Olli Mustonen - Beethoven, J.S. Bach: Piano Concertos (2012)

When it rains, it pours. In our last issue, I raved about a new recording of this curious and rarely heard version of Beethoven's well-known violin concerto—please refer to that issue for details and for a recapitulation of the major recordings of the piece from the early days of the long-playing record. Now here it is again, in a much more fleet reading by the brilliant young Finnish pianist and composer (his own music may be sampled on Finlandia's Portrait of Olli Mustonen and a radiant-sounding, closely miked Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie. The two new recordings complement each other nicely. The comparative introspection brought to the work by Spada and Gibson (ASV DCA 911) contrasts sharply with the more dynamic approach of Mustonen and Sarasate, who dispatch the work in about 15% less time. Overall I prefer the former version to the present one, chiefly because I have come to view the music as more soulful (and soul-searching) than flamboyant. On the other hand, Mustonen and Company undeniably make a more gripping first impression.

Ultimately, the choice may hinge on the concerto's discmates. Mustonen plays Bach's D-Major keyboard version (BWV 1052) of the Violin Concerto in E Major (BWV 1042), accompanied by the strings of the Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie. Presumably this concerto is also conducted by Saraste; although his name appears in detailed listings on the back cover and brochure only in connection with the Beethoven, the jewelbox's spine, the front cover, and the CD itself indicate that the conductor leads both works. This is not this concerto's first recording by any means; Gavrilov and Gould have been responsible for splendid piano versions, while Leondhardt and Kipnis are among the best-known harpsichordists who have undertaken it. No moss grows on Mustonen's version; as in the Beethoven, he moves at a breathtaking clip, and here the tempos suit the music admirably. ASV includes a fine performance of Beethoven's Rondo in Bb and of the Choral Fantasy on a more generously filled disc. Discriminating listeners will not go wrong with either of these new releases and so may be guided by the relative desirability of the supplemental works in making their buying decision. -- John W. Lambert