Now when we've entered both a new year and a new decade I've been asking myself that question... What was the greatest musical experience of the 2010s? I have to say that the overwhelming dominant has been Sokolov, who I was often at odds with during the 00s but who I now the last 10 years have been quite bowled over by at almost every concert - both for the quality of the artistry, the exemplary musicianship, and the near unbelievable piano playing.

After careful consideration however my pick will have to be this. I traveled to my old home country specifically to attend this performance, and while I expected a mighty experience to finally hear this monumental concerto performed live, it swept me off my feet in a way I never anticipated. It's unusual in so many ways - not only because of the gigantic scope of the composition, both in length and artistic vision, but also because of the choral finale and that the piano acts as an integral part of the orchestra rather than a solo instrument contrasted against it, as is otherwise customary. Over the course of 70 minutes you're taken on a wild ride through both humanity and the world. From the proud, seafaring first movement, to the jungles of the second, the severe and tumultuous core of the work in the third, the humorous and rapidly shifting kaleidoscope of the fourth, to the profound conclusion in the fifth, where harmony finally reigns and where the choir almost seems to stand as a symbol for us as a species. In my mind it is no doubt one of the grandest achievements of late romanticism, and one of the most remarkable piano concertos ever written. Not as finely wrought as the Brahms-2 or Rach-3, say, but richer in ideas and grander in scope than anything else found in the genre.

Needless to say about a romantic work of these proportions it puts enormous demands on everyone involved in executing it. From the pianist's perspective you first of all need considerable chops and stamina just to be able to play it - it was written by the man who thought there were too few notes in La Campanella after all - but thanks to the piano's role you must also have the sound resources required to counter balance an entire orchestra. With Ohlsson behind the keys, we had nothing to fear in that department. He drew a bright, massive and crystal clear sonority from the Steinway throughout the concerto, and followed effortlessly wherever Busoni and Oramo took him. I leave out the pianism because Ohlsson did as well. He gave no hint to his audience of the tremendous technical obstacles he was conquering, and he never drew attention to the piano playing per se. Indeed, the spotlight rather fell on the Stockholm Philharmonics who did some blinding playing along the way - and not least Sakari Oramo who in many ways was the real star of the evening.

This is granted not an easy concerto to get in to, but the effort involved pays off thousand fold once you do, and for those new to it I know of no better introduction than the present performance.


Busoni: Piano Concerto in C major, Op.39 (BV 247) (1904)
00:00 - I. Prologo e introito
15:33 - II. Pezzo giocoso
25:47 - III. Pezzo serioso
49:06 - IV. All'Italiana (cadenza: amplified 1909 rev)
01:02:39 - V. Cantico

Garrick Ohlsson, piano
Men's Chorus from Eric Ericson's Chamber Choir
Sakari Oramo / Stockholm Royal Philharmonic Orchestra

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