An interview with Paul Hillier

What’s the story behind the album’s title?

Titles are sometimes a nuisance; two of the pieces on the album begin with the word ‘and’, so I thought it could at least get things started. It’s a pretty thin reason, I know, but in lieu of anything better I decided that’s what I’d call it. I suppose the idea of adding a bit of intrigue was in the back of my mind a little, too. Also, I like minimal things and you can’t get much more minimalist than that!

The programme spans the centuries. What was your starting point?

We had Arvo Pärt’s commission, And I heard a voice, and that gave me the idea to do a record of some more of his music, but not a whole record – I’ve done several before. We had also just performed the Caroline Shaw piece for the first time, and we’d been doing Julia Wolfe’s wonderful piece for two or three years on and off. I wanted something different, and yet not too different, to put between them all; so I decided to go for the Laude di Cortona, which I’ve been doing for some time with various different groups.

Did you work with Arvo Pärt?

He was commissioned by the University of Salamanca; they wanted a piece from him for us to perform – we had been booked to come and do a concert. He came to one of the rehearsals in Copenhagen, and that was invaluable. He also travelled to Salamanca to be present when we performed it. So he was involved, but he wasn’t at the recording. I’ve worked with Arvo quite a lot over the years and it’s always been a very positive experience.

Symphony No. 7; Piano Concerto No. 4 Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra/ Lahav Shani (piano)

Warner Classics 9029517768 73:14 mins Like his mentor Daniel Barenboim, Lahav Shani is both an outstanding pianist and conductor – he has been chief conductor of the Rotterdam Philharmonic since 2016 and recently became music director of the Israel Philharmonic. In the piano concerto, with violins arrayed left and right, and cellos and double basses (whose presence is unusually ‘felt’) in the middle, Shani emphasises the music’s lyrical impulse and exultant quality rather than eliciting a heroic overview. Although he relishes the implicit contrast in the brief Andante con moto central movement between muscular strings and acquiescent piano, he avoids the pitfall of attempting to impose a similar emotional narrative on the outer movements. Everything unfolds naturally – the finale possesses a reassuringly smiling quality reminiscent of classic Philharmonia accounts from Emil Gilels/leopold Ludwig and Hans Richter-haaser/ Istvan Kertész (both Emi/warner).

Likewise the Seventh Symphony (complete with first movement exposition repeat): in a work that can easily become an adrenalinepumping exercise in musical exhilaration, Shani retains the joy without over-forcing the music’s physical impact. Indeed, the Scherzo is all fleet-footed dancing, without a hob-nailed boot within earshot. Even the finale retains its genial composure, without any sense of being driven – there’s certainly no lack of excitement, yet Shani avoids the manic quality that has become almost part-and-parcel of the Seventh’s rhetorical tradition. He also gauges well the fine line between HIP (historically informed performance) and indulging modern instrumental proclivities. The Rotterdam Philharmonic possesses an appealing inner glow and warmth that radiates a strong sense of collegiate endeavour. Julian Haylock

PERFORMANCE ★★★★

RECORDING ★★★★