3 Piano Sonatas by Kalkbrenner

[Alan Howe]

Anyone know the music?
http://www.mdt.co.uk/kalkbrenner-friedrich-3-piano-sonatas-luigi-gerosa-dynamic.html

[Peter1953]

Already available from jpc. Listening to the audio samples the music reminds me of Haydn. Quite classical, not really innovative. Not much variety between the faster movements, but  a nice and safe op. 1 for the composer. Pianistic entertainment without any depth.

[Martin Eastick]

I find it a little strange that Dynamic have opted to record Kalkbrenner's Op1 as they are rather derivative and as Peter1953 says, remind one of Haydn and are not that particularly outstanding thematically and, having played through these myself more than once, don't show Kalkbrenner off at his best. It may well be that they are intending to record other sonatas by him or perhaps even a complete edition (hopefully!) and although his 3 Sonatas Op4 are quite similar in style, the later examples are much more rewarding, both from a performer's & listener's perspective - remember Ruiz' Op177 LP (coupled with Thalberg Op56)? However, I will certainly be ordering a copy, but hope there will be more, but I would have thought that Dynamic would have gone for the later works first...............

[eschiss1]

Mr. Gerosa has also recorded early piano sonatas by Schröter (in 2009) for Dynamic. These two data points make one less hopeful (and encourage one to try to email the record label or pianist, or something, to ask them to make more in-depth recordings )

[thalbergmad]

If this is not the 1st CD of a series, I rather fail to see the point.

Tha

[eschiss1]

I don't mean audio depth recordings (!!!?), I meant (of course), to continue the series/make it a series if it isn't. (!??!?!?!?!!!!!)

[ignaceii]

I would say a Haydn++. Beethovens op 2. was also a Haydns dedicated sonata.
Kalkbrenner brings us full fledged half an hour sonatas, with not enough deepness I agree.
But Haydn, no, that is too easy.
Anyway... Why not play a Kalkbrenner on stage in stead of a Haydn or Clementi as starter. At least the world should know there are indeed other composers who existed.
Haydns output was not always top too... Even a CPE Bach had more to offer and had far more fireworks...

Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven... We will never escape from this narrow thinking ...

[eschiss1]

This forum is not the place to discuss the relative merits of CPE Bach's and Haydn's contribution to the piano sonata, but I could suggest some books of interest (William Newman; Cedric Thorpe-Davie) where Haydn's contribution is not given the rather foolish throw-away you give it here and which yet hold CPE Bach in the considerable regard he deserves as well (if not held as high as Haydn- nor should he be.)