Friday 7 October 2011

Delius - Piano Concerto [Lane/Lloyd Jones-Ulster Orchestra]

Here's the Delius Piano Concerto again, i played this disc early last year [19th March 2010], and it has a fairly special place in my heart, the version that i originally got to know was also by Piers Lane, with Vernon Handley conducting, on an EMI Eminence disc, and i prefer that version and would recommend it over this, this one here is the original version, i take it it's the longest, the third version i believe [the EMI disc] has a final movement that is half the length, the second version is cast in one movement, the whole work has a jagged history as Delius replaced certain movements with other movements, and then later in another version restoring originals, he really couldn't make up his mind i guess, but it's good to hear all the versions, each one enlightens the other. 

Piers Lane is Australian, born in 1958, he recorded this work 1n 2005, this disc is part of Hyperion's 'The Romantic Piano Concerto', and this is issue number 39, each has a different colour, usually two different composers with their lesser known Concertos, two small black and white pictures on a score of musical notes, each one is well worth collecting, but the whole lot?, i own a few [i recommend the Glazunov], but i believe it's better to judiciously choose a few. 

Again it's the first movement that i found the best, 

Here's Clifford Curzon playing the Concerto on YouTube.