Renaissance
Shani Diluka (piano)
rec. 2024, Teldex Studio, Berlin, Germany
Reviewed as lossless download
Warner Classics 2173251429 [81]
Shani Diluka was born in Monaco with a Sri Lankan heritage. Her first recording was in 2008, but this is the first time I’d heard her – very much my mistake. I should have paid more attention to my colleagues, as there are a number of highly complimentary reviews in our archive (for example, review ~ review).
Her discography includes several collections based around a theme or concept, and this new release is another. It presents works from the 16th to 18th centuries, arranged (mostly by Diluka herself) for the modern piano, and including some composers whose music rarely features in recordings for the instrument, such as Frescobaldi, Palestrina and Monteverdi. That said, I recently reviewed a recording by Daniel-Ben Pienaar of works by the forgotten Baroque composer Gaspard le Roux, and in writing that review, was reminded that Pienaar had released an album The Long 17th Century which has a similar programme (though no works in common).
In the two minutes of the Aire from John Eccles’ The Mad Lover that opens the programme (somewhat out of the generally chronological sequence), you know everything you need to know about this release. It is beautiful, soulful, poetic and stunningly played, but if you were looking for keyboard fireworks, look elsewhere. The 16th and early 17th works translate very well to the modern piano, with Monteverdi’s song Sì dolce è’l tormento a special delight.
The best-known work not originally for keyboard is Purcell’s Dido’s Lament, and while Diluka does her best to impart Dido’s anguish, the arrangement can’t express the grief as effectively as the human voice. It is followed by an Adagio from one of Corelli’s op. 6 Concertos, and it too doesn’t transfer all that well, coming across as a little simplistic.
The five Scarlatti sonatas are delightful, but again at the gentle and poetic end of the performance spectrum. The contrast between Diluka and Yevgeny Sudbin (BIS) in Kk27 is considerable – he is more than thirty seconds faster in a piece lasting around four minutes, and she find so many more subtle delights. I recently praised a Scarlatti programme by Javier Perianes (review), and commented on the poetry in his playing. There are two works in common across the two recordings: Kk466, one of the truly great ones, and the two performances are well-matched, while in Kk141, I think Perianes provides just a little more drama and colour.
The “big” work is the Handel Chaconne at over eleven minutes (none of the others are longer than six). Handel’s keyboard music is not among his best-known music, but it should be. My other recordings of this work are by Angela Hewitt and Murray Perahia; both are around eight minutes, so Diluka’s version is significantly longer. I suspect this is due to extra repeats being taken, as it is certainly not much slower than the Perahia. Of my two previous versions, my preference was Perahia’s, on his quite wonderful Sony disc of Handel and Domenico Scarlatti. Diluka’s version does not supplant that, but rather joins it on the pedestal. Hers is a more decorated version, with different emphases, which is quite enthralling.
If I have any criticism of Renaissance at all, it is that it can border on being too beautiful and poetic. Slow, serene and wistful pieces dominate: from the Monteverdi to the K159 Scarlatti, there are nine pieces in a row that are essentially slow and gentle. In the middle of those are the Dido and Corelli pieces that I have already mentioned as not being entirely successful. Perhaps some of the Purcell, Handel and Frescobaldi selections could have been swapped for faster movements, without disrupting the programme’s balance.
Unfortunately, the booklet notes say very little, but Diluka perhaps wants her playing to speak for itself. The sound quality is very good.
This is a recording I will treasure. Diluka’s playing isn’t about virtuosity and bold statements – there are plenty of other pianists if that’s what you are in the mood for – and in the current state of the world, too much beauty is barely enough.
David Barker
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Contents
John Eccles 1668–1735
The Mad Lover: V. Aire (Ground)
William Byrd 1540–1623
The Earle of Salisbury Pavan
Anonymous
My Lady Carey’s Dompe
John Dowland c.1563– c.1626
Pavana Lachrymae (set by William Byrd)
My Lord Willoughby’s Welcome Home
Girolamo Frescobaldi 1583–1643
Toccate e partite d’intavolatura, Libro 1: Partite cento sopra il passacagli
Giovanni Pierluigi Da Palestrina 1525–1594
Panis angelicus
Girolamo Frescobaldi
Toccate e partite d’intavolatura, Libro 1: Partite sopra l’Aria di Folia
Claudio Monteverdi 1567–1643
Sì dolce è’l tormento SV 332
Henry Purcell c.1659–1695
Harpsichord Suite No.4 in A minor Z.663: Prelude & Almand
Harpsichord Suite No.1 in G Z.660: Prelude
Harpsichord Suite No.2 in G minor Z.661: Almand
Come, Ye Sons of Art Away Z.323: Sinfonia
Dido and Aeneas Z.626: Dido’s Lament
Arcangelo Corelli 1653–1713
Concerto grosso in D Op.6 No.4: II. Adagio
Domenico Scarlatti 1685–1757
Keyboard Sonata in B minor Kk. 87
Keyboard Sonata in C Kk. 159 “La caccia”
Keyboard Sonata in B minor Kk. 27
Keyboard Sonata in F minor Kk. 466
Keyboard Sonata in D minor Kk. 141
George Frideric Handel 1685–1759
Keyboard Suite in G minor HWV 434: IV. Minuet (with alternate Kempff version)
Keyboard Suite No.3 in D minor HWV 428: I. Prelude
Keyboard Suite No.2 in F HWV 427: I. Adagio
Chaconne in G HWV 435
Johann Sebastian Bach 1685–1750
Keyboard Concerto BWV 974: II. Adagio (after Marcello’s Oboe Concerto in D minor)
