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International Piano

(JOINT REVIEW OF DDA 21235 and DDA 21236

Much of Saint-Saëns’ output is cruelly undervalued, so the musical world owes Antony Gray a debt for reminding us that aside from Carnival des animaux, Samson et Dalila and the Organ Symphony a cornucopia of delights awaits the listener.

The first of these four discs showcases the ballet transcriptions.  There are four items from the ballet Javotte, two from the operas Prosperine and Ascanio (based on the Benvenuto Cellini story), plus an extended nine-minute arrangement of the Quartetfrom Saint-Saëns’ operatic masterpiece, Henri VIII.  As Gray’s own notes say, “it is hard to see why the transcriptions of Liszt have maintained a place in the standard repertoire, and not those of Saint-Saëns’.

Some works include Lisztian tropes; others are pure Saint-Saëns.  The ‘after Gluck’ Caprice d’Alceste is delicious; the ‘Danse de l’amour’ (Ascanio) sounds like Liszt in watery ‘Jeux d’eau’ mode.  Gray brings a sense of festivity to the Valse from Meyerbeer’s Prophète.

The second disc focuses on ‘Places’; the Suite Algérienne, Rhapsodie d’Auvergne, a Fantaisie sur l’hymn national russe. There is even a slinky tango (Lola Op 116).  Meanwhile, the Elégie Op 160 is pure Saint-Saëns and reveals Gray’s deep understanding of the composer.  Volume 1 closes with Africa, an evocative, virtuoso tour de force.  Gray is a terrific guide, tracking the contours of the piece superbly.

The first disc of Volume 2 covers oratorios, cantatas and occasional pieces.  While one might pine for a little more magic in the ‘Hymne’ from Berlioz’ Faust, Gray finds great lyricism in the Improvisation sur la Beethoven-Cantata de Liszt.  But if one ever thinks of Saint-Saëns as purveyor of fluff, listen to some of the progressive harmonies in ‘Improvisation’ from Album des Gauloises; the way Saint-Saëns resolves his dissonances is full of sleights-of-hand.

The final disc presents two transcriptions of music by Luis Milan and 13 of Bach.  Is there a brighter reflection of the joy of Bach’s Ouverture from Cantata 29 than this arrangement and Gray’s performance?  Emmanuel Despax offers a more nuanced reading on his Spira, Spera album, but Gray has captured its pure celebratory feel, setting off a miraculous sequence of arrangements. Irresistible music, superbly played.  Unmissable.