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`Rachmaninov: Complete Piano Concertos’
(Deutsche Grammophon)
Why we recommend it: Recording a complete cycle of works is the musician’s equivalent of conquering the Himalayas, and the record lives up to the reputation of its brand-name artist.
Recommended tracks: Piano Concertos Nos. 2, 3 and 4
Even among those who aren’t diehard fans of classical music, Suh Hai-kyung is a household name. She is widely recognized for her cameo in the smash hit TV series ``Beethoven Virus,’’ and while Lang Lang may have owned a flashy red Steinway, Samick last year released an entire new line of instruments inspired by the keyboard diva.
Suh has teamed up with the Maestro Alexander Dmitriev-helmed St. Petersburg Academie Symphony Orchestra to record Rachmaninov’s complete piano concertos ― in the heart of Russia in just 10 days. It’s the second ever attempt in Korea after Maestro Paik Kun-woo, and the first ever for a female Asian artist.
It’s a dream project ― recording a full cycle is the musician’s equivalent of conquering Everest and the recording lives up to the reputation of its brand-name artist.
The unprecedented nature of the project and the sheer magnitude of its size put aside, the polished, impeccable music simply speaks for itself. Yet an artist’s biographical notes at times adds to the appreciation of their work, and the recording should be recognized as an impressive human achievement. After battling cancer, Suh made a stellar comeback recital at Seoul Arts Center in 2008, and played Concertos No. 2 and 3 (playing both in one sitting was unheard of for a Korean).
Fans will be able to relive the historic evening through the album: Concerto No. 2 boasts a lilting lyricism, with the third movement particularly showcasing the artist’s signature vibrancy. Her virtuosity peaks in the technically devilish No. 3 ― a fervent energy can be felt throughout the piece but she manages to keep a steady, cool distance that renders the deep poeticism all the more palpable.
Interestingly, No. 4 was recorded in just a single session ― the only such case known for a female pianist ― and one is reminded of the visceral aspect of piano-playing. Suh’s powerful notes explode into a spontaneous, delightfully discordant harmony with the orchestra.
The first cadenza in No. 1 brims with a youthful ebullience that reminds the listener of Suh’s earlier period. The album seems to reflect Suh’s renewed passion for life and music, and also includes a vivacious rendition of Rachmaninov’s Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini, Op. 43.
-Lee Hyo-won
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`Science & Faith’
(Sony Music Korea)
This Irish trio returns with their second studio album: a well-manicured collection of woebegone songs of heartbreak. Though lead singer Danny O’Donoghue’s warbling tenor vocals work well with the emotional alt-rock and the grandiose guitar riffs-piano mix could be likened to the stuff of Coldplay, the band falls short of any memorable greatness.
Donoghue manages to integrate a variation of light rap that weaves seamlessly into single ``For the First Time,’’ but by the nth time around in ``If You Ever Come Back,’’ a messier interchange lends to a feeling of schizophrenic ache compounded with repetitively downcast lyrics compliments of both the vocalist and bass guitarist Mark Sheehan. Though the final tracks see the best of the group’s creativity in both writing and composition ― ``Walk Away’’ a genre-combustion with elements of club call-outs and hip hop, and ``Exit Wounds’’ providing truly imaginative imagery ― listeners cannot help but feel emaciated with a nutrition-less 10 tracks.
Two stars out of four.
― Ines Min
Sufjan Stevens`The Age of Adz’
(Asthmatic Kitty Records)
Sufjan Stevens’ explosion onto the indie scene earlier this decade led to the wildfire spread of his name across all hipster playlists. But the scope of his conceptual endeavors ― i.e., creating an album for the 50 states of the U.S. ― led to a period of studio release dearth, and ``The Age of Adz’’ is his first full LP in five years.
The period of hibernation sees a change in genre, though not mastery. The evangelical choruses are sporadic, now dominated by heavy electronic compositions for a polemic harmony. The title-track offers a full narrative, beginning with the seeming-soundtrack to the opening of an epic, dystopian sci-fi feature before it climaxes abate for a banjo paired with sweet vocals. Real-life content is still a mainstay, with ``Vesuvius’’ drawing parallels between the Italian volcano and doubt.
Gone are the self-grandiosities, leaving behind raw sincerity, an elegant, existential awareness (try the epiphany-filled, 25-minute ``Impossible Soul’’) and new, exciting potential.
Four stars out of four.
― Ines Min
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