CD REVIEW -
HOLST The Planets
ELGAR Introduction and Allegro /
Salut d’Amour
Tessa Uys & Ben Schoeman
piano duo
SOMMCD O709
[62:54]
There is a small
number of classical works that
find favour with folk whose first
love is for other musical genres,
and one of these is surely 'The
Planets', which made the
name of Cheltenham-born Gustav
Holst (1874-1934), although he
reportedly came to resent its
fame feeling it overshadowed his
other works. But I doubt there
are many who will know it in this
form.
Before becoming
such a well-known and beloved
orchestral suite, it had been
originally written for two
pianos. Following the resounding
success of the orchestrated
version, the original piano duet
score was overlooked, though it
was eventually published
separately in 1949–51. In
1979, Holst's daughter, Imogen,
reissued the complete two-piano
arrangement in one volume, and
Tessa Uys and Ben Schoeman
perform that version here.
It is wide-ranging
fare, the seven movements being
variously described in turn as
powerful (Mars), serene
(Venus), light-footed (Mercury),
sombre (Saturn), quirky
(Uranus) and
otherworldly (Neptune). Jupiter,
Bringer of Jollity is the
longest (8:04) and most famous
piece including a central theme:
a broad, stately melody that was
adapted for the hymn "I Vow
to Thee, My Country."
The album is
completed by two works from the
pen of an even more eminent
English composer, Sir Edward
Elgar (1857-1934). Introduction
and Allegro is in an
arrangement by the German
musician Otto Singer II, who is
best known for his piano
transcriptions of orchestral
works. The final piece is the
composer's Salut d'Amour:
described in Robert
Matthew-Walker's erudite booklet
notes as "a staple of the
light music repertoire".
Tessa Uys, born in
Cape Town, is one of her
country's most distinguished
concert pianists. She was first
taught by her mother who fled
from Germany to escape Nazi
persecution, and gave her first
public performance at age seven.
Also South African born and an
awards-winner, Ben Schoeman is a
senior lecturer in piano and
musicology at the University of
Pretoria. The duo has very
successfully recorded all nine
Beethoven Symphonies on six discs
for SOMM.
Only recorded in
February this year at The Menuhin
Hall, Stoke d'Abernon, Surrey,
the playing here is equally
impressive and there are moments
when the sound is almost akin to
a larger ensemble.
Although I am a
"big" sounds person, I
enjoyed this rare release and
urge anyone who appreciates fine
pianism to acquire it. Available
direct from SOMM for £8.80 plus
postage.
©
Peter Burt, September
2025
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