The Romantic Piano Concerto Vol.58 - Pixis, Thalberg and (later) Bronsart

[Gareth Vaughan]

I have just learned that Bronsart's PC, although it will certainly be recorded by Hyperion in their RPC series, is not yet at the scheduling stage. There are at least half a dozen other volumes in preparation before Bronsart, so we shall have to be patient there. I am also given to understand that Mike has had second thoughts about Gernsheim's PC and it is now on his list to be recorded.
Hyperion has quite a few interesting surprises up its sleeve over the next few years, some of which I know about and others which I do not - but I am sworn to secrecy. Suffice it to say I don't think readers of this forum will be disappointed.

[JimL]

The Gernsheim/Bronsart coupling sounds intriguing, if for no other reason than that Bronsart was most decidedly in the Liszt/Wagner camp, whereas Gernsheim was more a Brahms acolyte (if that's a proper term for it).  I'm sure there would be interesting points of comparison and contrast between the two.

[thalbergmad]

Julius Zellner

That might be the first one I don't buy if it ever happens.

Not as bad as Street, but not far off.

Thal

[Gareth Vaughan]

Ah, well now - don't go jumping to conclusions. I didn't say Bronsart would be coupled with Gernsheim - and I didn't say Zellner's PC was even under consideration. I did say, however, that I hadn't seen it... and if it is anything like the insipid and uninspired Street I don't think it will find entry in the RPC series - and I shall not mourn its absence from the catalogue.

[Alan Howe]

As far as I know, there's no sign of cpo bringing out the Gernsheim PC...

[JimL]

Nor did I mean to imply that I assumed the Gernsheim would be coupled with the Bronsart.  However, such a coupling would be intriguing for the reasons I mentioned.

[markniew]

Just to add one name to those mentioned by Gareth

Józef Deszczyński (1781-1844), Concerto in F op. 25

It was presented here in Warsaw in 2007 during the 5th Festival of the Polish Chamber Music.
I do have only off-the-concert-hall rather poor recording.

[Mark Thomas]

As JimL, I think, wrote, the obvious coupling is the Raff PC. It's a great fit in both date and style and the two composers were friends who had been disciples of Liszt in their youth. But as we know, Mike Spring seems to have set his face against it and that's fair enough. I hadn't thought of the Boise, which I know only by repute, but of all Gareth's suggestions it stands out for me as being the most appropriate choice. He was a Lisztian who moved in the same circles as Bronsart and Raff and was quite highly regarded whilst in Germany. The PC itself garnered favourable contemporary reviews.

[eschiss1]

The score of the Reinhold suite is at IMSLP, I think?

[giles.enders]

In my opinion the best coupling for the Bronsart piano concerto would be that of Peter Benoit 1834-1901.  It was composed in 1865, the Bronsart in 1873.  They were both Belgian so perhaps a Flanders orchestra could be induced to give it's services for less than the going rate.

[thalbergmad]

I did not know that Bronsart was Belgian. The Beniot is orchestrally sumptious, but has been recorded before.

I have just finished applying my feeble technique to the Fritz Kauffmann PC after doing the same to the Ferdinand Hummel PC. Both were Kiel pupils and would make a nice coupling.

I guess the suggestions are almost endless. The Stanford 0 also dates from 1873.

Concertingly.

Thal

[JimL]

In my opinion the best coupling for the Bronsart piano concerto would be that of Peter Benoit 1834-1901.  It was composed in 1865, the Bronsart in 1873.  They were both Belgian so perhaps a Flanders orchestra could be induced to give it's services for less than the going rate.

I thought Hans' brother Paul was a noted general in the Prussian army.

[Ilja]

Hans Bronsart von Schellendorf wasn't Belgian, but from a Prussian military background.

[JimL]

My apologies.  Bronsart von Schellendorf's other brother Walther was also a general in the Prussian army.  As was, apparently, their father.  I guess poor Hans just didn't measure up.!

This just in: The Bronsart Bros.' mother was Antoinette de Rège, possibly a Belgian Walloon.  Maybe Belgians are like us Jews.  You get it from your mom.

P.S. Antoinette died the year the Bronsart PC was composed.

[Ilja]

Jim, I don't think Hans was from the same family as Paul and Walther, maybe they were cousins but not brothers. I'm going to check to back it up, but Paul Bronsart von Schellendorf was a very well-known figure who even made it to Prussian Minister of War (an unlucky appointment, by the way). Everything I've read about him doesn't even mention Hans. They came from a Dantzig family, whereas Hans was born in Berlin. Finally, I find it unlikely that in a military family the eldest son would have been allowed to become a composer (Hans was born 1830, Paul 1832). But let me check.