Sergei Taneyev (1856-1915)
Piano Quintet in G minor, Op. 30 (1911)
Robert Schumann (1810-1856)
Piano Quintet in E-flat, Op. 44 (1842)
Peter Donohoe (piano)
Sacconi Quartet
rec. 2020, Menuhin Hall, Stoke d’Abernon, Great Bookham, Cobham, UK
Signum Classics SIGCD775 [73:36]

The opening of Sergei Taneyev’s quintet suggests a unique emotional experience. The piano intones mysterious, resonant bass notes; the upper strings answer with exploratory phrases to unsettled , almost Expressionist effect. Conversely, the main body of the movement, Allegro patetico, is less innovative, though its irregular scansion keeps the listener somewhat off-balance.

Aside from the Scherzo‘s lightweight march, however – it doesn’t quite sound like a Presto to me – much of the rest remains resolutely conventional. The melodic contours have no particular “Russian” feeling, no suggestion of folk rhythms or modes. The climaxes of the turbulent first-movement development and finale bring a Hollywoodish glamour; the latter also has too many endings, à la Dvořák. The weaving of broad lines arching over busier motion, intriguing at first, becomes practically a compositional tic. Everything is well wrought and falls easily on the ears, but it’s business as usual.

The musicians sounded convinced, at least, even if they didn’t quite convince me. Peter Donohoe ripples effortlessly through the scales that embellish the score: at times, they even sparkle.  The strings are fine, though the fervent cello impressed me more than the somewhat light-toned, reserved first violin.

After the Taneyev, I was struck by the clean, uncluttered quality of Schumann’s textures. The players’ forthright address nonetheless allows space for expansion and nuance: the first movement’s third subject, for example, almost aches in the recap, and the “B” section of the march is subdued and wistful. The only hitch occurs in the Scherzo: Schumann deliberately wrote an “off” scansion into the Trio‘s piano part, but here it sounds as if the players might actually come unstuck! On the other hand, their launching attacca into the beautifully integrated Finale probably forestalls premature applause in concert. Mr. Donohoe, without sacrificing lightness where it’s needed, fills out Schumann’s more dramatic material with appropriately darker colours; the “deracinated” violin tone works here to haunting effect, and the cello remains warm and expressive.

I occasionally detected some hall resonance around the solo violin; otherwise the recorded acoustic is pleasing and unobtrusive.

Stephen Francis Vasta
stevedisque.wordpress.com/blog

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