B. Stavenhagen 2nd PC

[reineckeforever]

Hi, does anybody know Stavenhagen's 2nd PC?
I know it isn't orchestrated by the composer, the only material existing was a two piano reduction.
I think there is only a recording on a CD released in Germany. It is a strange concerto, full of shadows whit a superb piano writing and I also like the scoring, that suggests sometimes a mahlerian atmosphere.
I'd like to exchange some opinion about it. Bye, Andrea

[Gareth Vaughan]

If you are referring to the EBS disk, also containing the 3 Orchesterlied, I have this recording, but I have not played it for a long time - nor am I likely to again. The piano writing is extremely effective - as one would expect. The orchestration is, however, an abomination - the very acme of bad taste. It is not remotely faithful to Stavenhagen's style. Cloying and sugary, it makes copious and excessive use of an instrument which the composer could not possibly have known about - the vibraphone. Stavenhagen died in 1914 - the first "vibraphone" (though differing markedly from the modern instrument) was manufactured by the Leedy company in the U.S. in 1921. If only someone would re-orchestrate it sympathetically we would have a first class piano concerto, instead of the ghastly travesty displayed on this CD.

[Alan Howe]

Now listed as a reissue (download only?) at Presto:
https://www.prestomusic.com/classical/products/9640059--bernhard-stavenhagen-piano-concerto-no-2-3-orchestral-songs

[eschiss1]

Apparently coming out on 9 August, yes. First issue of Joachim-Dietrich Link's reconstruction since the original 1992 CD, as far as I know?? He didn't live to see it (1925-2001). (Discogs has the pianist, Volkmar Lehmann, as "born 1935".) I hope Amazon streams ebs' recordings, though it's not an expensive recording in any case, it's true.

[terry martyn]

Does anyone know when this was composed?   It sounds like a very late work.

[eschiss1]

1912, I think, from the Worldcat info on the CD. I have no more definite information. It is however a reconstruction/arrangement, not completed (and/or fully orchestrated) by the composer.

[terry martyn]

I thought your might know,Eric!    I think that I will sit this one out.

[tuatara442442]

It's orchestrated from the two-piano reduction

[Richard Moss]

Checking my own copy of the original EBS CD, the notes say the work' orchestration was entrusted to a Dr. Joachim-Dietrich Link (but no mention of who by, why or when).  It says the first 2 movements flow into each other 'attacca'. The notes also mention Liszt's influence (and they also include a photo from 1886 of Stavenhagen standing at Liszt's shoulder while the latter is at a piano).  I only mention this as Presto say the download version does NOT include a digital booklet.

So long since I last listened this post has prompted me to give it another spin.

Cheers

Richard
 

[eschiss1]

All I know about Joachim-Dietrich Link is, as noted above, that his yeardates are 1925-2001 according to Worldcat, confirmed by THULB Factsheet (born 18 October 1925 in Magdeburg, died 2001.) (I also see that he was a composer from whom Tobias Broeker lists a 1956 violin concerto.)

[Holger]

In fact, the issue has been discussed several years ago right here:
https://www.unsungcomposers.com/forum/index.php/topic,3545.0.html
At the end I also wrote a bit about Joachim-Dietrich Link.

[terry martyn]

Apologies for not rechecking, particularly so,as I now recall reading the last couple of pages of that thread.     So,it is a very late work,and,as the download excerpts sound horrible to my ears,am I right in thinking that it is still the modernistic Link orchestration being used?

[Holger]

It seems to be a reissue of the old CD, so yes, it must be Link's orchestration, which is however neither modernistic nor horrible (just maybe not completely idiomatic).

[terry martyn]

Probably coming across as a Beckmesser, I would point out that I did say "to my ears".  Each to his own,of course

[Gareth Vaughan]

Ir is not modernistic but it is certainly tasteless, and in that respect deeply horrible to my ears.