piano concertos

[pianoconcerto]

Hello friends,

I have just registered on this forum and would like to introduce myself.  I maintain an online discography of works written for piano and orchestra at http://www.siue.edu/~aho/discography/Discography.pdf.  In addition, I am building a sound archive of these works that now includes some 10,000 different pieces recorded for commercial release, broadcast, or private use.  I would be happy to hear from anyone who knows of or has a recording of a piano-and-orchestra work that is not listed in my discography.

Besides my discography, I have been involved, behind the scenes, in several recordings--e.g., the original versions of Stenhammar's  Piano Concerto No. 1 and Grieg Piano Concerto, and Alkan's music for piano and orchestra.  I also have published books on Russian/Soviet composers and Shostakovich.

I look forward to hearing from other members, some of whom I already know (e.g., Tobias B., Martin A., Martin E.).

Thank you,
Allan Ho
Professor, musicology
Southern Illinois Univ. Edwardsville  USA

[edurban]

Prof. Ho...Allan...welcome to the Forum!  I think we all know your part in discovering the original orchestration of Stenhammar 1, and we are greatly in your debt.  Musicology at its finest and most useful!  Can't wait to check out your site...

David

[JimL]

Yes, welcome!  And...Go Salukis!

[Alan Howe]

Welcome, Professor Ho! I hope our forum will prove to be of mutual benefit.

[John H White]

Once again welcome to our very friendly forum Professor Ho. I've had a quick look at your otherwise extremely comprehensive list of piano concerto recordings and note that it does not yet include the one by Johan Rufinatscha(1812-1893). No doubt Alan Howe could fill you in on the details of that one. One concerto that I would like to see recorded is William Sterndale Bennett's 6th, but the person who holds the manuscript is sitting on it and won't let anyone see it. I gather she is hoping to get a huge price for it. The irony of it is that she only acquired it by marrying into the Bennett family! 

[Hofrat]

Welcome to our forum!!

That is a very impressive list of piano-orchestra works.  I got as far as the end of the K's.  I regret that I am not at home where my CD's and research are, so I can not add anything to your list as of yet.       

[JSK]

One concerto that I would like to see recorded is William Sterndale Bennett's 6th, but the person who holds the manuscript is sitting on it and won't let anyone see it. I gather she is hoping to get a huge price for it.

That sort of thing is musicology at its worst. The best she could realistically hope for is a few pennies in royalties.

[thalbergmad]

Anton Urspruch & Feliks Nowowiejski are the first couple that comes to mind that i cannot see on this superb list.

Also Dohler, but I think this was only 1st movement and with electronic orchestra.

The conductor who produced the Woelfl was mildly interested in some Steibelt, so fingers crossed there.

Thal

[Hofrat]

As I wrote earlier, I am not near my resources and I am not in position to give definitive answers.  May I suggest to you "The Thematic Catalog of Ignaz Pleyel" by Rita Bensen.  Now, just do not go to the sections for concertanti and concerti.  Go to the section on the symphonies!!  Pleyel was the "King of Arrangements."  He would, for example, compose a symphony, then make various arrangements of it for other ensembles and genres.  A Pleyel symphony could be arranged for a concerto, or a concertante, or string quartet, or piano trio, or anything else that would sell.  Bensen would catalog the symphony arrangements under the symphony catagory, so you may find some interesting piano concerti there.   













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[Hofrat]

Alan;

I noticed from your list that you have a recording of Moscheles' 8th piano concerto in D opus 96.  In all of the sources I have read (including correspondence with a great-great-grandson of the composer), the orchestral parts are missing for this work.

So, who and when was Moscheles 8th piano concerto recorded?  Is there any way that you can provide a copy of it? 
     

[Gareth Vaughan]

Dear Dr Ho,

I would echo Hofrat's enquiry. I have been instrumental in finding some of the performing materials for concertos in Hyperion's Romantic Piano Concerto series and signally failed when it came to Moscheles' 8th. However, Hyperion are committed to recording it and would be very interested in locating a set of orchestral parts. As Hofrat said, Moscheles' great, great grandson has been unable to locate the orchestral material, and he would be thrilled to know that a set of parts existed.

I have browsed your discography with great interest, but could you tell us, please, what the various symbols (+, *, **, etc.) mean before an entry?

Many thanks.

[Jonathan]

Dear Professor Ho,
Many thanks for posting your fantastic list of concerti!  I'm afraid I can't add any names you are unaware of but it really is an impressive piece of work.  I've spent ages looking at it and thinking "I never knew that..."

[thalbergmad]

I have but a fraction of the knowledge of most people here, but would it not be possible for someone well versed with the works of Moscheles to construct some parts?

There are after all some orchestral markings on the "solo" score.

Forgive me if i am talking rubbish.

Thal

[Gareth Vaughan]

Sadly, not really sufficient markings. There are large sections where the piano is clearly filling in with decorative material but no indication at all of what might be happening in the orchestra, other than the implied harmionies.

[thalbergmad]

Indeed that is true, but the orchestral parts to the Nicolai Norma Variations were reconstructed from the solo score and that is not exactly covered in markings. Admittedly it is a shorter less complex work.

Only last night, I was playing through an incredibly beautiful concerto by F B Jewson that i thought easily good enough for a recording. It would be a shame if many concerti were to be left unrecorded for the want of a little artistic licence.

Anyway, I am sure this Moscheles 8th exists somewhere and will turn up one day.

Thal