“American pianist Garrick Ohlsson joined Juanjo Mena and the orchestra for Samuel Barber’s Piano Concerto, Op.38. The concerto was a success from its first performance in 1962 and won a Pulitzer prize for the composer. It is firmly in the tradition of the Classical and Romantic piano concerto with a sonata form first movement, a gentle second movement, a vigorous finale and plenty of opportunity for virtuoso display from the soloist, and yet it has a tough, aggressive feel quite unlike some of Barber’s more popular works such as the Violin Concerto. Ohlsson gave a muscular, robust performance. He demonstrated his authority in the opening piano solo and continued with dramatic interjections and a dazzling cadenza. The first entry of the lyrical theme on the oboe came as quite a surprise in the context of the predominantly stormy first movement. The gentler second movement is an expanded version of Barber’s Canzone for flute and piano from 1959 and retains something of a chamber music feel. Here Ohlsson was able to show a more lyrical side of his playing. The exciting and technically demanding finale led to a rousing conclusion with Ohlsson dominating the orchestra.”

Bachtrack