The Romantic Piano Concerto, Vol. 61

[Alan Howe]

And with that extended digression over, let's return to the subject of this thread...

Of course, do please open a new thread if you wish to discuss Reger further.

[JimL]

a certain composer

You don't mean Liszt, do you, Peter?

[JimL]

Thank you, Eric for enlightening me as to the work involved in the "Bathroom Incident"!  I had always been curious as to what work was being reviewed!  Do you happen to know which critic it was?  Peter - the "Bathroom Incident" was actually a note that Reger sent to a critic who panned this particular sonata after its premiere performance.  The note goes like this: "Dear sir.  I am sitting in the smallest room of my house (i.e. the bathroom).  Your review is before me.  Soon it will be behind me."  Get it?

[Alan Howe]

Ahem. Back to the topic, please. Do open a new thread if you want to digress further...

[Peter1953]

Today my copy arrived. Finally I heard Dreyschock's much praised Morceau de Concert. Well, I am not impressed. Dreyschock's other piece, Salut à Vienne, is hardly more exciting. And the Döhler, they come in dime a dozen.
However, it is not bad music at all, but entertainment without any depth. How different compared to the Dubois disc. I hasten to say that these comments are after my first hearing. And this does not mean that I am not grateful to Hyperion for the flow of more or less interesting piano concertos. On the contrary. Not every release is to everyones taste.

[Mark Thomas]

Yes, Peter, all three pieces are just well-crafted entertainment, and that's fine with me. Personally, I think that Dreyschock's Konzertstück has more substance than either the Salut à Vienne on this disk, or his Piano Concerto on an earlier one, but I'm not going to fall out with anyone over it.

[thalbergmad]

The Dreyschock Konzerstuck is a step above the other two pieces on the disk in my opinion. It has more substance to it, lovely melodies and finger busting virtuosity. Saying that, I couldn't help but feel that the performance was a little lacking in fire.

As for the Dohler, it is a little tour de force. A  frolic perhaps, a Moscheles on steriods and pure fun. It cannot be judged against some of its more famous contemporary works, as it is not cut from the same cloth.

Stuffy old Schumann would have hated all three pieces on this disk, which is probably one of the reasons why I love them.

Thal

[Peter1953]

After listening to this disc again, my opinion of the Döhler is somewhat milder. Although the thematic material and the developments are rather predictable, like so many of those kinds of contemporary piano concertos, it shows some dazzling pyrotechnics in all 3 movements. I agree with you, Thal. But then Schumann said '...at last I was forced to confess that he has no idea of the real worth of art.' Typical Schumann perhaps, but unlike Thal, I am still a Schumanniac.
Look at the wonderful drawing of Döhler's face. He has a fine, fragile looks. Could be a brother of Thalberg but with Mendelssohnian hairstyle. This elegant appearance must have had many female admirers while showing his piano virtuosity in salons. 

The Dreyschock still did not impress me after a second listening. It is not much to my ears, neither does his piano concerto op. 137. The Konzertstück has a promising opening but did not meet my expectations, although the piece certainly has more to offer than the Salut à Vienne. Definitely works of a piano virtuoso, but lacking interesting developments and memorability. However, I have a CD Romantische Klaviermusik filled with small piano pieces, and these are all quite charming.

[Gareth Vaughan]

I was given this disk for Xmas and have just listened to it for the first time. I find the Dohler PC utterly delightful; it is no masterpiece but as light music it is sheer joy. Delicious melody, sparkling bravura - it sets out with no other purpose than to please - and what's wrong with that? - and succeeds brilliantly. The Herz PCs are much in the same category and they have a special place in my collection. How exquisitely it is played too!
I will comment, if I may, on the Dreyschock works later.