Gounod Piano Pedalier Concerto etc.

[Gareth Vaughan]

Fascinating, Jim. Thank you very much. I'd like to hear more - more of his more extrovert pieces, and some of the stuff he wrote for pedals alone. But what a difficult instrument to play. You really need at least 3 feet: 2 to manage the actual pedal part and another to deal with the normal dynamic pedals.

[JimL]

It seems to me that the only obstacle would be playing harmonies with the pedals.  You would be unable to use the dynamic pedals in that event.  But, like in organ playing, you can use a heel-toe maneuver to play melodic lines with one foot while manipulating the dynamic pedals with the other.  I see Mr. Prosseda doing this in several places during the video.

[Lionel Harrsion]

It seems to me that the only obstacle would be playing harmonies with the pedals.  You would be unable to use the dynamic pedals in that event.  But, like in organ playing, you can use a heel-toe maneuver to play melodic lines with one foot while manipulating the dynamic pedals with the other.  I see Mr. Prosseda doing this in several places during the video.

That's assuming the pedal-part moves more or less step-wise, rather than containing any wide leaps!

[JimL]

I have some more YouTubes from Mr. Prosseda.  Here's Alkan's Op. 66 No. 4: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HELxh1-diuA.  This one looks to be in G minor.

There's also this, by Schumann: http://youtu.be/V9qnTtBN5D4.  This one seems to be in D-flat.

Then there's this: http://youtu.be/7QUPBZu9vbI.

I've gotten positive vibes from both directions for a possible American premiere of this work (the Pédalier Concerto).  I'll keep you posted.

[Alan Howe]

Thanks, Jim.

[eschiss1]

Anyone near Weimar may want to hear the concerto when it's being performed there by the Deutsches Nationaltheater & Staatskapelle with Mr. Prosseda at Pedalflügel on April 7 and 8 '13, I notice (Leopold Hager conducting. Fauré and Saint-Saëns (organ symphony; Christian Schmitt, organ) the rest of the program - see description (in German).)