After her singular triumphs interpreting Chopin, Rachmaninoff and Ravel sonatas, pianist Cecile Licad ventures into the less popular repertoire and trained her interpretative powers on seldom heard and performed American sonatas.
It took years to rediscover the program and to give them new life on the concert stage.
A year ago, she dared do a recital on American sonatas at Philadelphia’s Benjamin Franklin Hall and both audience and critics liked what they heard.
The program: Reinagle’s Piano Sonata No. 1 in D Major, MacDowell’s Piano Sonata No. 1 in G minor, Op. 45, Tragic; Seigmeister’s Piano Sonata No. 1, American and Griffes’ Piano Sonata.
Music critic Bernard Jacobson wrote the final work (Griffes’ Piano Sonata) took audiences back to the years 1917 and 1918, and ended the evening on a suitably high note in terms of both composition and performance. “Charles Tomlinson Griffes, who died (again, like Mozart) at the age of 35, was by some margin the most prodigally gifted of these four composers. His Piano Sonata is indeed successful in blending strongly personal expressive character with an unmistakable sense of organic unity, and Cecile Licad’s performance captured both those aspects of it with engaging warmth and unfailing virtuosity.”
Shortly after her Carnegie Hall return engagement last June with the PPO under Olivier Ochanine, Licad again made news with the release of her first CD of American sonatas and got good receptions from CD reviewers in USA, Germany and Great Britain.
German reviewer Wilfried Schaeper of Radio Bremen was pleasantly surprised to discover that good American sonatas actually existed and noted: “Who would have guessed that the American piano literature hides forgotten treasures of such high quality, written by gifted composers other than Gershwin, Copland, or Bernstein? Cecile Licad’s latest CD release contains works by Edward MacDowell, Charles Griffes, Ellie Siegmeister, in addition to the very first sonata that was ever written in North America: Alexander Reinagle’s Philadelphia Sonata No. 1. Licad continues to be an absolute world-class pianist. With her stunning technique, her inborn musicality, and her interest in rarely played repertoire, she is the ideal interpreter for this anthology of American piano music. With this series, she breaks new ground, as most of these works are completely unknown in our country. The musical quality of the selected works is fully equivalent to the masterworks by European composers. If, in addition, this music is played in such a passionate and stunning manner as, in this case, by Cecile Licad, then this discovery trip to the New World turns into pure joy. This release will correct quite a few European prejudices against American piano music and is highly recommended to all piano aficionados who have open ears and an open mind. America has a lot more to offer than “musical fast food.’”
Reviewer John France’s verdict: “This is an exciting new release that promises to expand into a collection of American musical masterpieces, albeit at a slow rate. It is essential listening for all who consider the piano as their favorite instrument and who regard the piano sonata as one of the most important and sophisticated forms.”
From another CD specialist: “The front cover proudly states that it’s Volume 1 of an anthology of American piano music, and after listening to the four selected sonatas here, one can hardly wait for Volume 2, which promises ‘Music of the Night’. To hear a master pianist like Cecile Licad tackle these works is a luxury not often granted when unknown piano music is concerned. It’s usually left to the second-division pianists to be dragged into the studio to record the ‘outsiders’. Not so here. The short Reinagle sonata, a sweet Haydn tribute, is played with charm and finesse, while the MacDowell, not such a rarity any more, receives a towering performance. The Griffes is a gritty work played to perfection and the fiery joyous devilry of Elie Siegmeister’s sonata is much more approachable for the listener than what one might anticipate from this contemporary composer. The production is a clear labour of love, from the well-tuned Steinway and well-balanced recording to the informative Jeremy Nicholas booklet notes.”
It may be noted that Licad’s earlier recordings got equally good receptions.
Her Sony Classical release of Chopin’s Piano Concerto No. 2 and Saint-Saens’ Piano Concerto No. 2, with André Previn conducting the London Philharmonic, was awarded the Grand Prix du Disque Frederic Chopin from Poland’s Chopin specialists.
Under Music Masters label, Licad’s all-Ravel CD (Le tombeau de Couperin, Gaspard de la Nuit, and Sonatine) and Sony Classical recording of Schumann’s Carnaval, Papillions and Toccata in C Major were at one time declared CDs of the month by Time Magazine.
To classical purists, Licad’s bestseller will always be Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No. 2, and Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini with the Chicago Symphony, conducted by Claudio Abbado.
Of late, she collaborated with German cellist Alban Gerhardt and recorded a well-received all-Faure CD and some favorite encore pieces by Pablo Casals.
On the whole, there is no doubt that Licad has become such a supreme interpreter of any kind of music that comes her way.
One noted that as early as in her teens, the eminent pianist Rudolf Serkin—who happens to be one of her teachers—noted: ‘’When Cecile (Licad) auditioned for me there was something very special about her musical personality. She had a deep understanding of music and a conviction in her playing that I did not expect from someone so young. She has an incredible instinct for all kinds of music and seems equally at home in any style. This is a very great gift. Nobody could teach her that – it’s her own.’’
