Bachtrack reviews Leif Ove Andsnes’ performance of Debussy’s Fantaisie, for piano and orchestra with the London Philharmonic and Vladimir Jurowski

“In contrast, the 1968 version of Debussy’s Fantaisie, for piano and orchestra – around 4 measures shorter than the often-played original version – had a Romantic sweep alien to the two preceding variants of Stravinsky’s quirky art. One could say that the sheer enthusiasm of the orchestral playing, as sumptuous as it was, somewhat overshadowed the presence of Leif Ove Andsnes in the Andante ma non troppo. Yet the spirit of the playing was clearly there, and with the introduction of Lento e molto espressivo, a soft kind of grandeur swelled upon the stage with Andsnes reveling with his characteristic clarity and weight. Against the stoic and proper outwardness of Andsnes, the exotic flair of the Allegro molto had flexibility, and the triumphant conclusion linked well with the encore, a revisit to the offbeat dance of Stravinsky’s Tango in piano reduction form.

 

Source: Bachtrack.com