Poldi Mildner · Piano Recitals in Germany 1955-1959

April 2021 ∙ British Gramophone ∙ Rob Cowan ∙ Poldi Mildner · Piano Recitals in Germany 1955-1959
Years ago, exposure to a temple-swelling 1930s recording of Liszt’s Rhapsodie espagnole by the Russian pianist Simon Barère (now available on APR) left me lost for words, as it did most others who heard it. Then, a few weeks ago, Melo Classic’s CD of Poldi Mildner’s 1955-59 German piano recitals landed on my mat, and that same Rhapsodie caught fire again, just as it had done all those years ago in Barère’s hands. Here is a pianist to reckon with and make no mistake; the reckless, wild temperament, the dynamism, tonal power, dazzling finger velocity and overall virtuosity beyond measure, all dispatched at such amazing speeds, even though, inevitably given such breathless abandon, there’s the occasional stumble. Here we also have his Tarantella di bravura, and there’s the way Mildner ambles through Franck’s Prélude, choral et fugue like a spontaneous improvisation, her bittersweet charm and fearsome rhythmic drive in Poulenc’s rarely heard Suite Napoli and her energetic wrestling with Rosenthal’s exuberant Carnaval de Vienne. Pieces by Smetana, Scriabin and especially Prokofiev (she raises the roof with his ‘Suggestion diabolique’) will have you goggle-eyed. The recital ends with Mildner’s color conscious and interestingly idiosyncratic way with Debussy’s first set of Images, shifting hues made manifest, and thus her immense versatility is confirmed in just under 80 minutes. All I can say is that, having treated us to two such magnificent tasters, maybe Melo Classic could search out other Mildner tapes. The sound is perfectly acceptable.
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