Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827)
Symphony No. 3 in E flat major, ‘Eroica’, op. 55 (trans. Liszt)
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791)
Piano Concerto No. 20 in D minor, K466 (trans. Alkan)
Paul Wee (piano)
rec. 2021 Wyastone Concert Hall, Monmouth, UK
BIS BIS-2615 SACD [83]
Paul Wee leads an extraordinary double-career life. On the one hand he is a barrister specialising in commercial law and arbitration, on the other he is an astonishing virtuoso pianist with an enterprising repertoire, remarkable energetic delivery, and sure-fire interpretive understanding. I found it hard to listen to anything but this new disc for over a week because the music is so compellingly recreated by true power-house playing of the highest quality. This truly is a recording that demands replay after replay, with sensational, inspirational and exuberant pianism in every track.
Liszt’s transcriptions of Beethoven’s nine symphonies remain all too rarely heard on the concert platform, but there are some notable distinguished recordings that are worthy of consideration and mention. Leslie Howard’s astonishing complete cycle of the entire solo Liszt oeuvre and Earl Wild’s authoritative playing continue to impress through intelligent projection of symphonic drama and complete control of the textures as well as the transcendental technical challenges. The much more recent recordings of Liszt from Konstantin Scherbakov (Naxos 8.555354) most certainly display masterful authority too, but without the quirky, whimsy and imaginative volatility that Cyprien Katsaris brough to his ‘Grand Prix du disque’ award winning 1989 cycle of all nine symphonies for Teldec. In this illustrious company, Wee more than holds his own.
The Alkan transcription of Mozart’s celebrated D minor Concerto is a very rare bird indeed and I was unable to find an alternative recording. Wee’s pianism is razor -sharp throughout. He is especially impressive in terms of using colour as a structural and clarifying device, evoking different sections of the orchestra without every sounding strained. Indeed, on listening to this performance one temporarily forgets the concerto in its original orchestral guise. Above all, Wee brings extraordinary energetic fervor to every note. His articulation and rhythmic control are astonishingly charismatic and there is a decidedly different approach to slurs and staccatos than in the ‘Eroica.’ Especially ear-opening is Alkan’s quirky, fascinating cadenza. Harmonies move on quick-sand, taking the music to places almost beyond belief- then justifying all maneuvers and the overall journey beyond question via chordal progressions that clarify everything. Perhaps the slow movement could have been more charmingly realised, but this is a small quibble. Wee’s approach is heroic, large-scale, and immediate. The approach instantly commands attention – and the glitter and sparkle remain throughout all of the disc’s 83 minutes. Sound is direct and forward, if hardly beguilingly beautiful.
Murray McLachlan
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