BRAHMS: Piano Concerto No. 1 in D-minor, op. 15; Capriccio in D-minor, op.116; Intermezzo in A-minor, op.116; Ballade No. 4, op. 10 – Norman Krieger, piano/ Virginia Symphony Orchestra/ Joann Falletta, conductor – Artisie A shocker of a disc, with pianist and orchestra catapulting to the top of the “must have” list for the Brahms 1st BRAHMS: Piano Concerto No. 1 in D-minor, op. 15; Capriccio in D-minor, op.116; Intermezzo in A-minor, op.116; Ballade No. 4, op. 10 – Norman Krieger, piano/ Virginia Symphony Orchestra/ Joann Falletta, conductor – Artisie 4, 63:47 *****: Norman Krieger, despite being “one of the most acclaimed pianists of his generation“ (notes) is a name new to me, though I cannot see how I missed a pianist with such sterling chops as this. His website shows a host of other recordings that I will have to check out (www.normankrieger.com), but for now I can luxuriate in the glories of this Brahms 1, one of the most difficult in the literature and not an easy piece for the orchestra to pull off either. Krieger is on top of it right from the opening mysterious entrance of the piano, surely one of the darkest and subtly dramatic beginnings in all of music. The same subtlety alternates with a bombastic orchestral presence that is often the undoing of lesser recordings, but both pianist and orchestra are tied together in an umbilical twine so that one great interpretative heart beats in each. No doubt this is due to one of America’s finest conductors (and far and away the finest woman conductor in the world, in my opinion), Joann Falletta, who shows here a sublime understanding of Brahms, ever cognizant of the need to maintain discipline of tempo and dynamic contrast without spilling over into the realm of the overtly-sloppy romantic. This is a romantic interpretation, no question, but controlled and beautifully executed and maintained. Though the Virginia Symphony is obviously augmented here by “guests” as indicated in the program notes, they play with stunning alacrity, power, and warmth, and certainly win the “best of” award for orchestras in Virginia and surrounding states (or D.C., for that matter). There are many great recordings of the work, and you are always surprised to hear a new one that touches the absolute greatest, but this one does. It leaps to the top of the heap, maybe not surpassing the front rank, but certainly holding its own among them. A real shocker, a stunning achievement, and all should be proud. The sound, by the way, is vivid and bold with great presence, especially as it was done live. Krieger’s dexterous mannerisms are captured to the full. Krieger finishes the disc with three of Brahms piano pieces, two from the late Op. 116 and one of the early Ballades. This little taste only whets my appetite for more, and I do hope that Krieger will consider returning to the studio to indulge us in more Brahms. You can get this CD from Krieger’s website listed above, or from the Virginia Symphony (www.virginiasymphony.org), though Krieger’s has it for two bucks cheaper at $15.00 as does Amazon.com. Highest recommendation! -- Steven Ritter GRAMOPHONE The world’s best classical music magazine IIW’ MAY 2008 Brahms Piano Concerto No 1, Op I 5• Seven Pieces, Op 116— No 1, Capriccio; No 2, Intermezzo. Ballade, Op 10 No 4 Norman Krieger pf Virginia Symphony Orchestra /JoAnn Falletta Article 4 ® (64’ • DDD) Recorded live at Chrysler Hall, Norfolk, VA, in February 2007 Brahms gold from an unlikely source — make sure you don’t overlook this disc With so many excellent Brahms D minor Concerto recordings to be had, casual collectors might pass over the present release in pursuit of household- name soloists, first—tier orchestras and major labels. Then again, they’d miss this absolute smoker of a performance. Conductor JoAnn Falletta captures the music’s volatile emotions and youthful energy in frill measure. She defines the outer movements’ hefty tuttis with forceful accents and lean textures dominated by angry, snarling low brass, and pays special heed to expressive woodwind lines (the wonderfully contoured bassoon contributions, for example). The strings may not represent the last word in tonal unanimity and body, yet their astringent bite should warrant no cause for complaint among those who treasure the Szell/Cleveland collaborations with Rudolf Serkin and Leon Fleisher. In many respects Norman Krieger’s angular phrasing, kinetic drive and fervent commitment are akin to the aforementioned pianists and, to a lesser extent, Anton Kuerti. Dramatic contrast and harmonic clarity govern the organic ebb and flow of Krieger’s rubati, notably throughout the central Adagio and in the first movement’s infamous octave passages (about 10’30’ into the movement). While Falletta follows her soloist to the proverbial quick, her firm hand also keeps Krieger’s impetuous impulses in check: you sense that he wants to push ever so slightly ahead in the Rondo’s coda, but Fallerta’s got the tune, she calls the tempo, and that’s that! Three solo selections fill out the disc. Krieger’s rapt concentration and feeling for the long line justifies his detail-oriented deliberation over Op 116’s first two pieces, while generating intensity as he draws the B major Ballade’s left- hand ostinatos out to the fore. In short, we’ve struck 64 minutes’ worth of Brahmsian gold from an unlikely and often provocative source. .Jed Distler