Unsung Rachmaninoffian Piano Concertos

[Christopher]

Hi Alberto - I don't quite understand your reply....

[alberto]

Sorry. Misuse by me of the "quote" function.
I was just trying to say that I agree with Alan Howe about the pedestrian orchestral playing in the only recording of Silesu's Piano Concerto.

[giles.enders]

In reply to kyjo, yes a third Stojowski piano concerto does exist and there is also a nother substantial work for piano and orchestra by him.  Both are in MS. I am not in London at present so cannot access my notes but believe they are in a New York colletion.

[JimL]

Stojowski PC 3 has been mentioned in an earlier thread.  Apparently a page is missing towards the end of the finale that needs to be reconstructed.  And apparently nobody has mentioned the concertos of York Bowen, who has been called "The English Rachmaninoff".

[MikeW]

And apparently nobody has mentioned the concertos of York Bowen, who has been called "The English Rachmaninoff".

Except in the very first post.

[Alan Howe]

Well, you see, people just don't read lists...

[JimL]

My bad.  I stopped reading when I detected the Alnæs boo-boo.  It is indeed too bad that the Sinding D-flat Major Concerto isn't particularly Rachmaninovian.  Actually, I may break that CD out and play the Alnæs and Sinding concertos again.  It's certainly been a few years since I've listened to either one.  And, while I'm on the subject of Alnæs, I heartily recommend his 2nd Symphony in E-flat.  A most impressive work.

[ahinton]

Stojowski PC 3 has been mentioned in an earlier thread.  Apparently a page is missing towards the end of the finale that needs to be reconstructed.  And apparently nobody has mentioned the concertos of York Bowen, who has been called "The English Rachmaninoff".

I know that he was - but then so was Richard (Tony) Arnell, who was hardly noted for his piano music; the point of most such comparisons seems not to extend beyond proving the old adage that they are by nature odious. Just imagine some hack trying to make something of a name for him/herself by describing some composer or other as "the French Elgar" or "the Swedish Granados"; dumb or what?...

[Ser Amantio di Nicolao]

Australia's Miriam Hyde - her two piano concertos (which I own on an old ABC Classics release, which I see is no longer available on Amazon) are extremely Rachmaninov-ian, and quite lovely.  I cannot honestly say I recall very much about them (it's been several years since last I renewed my acquaintance), but I enjoyed them a great deal at the time of listening.

[Lionel Harrsion]

Australia's Miriam Hyde - her two piano concertos ... are extremely Rachmaninov-ian, and quite lovely.  I cannot honestly say I recall very much about.

That hits the nail squarely on the head: what distinguishes Rachmaninov from all the pale imitators is that only someone with tin ears could hear the music of Rachmaninov and not recall very much about it.  I can't remember which modernist composer it was who irritatedly remarked that the trouble with Rachmaninov is that his music is so damned memorable.

[Lionel Harrsion]

the point of most such comparisons seems not to extend beyond proving the old adage that they are by nature odious. Just imagine some hack trying to make something of a name for him/herself by describing some composer or other as "the French Elgar" or "the Swedish Granados"; dumb or what?...

Quite right. The tendency to categorize composers that way is lazy and silly: such comparisons are at best superficial and, at worst, downright misleading.  Moreover, they obscure from the casual reader of such piffle the fact that some of these composers have real individuality, if only one can be bothered to do them the courtesy of listening to their music.  No-one who had actually listened to any Medtner could possibly describe him as 'the Russian Brahms'.

[Ser Amantio di Nicolao]

Australia's Miriam Hyde - her two piano concertos ... are extremely Rachmaninov-ian, and quite lovely.  I cannot honestly say I recall very much about.

That hits the nail squarely on the head: what distinguishes Rachmaninov from all the pale imitators is that only someone with tin ears could hear the music of Rachmaninov and not recall very much about it.  I can't remember which modernist composer it was who irritatedly remarked that the trouble with Rachmaninov is that his music is so damned memorable.

True, but it's nice to have at least a vague comparison.  It's easier for me to say "Hyde reminds me of Rachmaninov" than it is for me to say "Hyde wrote very pleasant, rather unmemorable late-Romantic music".  The latter is a decent benchmark, but has the potential to be wide of the mark.  (Stenammer, too, wrote very pleasant, rather unmemorable late-Romantic music, and I quite enjoy his work.  But he and Hyde are cut from two different stripes of cloth.)  The former is imperfect, but has its uses.  It calls to mind a sound-world almost instantly.

[MikeW]

I'm listening to Hyde Piano Concerto No.2 on Youtube right now. There are a few echoes of Rachmaninov, but it's a very attractive late-Romantic work (1934/5), contemporary with Rachmaninov's Paganini Rhapsody.

[Alan Howe]

Stenammer, too, wrote very pleasant, rather unmemorable late-Romantic music...

Really? Who else could have penned Stenhammar's totally original and memorable 2nd Symphony?

[kyjo]

Yes, Jim, I did get the Alnaes and Sinding concertos confused. I agree with you that the Sinding is disappointingly un-Rachy ; I much prefer the Alnaes, who symphonies are also wonderful. Thanks for bringing up Miriam Hyde; her concertos are indeed quite in the Rach vein. And I'm sorry, Jim, that I didn't make the inclusion of Bowen more obvious-he definitely deserves a place in this thread. And, Ser Amantio di Nicolao, if you haven't come to appreciate Stenhammar's music, try Stig Westerberg's
marvelous recording of the second symphony; he brings an almost Brucknerian (apologies if this is the wrong adjective) grandeur to the piece, which Jarvi misses in his needlessly rushed recording. It's hard to find a copy on US Amazon, but UK Amazon has plenty of copies. Sorry for getting off-topic!