Georgy Catoire / Percy Sherwood: Piano Concerto’S

Piano International (Sep, 2012)
This is a fascinating, rewarding coupling of two concertos both heard here in world premiere recordings. Georgy Catoire (1861-1926) was a professor at the Moscow Conservatoire (where he taught Kabalevsky). It is difficult to imagine his piano concerto served better than it is here.

However, interesting though it is to hear this music, it is not without problems. The first movement, a theme and variations, boasts a main theme that is rather aimless. Stylistically, one can find nods to Scriabin, Medtner and in particular Rachmaninov. Hiroaki Takenouchi has a superb, light touch and is flawless in the lovely Andante cantabile movement (French-perfumed music, but identifiably Russian in origin). Unfortunately, the finale …