Elgar • Paderewski • Wagner

Elgar: Polonia*; Wagner: Polonia Overture*; Paderewski: Fantaisie polonaise

Dmitry Shishkin (piano); Russian National Orchestra/mikhail Pletnev; *Royal Philharmonic Orchestra/ Grzegorz Nowak

The Fryderyk Chopin Institute

NIFCCD 069 49:35 mins

Who knew that Wagner in 1836 wrote an overture in solidarity with the oppressed Polish people? Pre-dating any of his operas, this rarely heard work shows the young would-be revolutionary already had a sense of drama but was yet to find his own voice. There are echoes of Beethoven and Berlioz, the latter clearly a vital influence even before the Frenchman had written the work which had such an impact on Wagner, Roméo et Juliette. Still, in this live recording from Warsaw’s 2018 festival ‘Chopin and his Europe’, the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra’s lean and vigorous account conducted by Grzegorz Nowak makes a stirring impression.

The audience gives an even warmer reception to Elgar’s Polonia, again written in support of the Polish people, this time during World War I. Admittedly not one of Elgar’s strongest works – he sometimes resorts to ideas he had first used more effectively elsewhere – it nonetheless gets a suitably brooding and dramatic account from the same forces.

The most extensive work on this disc – recorded from the same festival – is by Poland’s own pianistcomposer and prime minister Paderewski. His once popular Fantaisie polonaise of 1893, a postliszt work for piano and orchestra, is performed with charm, wit and zest by soloist Dmitry Shiskin with spirited and sympathetic accompaniment – perhaps rather surprisingly – by the Russian National Orchestra under its founder-conductor Mikhail Pletnev.

At less than 50 minutes, this is rather a short length programme; but will delight those seeking lesser-known Romantic repertoire in vibrant and characterful performances.

Daniel Jaffé

PERFORMANCE ★★★★★

RECORDING ★★★★