with those by Liszt, Saint-Saëns, and Thalberg.

An aspect that one looks for in performances of operatic transcriptions and paraphrases is lyricism, which is supplied in abundance by Wright. His warm tone and his ability to spin a legato phrase on what is essentially a percussion instrument are very impressive. Whether it is Rienzi’s Prayer in Liszt’s transcription or “Casta diva” in Alfred Jaëll’s Réminiscences de Norma, it is clear that Wright understands that singing is the heart and soul of the music. There is something truly vocal about his playing.

The other aspect that one expects in this kind of collection is élan, a sense of abandon and pure fun. These ever-popular arrangements are meant, after all, to be showpieces. It is in that area that I feel (as did Tuttle) that Wright comes up short. I don’t think this is a problem of technical limitations, although there are moments when he seems to be at the edge of his digital facility. It feels more like a matter of temperament, an approach to the music that is all too scholarly. There are elements of wit and bravura to these pieces, moments where the pianist should give the impression of “Look what I can do!” I don’t get that impression here. I have a recording of Raymond Lewenthal playing the Thalberg Mosé Fantasy in concert, and comparing the two versions shows the difference between all-stops-pulled-out showmanship, and a lovely but reserved traversal.

It may well be a matter of temperament. Wright may just naturally be more attracted to, and in sympathy with, the lyrical element of the music.

Despite my reservation, however, I can recommend this disc. There are a number of first recordings on it (the transcriptions by Jaëll, Saint-Saëns, and Wright himself), and some others that are not often encountered. The beauty and warmth of the playing is likely to be sufficient reward for most listeners. Very natural recorded sound and superb notes round out the production.