Tchaikovsky: Piano Concerto No. 2 & Concert Fantasia

Chronique

Eclipsed by his enormously popular Piano Concerto No. 1 in B flat minor, Pyotr Il'yich Tchaikovsky's Piano Concerto No. 2 in G major has yielded a comparatively small discography, particularly in its original 1880 version. When this work is performed, the standard 1897 edition by Alexander Siloti is most often used, omitting Tchaikovsky's cadenzas and the extended passages for solo violin and cello in the Andante non troppo. They are heard to delightful effect in this exciting performance by pianist Eldar Nebolsin with Michael Stern and the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra, which is paired on this 2016 Naxos release with the charming Concert Fantasia in G major, another underdog in the repertoire that deserves more attention. One might regard these pieces as the sunnier siblings of the Piano Concerto No. 1, and their appealing melodies, brilliant keyboard writing, and optimistic moods reflect a more confident side of the composer. Yet there is plenty of drama and passion in the music, and Tchaikovsky's intense character shows in the occasional stormy episodes. Nebolsin is energetic and sparkling in the Concerto, most of all in the dazzling third movement, and he indulges in light and lively exchanges with the orchestra in the Concert Fantasia. Fans should snap up this album, because the selections are genuine rarities that belong in every Tchaikovsky collection.

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