Alberto Ginastera: Orchestral Works Vol.2 – Xiayin Wang

   in Piano International (Jul, 2017)
Chandos’ series of orchestral works by Ginastera has thus far centred on his ballets: Estancia in Volume 1 and here Panambí (1937), with its somewhat Ravel-like female choral ending. Mena’s account of this early, impressionistic score is ravishing. Even more impressive is the Second Piano Concerto (1972) played with coruscating virtuosity by Xiayin Wang. Its seemingly fragmentary four-movement structure (32 Variations in emulation of Beethoven, Scherzo for the lefthand, Fantasia and conjoined cadenza-Finale) is melded together entirely convincingly. The Concerto has previously been recorded by Barbara Nissman (Pierian) and Dora de Marinis (Naxos), yet this newcomer has the edge, at least in terms of the quality of accompaniment and of Chandos’ …