Vittorio Rieti (1898-1994)
Piano Concerto No 1 (1926)
Piano Concerto No 2 (1937)
Piano Concerto No 3 (1955)
Concerto for 2 pianos and orchestra (1951)
Alessandro Marangoni (piano)
Orazio Sciortino 2nd (piano)
Orchestra Sinfonica di Milano/Giuseppe Grazioli
rec. 2022-23; L’Auditorium di Milano, Italy
First recordings except No 2
Naxos 8.574505 [80]
Born in Alexandria, Egypt, Vittorio Rieti initially trained as an economist, gaining a doctorate before deciding to devote his time to music. He told Bruce Duffie in a 1985 interview that he was largely self-taught as a composer, though he had some lessons in orchestration from Ottorino Respighi, and that Alfredo Casella had been very encouraging to him. He scored notable success in Paris with Diaghilev’s Ballets Russes with his first ballet score Barabau (1925) which was also George Balanchine’s first original work for the company. Rieti would collaborate as either arranger or composer with Balanchine on a further twelve ballets. In 1940, he moved to the USA were he wrote prolifically in all genres until just before his death; he completed his 11th Symphony aged 92. In addition, he bolstered the precarious income from composing by holding teaching appointments at many institutions including the Peabody Conservatory, the Chicago Musical College, Queens College and the New York College of Music. Not a great deal of his music is currently available, which is a pity, as this well-filled disc shows him to be a highly skilled composer of attractive works. He may not have the most original sound world, but his music is well worth hearing.
The Piano Concerto No. 1 was written in Paris in 1926 and is dedicated to Francis Poulenc. It is full of the lightness and air that characterises so much Parisian music of the twenties and Poulenc’ s music in particular. He may have intended the work for a ballet which never happened, but it is eminently suitable for that genre, being full of ingratiating melodies and danceable rhythms. The slow movement reminds me of some of Poulenc’s piano nocturnes with a sweet melody over rocking accompaniment with just the occasional unsettling turn of harmony to add piquancy to the mix. Mr Marangoni imbues the melodies with a superb legato lyricism. The finale is full of engaging high jinks from the start with chuckling bassoon leading the way and dazzling, intricate writing for the soloist.
The Piano Concerto No.2 began life as a harpsichord concerto for Wanda Landowska but due to the political climate, communication between the two became difficult and he recast it for piano ( in 1957 he would eventually write a harpsichord concerto but for Sylvia Marlowe). In this form, it was premiered by Marcelle Meyer in Venice. The carefree sound of the earlier concerto is gone and here the first movement is full of high drama, perhaps reflective of the times. Spiky rhythms and rapid exchanges between an often-percussive piano are the order of the day with the shadow of Stravinsky not far away. The slow movement is the heart of the work, full of impassioned, vocally inspired lyricism. The last third is a dark, introspective cadenza for the soloist which is beautifully phrased by Mr Marangoni. The finale chases this away bursting in full of energy and excitement. The excitement however seems forced and the whole movement is rather unsettling. There is much writing for various solo instruments and the players seem to relish their chance to shine.
By the time of his last concerto, Rieti had moved to the USA and taken American citizenship. This one is dedicated to Marcelle Meyer a pianist of whom he was clearly very fond. It begins with an extended, dramatic cadenza for the soloist, before the orchestra bursts in with a sunny, Italianate dance. The writing for all is detailed and imaginative, the overall mood being playful. The slow movement brings back the air of introspection but with added gossamer-like flourishes from the piano which has a number of extended solo passages. It is an impressive construction that packs an emotional punch. As in the second concerto, the second movement leads straight into the finale, which is lively and contrapuntal. It is a beautifully structured movement, with careful thought given to the integration of the piano and the orchestra and given a stunning performance by all.
I once asked Richard Rodney Bennett if he had ever thought of writing a two-piano concerto and he replied, “Oh no, dear, too many notes”. Well there are a great many notes in Rieti’s two piano concerto which ends this disc, but I would add that all are needed. The work was recorded by Gold and Fizdale the preeminent American duo pianists who commissioned it and recorded it (Premier PRCD 1033 (1995)). That version had four distinct movements, but Rieti seems to have revised the work considerably, editing end extending the central two into one and also altering the finale, which here begins in a totally different fashion to the original version.
The work opens with a dramatic orchestral flourish before the pianists enter with quite florid writing elaborating on the opening material. Rieti once again proves himself adept at clever interplay between soloists and orchestra and Mr Grazioli is equally adept at coordinating the swift exchanges.
The second movement is a beautiful set of variations which seems to take its cue from Respighi and Malipiero and is decidedly in moda antiqua. The theme, which takes the form of a pavane introduced with a deftly coordinated arpeggiated accompaniment, is led through an ingenious set of variations, some raucous, others calm and introspective. The central one with an improvisatory quality sets the solo viola in partnership with the duo soloists to great effect. There really is some masterly writing for the two pianos here. One will start a phrase which is echoed or picked up by the other, all in perfect timing, a difficult thing for two pianos to do but which the soloists bring off perfectly.
The slow movement leads straight into the finale which, as the liner notes point out, begins with a motif very similar to John Williams’ music for Jaws before moving into some vigorous fugal writing. There are a great many notes and many contrapuntal lines to negotiate and bring out clearly which the performers, and engineers brilliantly bring off. The work must have seemed old-fashioned by the time it was premiered but it is rather fun and if one thinks of the shortage of two piano concertos its neglect is unjust.
My previous experience of Rieti has only been in the historic disc I mentioned earlier. Having listened to this disc a few times, I am eager to hearing more from one who seems yet again to be an unjustly neglected figure in twentieth century music. Bravo Naxos.
Paul RW Jackson
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