Ernest Bloch: Concerto Symphonique; Scherzo Fantasque; Hiver-Printemps

This is too bad, because it's a powerful piece of music with a relentless sense of struggle. Lest you be afraid that this is a piece without any melodies, I can reassure you that there are plenty of recognizable and memorable themes, but they are invariably of a martial, and often harsh, nature (especially in the finale). Even the slow middle section of the scherzo--which stands in for a slow movement--there isn't a great long-breathed singing melody. Instead, we find a tentative melody that is swept away by the relentless scherzo just as it seems to be blossoming.

Much of the musical argument is built from the heavy opening 6-note figure announced almost brutally by the piano. As a result, the music is tonal (there are no screeching dissonances), but the tonality is of a dark, glowering nature. Add in orchestration that is frequently brutal and brass-laden, and you have a tough listening experience. (If you know William Walton's 1st Symphony, this piece shares the character of the opening two movements of that piece, although Bloch and Walton in no way sound similar.)

Before I scare you away, let me repeat that the experience is absolutely worth your time. Put it on with a dark bank of clouds looming in the distance and you'll have the right mood.

The disc loses a star because the performance and recording aren't quite perfect. Halida Dinova copes magnificently with the titanic piano part, but the Russian orchestra isn't a completely polished instrument. There are several minor lapses particularly at joints in the music. Further, the orchestra is slightly coarse tonally, which isn't too bad in such brutal music.

The major flaw is the recording which is somewhat muddy and overly balanced toward the brass. Many details in the winds (and occasionally even the piano) are buried which is frustrating. This piece is, no doubt, a bear to balance properly, but I still wish more effort had gone into revealing some of the details. Lest I sound too harsh, let me say it's certainly not a dreadful recording (merely average), and the performance is powerful and forthright.

Also included on the disc is the Scherzo Fantastique for Piano & orchestra written immediately after the Concerto and sharing some of its fury though it's a more mercurial piece. To conclude are two tone poems from early in Bloch's career (1904-05) which sound NOTHING like what has preceded them. These pieces sound a lot like Delius and Debussy and are a soothing balm after the struggles of the piano and orchestra works.

To sum up, this is a very worthwhile if not quite perfect disc that gives us a glimpse into the repertoire of a composer who most people would like, I think, if his music would be played. I don't think this is the place to start in listening to Bloch, but if you've heard other pieces of his that you've liked, don't be afraid to try this disc. Just remember to wait for the thunderstorm!