Hyperion: The Romantic Piano Concerto

[Rob H]

The point is that a different RPC Volume 50 could have been released that would have been met with whoops of delight, broad grins, or jubilation on the part of someone advocating that we'd benefit from listening to music from a hitherto neglected composer. Instead there is a slight puzzlement: the Tchaikovsky release is doubtless good enough as a set of recordings of Tchaikovsky, but why has Hyperion done it? Is there strong musical (or commercial) point to it? Hardly.

Peter

In one sense I agree - We have come to expect 'rare' Romantic Piano Concertos and, if you all are like me, crave even more rareties. However I doubt very much that many of the previous 49 volumes have actually paid for themselves so I think Hyperion can be forgiven for including a disc that will make them money and, let's be honest, includes one of the ultimate Romantic Concertos. OK I'm a huge fan of Stephen's so will be getting the disc sometime soon but it also nice to know that quite apart from the upcoming Rosenhain and Taubert we will be getting Wieniawski, Goetz, Widor, Pixis and Wiklund and others in the next two years.
Hopefully sometime after that we will also get the Schelling Artist's Life - it should be out of copyright soon.
Rob

[thalbergmad]

Hopefully sometime after that we will also get the Schelling Artist's Life - it should be out of copyright soon.
Rob

It is already out of copyright old chap.

Thal

[Rob H]

Hopefully sometime after that we will also get the Schelling Artist's Life - it should be out of copyright soon.
Rob

It is already out of copyright old chap.

Thal

Doesn't time fly when you're having fun?
I asked Mike about the Schelling and I think he said they couldn't record it at the same time as the Suite because it was still in copyright - obviously things have moved on.
Rob

[thalbergmad]

Indeed time does fly my friend and i appreciate your post as i have forgotten to order a copy of the score from the NYPL.

I used to keep a little diary to notify me when certain composers were going to become out of copyright, but i appear to have lost it.

I think De Greef expires at the end of this year which will be nice.

Thal

[edurban]

Maybe the problem with the Schelling was that at the time the Suite was recorded, Schelling's widow, Helen (Schelling) Scholz was making arrangements for her friend Mary Louise Boehm to record An Artist's Life in Majorca with the local orchestra.  Perhaps she made objections to a rival recording?  She was very protective of MLB.  And of Schelling as well; I once wrote program notes for a Schelling performance MLB and Helen were involved with and referred to his having had a nervous breakdown at the end of his child prodigy period.  'Absolutely not,' said Helen, 'he was always as healthy as your or I.  Take that story out.'  And I did, even though I knew he'd had a collapse before working with Paderewski put him back together again.

As for the MLB recording: as might be imagined, the results, orchestrally speaking, were sub-par and that recording will never be released.

Now Helen is dead and her objections hardly matter.  Here's her Death Announcement from the NY Times:
SCHOLZ--Helen ''Peggy'' (Marshall), age 89, died in her sleep on July 28, 2007. Lifelong New Yorker, daughter of Charles H. ''Buddy'' Marshall and Alice Huntington, and sister of the late Charles H. Marshall. Widow of Ernest Schelling and Janos Scholz. She is survived by her son Christopher Scholz, his wife Ines Elskop and their son Nicolas Scholz. Helen will be remembered at a memorial service to be announced in the fall.

David

[Rob H]

Maybe the problem with the Schelling was that at the time the Suite was recorded, Schelling's widow, Helen (Schelling) Scholz was making arrangements for her friend Mary Louise Boehm to record An Artist's Life in Majorca with the local orchestra.  Perhaps she made objections to a rival recording?  She was very protective of MLB.  And of Schelling as well; I once wrote program notes for a Schelling performance MLB and Helen were involved with and referred to his having had a nervous breakdown at the end of his child prodigy period.  'Absolutely not,' said Helen, 'he was always as healthy as your or I.  Take that story out.'  And I did, even though I knew he'd had a collapse before working with Paderewski put him back together again.

As for the MLB recording: as might be imagined, the results, orchestrally speaking, were sub-par and that recording will never be released.

Now Helen is dead and her objections hardly matter.  Here's her Death Announcement from the NY Times:
SCHOLZ--Helen ''Peggy'' (Marshall), age 89, died in her sleep on July 28, 2007. Lifelong New Yorker, daughter of Charles H. ''Buddy'' Marshall and Alice Huntington, and sister of the late Charles H. Marshall. Widow of Ernest Schelling and Janos Scholz. She is survived by her son Christopher Scholz, his wife Ines Elskop and their son Nicolas Scholz. Helen will be remembered at a memorial service to be announced in the fall.

David

Thanks for the info, David. It seems so odd to think she survived him by 68 years!
Regarding the Artist's Life impressions I have a copy of Schelling's performance coupled with Paderewski's Polish fantasy which is marvelous but it would be great to have a modern recording. What are people's thoughts on an American coupling? My vote would be one or both of the Chasins Concertos (don't know how long they are).
Rob

[Rob H]

I think De Greef expires at the end of this year which will be nice.

Thal

Love, love, love the De Greef concertos - the usual unanswerable question but why aren't these better known?
Does anyone know of a recording of his Concertino in G, Fantaisie on Flemish folksongs op3 or Minuet variee (all piano and orchestra)?
Rob

[thalbergmad]

I have only ever heard the concerto and was blown away.

Never heard the others, but it would be nice if recordings exist.

Thal

[FBerwald]

I think De Greef expires at the end of this year which will be nice.

Thal

De Greef copyright? of which piece? I believe both his Piano Concertos have been recorded on Marco Polo. If there are other concertant works...WOW Can't wait!!!!!

If you like Flemish music try Peter Benoit - Piano Concerto.

[Ilja]

I think De Greef expires at the end of this year which will be nice.

Thal

Earlier than that, dear fellow - on August 29. Keep your eyes open for interesting things in the next year and a half or so...

De Greef copyright? of which piece? I believe both his Piano Concertos have been recorded on Marco Polo. If there are other concertant works...WOW Can't wait!!!!!

If you like Flemish music try Peter Benoit - Piano Concerto.

All of his work, since he passed away 70 years ago.

Next to the two concertos, there are recordings languishing in archives (and on my hard drive) of the wonderful Fantasy on Flemish Themes for piano and orchestra, the concert (or 'concertino') for piano and small orchestra, the Flemish Suite in G and a few very worthwhile chamber pieces. No recording of the Minuet Variee or the Italian Suite, as far as I know.

[chill319]

Rob, I don't know Chasins' concertos except by reputation, but if you are open to liking them, you might enjoy the third piano concerto of American composer Richard Faith (the only one of his I've heard). He has a talent for writing big tunes, a big technique that is evident in the solo part, and considerable compositional chops.

[Kriton]

Give me some information.

Have you lost it?

[albion]

The Romantic Piano Concerto has nice sound.Some of this music has only been performed once or twice, while other pieces still await a first performance. The purpose of this site is to stimulate performances and recordings of this music and to explore the little known compositions.  Give me some information.

The best primary source of information is Hyperion's own website. Here you will find information on all the releases:

http://www.hyperion-records.co.uk/s.asp?s=S_1

http://www.hyperion-records.co.uk/RPCCAT2010.pdf

[TerraEpon]

Guys, that was a spambot of some sort, combining stuff said earlier in the thread with the general point of the forum.

[albion]

Guys, that was a spambot of some sort, combining stuff said earlier in the thread with the general point of the forum.

Thanks - I suspected as much, but didn't want to presume that it wasn't an enthusiastic (if inarticulate) new convert to the cause.