BBC Scottish Symphony

This concerto (Shostakovich's Piano Concerto No. 2) is a winner, full of hijinks and youthful exuberance in the outer movements, where Hamelin and Litton present a wonderfully exciting performance with much colorful playing. The second movement andante is one of the most beautiful and affecting movements written in the twentieth century, and I cannot conceive of a more perfect realization.

But the writing (of Shchedrin's Piano Concerto No. 2) is bold, and boldly rendered by the BBC Scottish SO under Andrew Litton. A brilliant disc, ludicly recorded.

These are not, after all, [Shostakovich's] most profound works, or his most flamboyant, but Hamelin (aided in no small degree by Litton's shapely, neat-as-a-pin accompaniments) makes them sound substantial, and there's no higher praise than that. The orchestral part, more fully scored than either Shostakovich work, allows Litton and the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra a chance to strut their considerable stuff as well. Excellently balanced sonics complete an ideal marriage of soloist, conductor, orchestra, and repertoire. Certainly this is the new reference recording for the Shostakovich [piano] concertos. Bravo!

Suffice it to say, in their final concert on Friday with Andrew Litton, Music Director of the Dallas Symphony Orchestra as guest conductor, saw the orchestra soar to even greater heights of excellence.

Peter Donohoe and Andrew Litton have a field day with this charming piece. Here, as in the rather weightier opening movement of [Litolff's] Concerto Symphonique No. 5, their light touch and buoyant rhythmic foundation prevent this sometimes foursquare music from bogging down. They imbue both slow movements with an appealingly operatic lyricism and project the music of the scherzos with a real sense of fun. Excellent sound completes a mightily attractive picture.