The Romantic Violin Concerto, Vol. 13 – Schumann

[Jonathan]

Seconded!  Wonder if my Mum would like a copy?

[Alan Howe]

Surly your comments should be directed...

A slip of the typing finger or a grumpy request? 

Being serious, though, I simply treat this release like any other: there are already recordings of these pieces - in some cases exceptionally fine ones on other independent labels - so that this will have to be really special to warrant my attention, let alone tempt me to purchase it. On the other hand, if it had contained, say, the Gernsheim VCs, it would have been a no-brainer. Of course, they - and other worthy candidates for the series - may already be under consideration...

[Alan Howe]

Actually, there is a serious point to be made about Hyperion's RVC series - namely that it contains a rather small number of previously unrecorded concertos. In 13 volumes, there have only been six - those by Stanford, Somervell, David (Nos.4 & 5), Cliffe and d'Erlanger. To my mind, that's not really adventurous enough, considering that (off the top of my head), the following VCs have yet to be recorded:

Rietz
Litolff
Gernsheim 1 & 2
Thieriot 1 & 2
Hiller
R. Becker 1 & 2
Huber 1 & 2
P. Scharwenka
J.M.Weber
Krug
Jongen
Fitelberg
Sinigaglia
Moór (various)
Bortkiewicz
Marteau

Now, admittedly, I haven't checked the availability of parts and scores, but still....

[thalbergmad]

I pray Schumann does not infest the RPC series.

Now that really would be intolerable.

Thal

[Ser Amantio di Nicolao]

Sinigaglia
<snip>
Now, admittedly, I haven't checked the availability of parts and scores, but still....

Surely they exist - there's a recording of this one around here somewhere, no?  Quite a lovely work - I have it prepped for pairing on a disc with the Bazzini.  (Talking of which, in this context...)

[eschiss1]

As to parts, the Free Library of Philadelphia has parts and score to Jongen's B minor concerto op.17; the Neuchatel library seems to have most or all of the orchestral parts to Thieriot's opus 68 violin concerto... (RISM, Worldcat, the new British Library interface etc. are one's friends )

[JimL]

I believe there is also a noteworthy concerto in B minor by Stör that was discussed some years back (maybe even on the Raff Forum).

[Richard Moss]

To possibly add to Alan's list (and as augmented by other forum members), I understand from a person I'd previously contacted at the Maud Powell Society that the New York Public Library has the MSSs of VCs by Henry Holden Huss and Shelley Rowe.  I have no idea as to the quality of this music - I'm simply just aware of it - but it is unlikely she would play/be the dedicatee or whatever to unworthy pieces.  I'm not aware of any recording - past or present - of these works, so perhaps they do qualify as 'unsungs'.

Anyway, perhaps a forum member in USA with the expertise to judge these scores might want to check them out as possible candidates for RVC, CPO or whatever.

Here hopin'!!

Richard

[eschiss1]

In a very rare for me attempt to slow this thread  careening too much offtopic tried to start (yet) a(nother) new one related to violin concertos that haven't quite seen the light of (commercial, or at all) recorded day here. Or this existing thread for British 20th-century concertos.

[Alan Howe]

In a very rare for me attempt to slow this thread  careening too much offtopic

I'm keeping an eye on the digression I've created - but I do think that it arises naturally from the bland nature of the Hyperion CD's content.

[JimL]

Hey, c'mon guys!  It's just one issue.  Remember the Cello Concerto issue with the Schumann?  Had all that other good stuff on it (Volkmann, Gernsheim, Dietrich).  They've pretty much cleaned Schumann out.  I have no doubt the Piano Concerto series will do a Schumann release with the PC, Konzertstück, Concert Allegro and maybe the youthful concerto movement (I believe) he completed.  Then they'll get on to better things.

[JeremyMHolmes]

Funnily enough, a disc with most (if not all) of these pieces is on its way from Hyperion soon, but not in their Romantic Piano Concerto series. Angela Hewitt is the pianist.

[Alan Howe]

Funnily enough, a disc with most (if not all) of these pieces is on its way from Hyperion soon, but not in their Romantic Piano Concerto series. Angela Hewitt is the pianist.

Quite. Wonder why they haven't included it in their RPC series?

[Alan Howe]

Hey, c'mon guys!  It's just one issue. 

Point is, it isn't! Including vol.13 there will have been 9 RVC volumes containing concertos that have already been recorded, and in excellent performances on other labels. Only 4 volumes have included unrecorded concertos - to my mind a wasted opportunity.

[eschiss1]

This may - I say may - have to do with the relatively more performer-driven choice of repertoire in the RVC series, if memory serves.