David Dalle
Thursday November 21st, 2019 with David Dalle
The 11th of 12 exceptional concert recordings for 2019: Cuban pianist Jorge Bolet roaring his magnificence to the heavens!

For 2019, I have chosen 12 exceptional concert recordings to program with one each month. I have set a couple of simple rules: the recordings will be played in their entirety and represent a single concert. These 12 recordings feature some of my favourite artists, and in many of the cases, also represent the very best from these artists. For the 11th concert, we will hear one of the most extravagant and glorious piano recitals I have heard on disc. Jorge Bolet's 1974 appearance at Carnegie Hall in New York. This concert proved to be a turning point in the long career of Jorge Bolet. Until then, Bolet had had a modestly successful career, born in Havana in 1914, he studied at the Curtis Institute from 1927-1934 and subsequently toured Europe and returned to the Curtis Institute to be Rudolf Serkin's assistant. He worked as a Cuban diplomat during WWII and afterwards began performing and recording for smaller obscure labels. In 1974 he had the opportunity to perform at Carnegie Hall. He chose a very unusual program, a complete throwback to late Romantic and early 20th century attitude, most of the program comprised of transcriptions and arrangements. This was at the height of the post-WWII reaction to the subjectivity of an earlier era, and supposed fidelity to the printed score was prized above all. Of the many musical victims of that trend were piano transcriptions which were held in contempt. It was if, at age 60, Bolet said "to hell with it" and he went for broke. In the words of musicologist Bryce Morrison: "This major turning point came after years of frustration when, despite the unstinting support of a coterie of musicians, Bolet failed to achieve that ultimate break, one which would have allowed his truest standing and celebrity... Here as if stung by so many years of neglect, he gathered all his resources in one fell swoop and roared his magnificence to the heavens." The result was some of the greatest piano playing I have heard, he completely carries all the audience along in his grand vision and command from the inevitable apocalyptic ending to Bach's Chaconne, to the full set of Chopin's Preludes played with incredible colour and passion, the jaw-dropping virtuosity of the Strauss transcriptions, the overwhelming, epic sweep of the Tannhauser overture. I have many recordings of these works, I have never heard the equal of their performances here. This concert and recording catapulted Bolet to the top tier of concert pianists for the last 15 years of his life.