Xaver Scharwenka Piano Concertos

[Alan Howe]

Two further very positive reviews:
http://www.musicweb-international.com/classrev/2014/Sep14/Scharwenka_PCs_CHAN10814.htm

[FBerwald]

Dear Alan, I agree that there are many (seems many!) positive reviews, BUT I am still disappointed. The reasons -

1. [personal opinion so please don't tear me to bits!] Mr. Markovich is not a sensitive player. There is a difference between Forte and Banging the piano and I'm afraid all I heard was a lot of banging of the keys. I'm sorry to say this but thanks to this CD I'm really warming up to Hemalin, who I usually don't much care for.

2. The overuse of rubato destroys especially the 4th and 1st concerto. At places the orchestra or/and piano stops and the pause in between makes one wonder if they have not all gone for a tea break!

3. On the positive side. All of the above can be forgiven for the gift of the 2nd concerto. It was like listening to it for the first time. Amazing playing, both from the orchestra [just why I love Jarvi] and Mr. Markovich. I have listened to this concerto atleast half a dozen times by now. Thank you Markovich, Jarvi and Chandos. The whole album is more than worth for just this performance alone. Someone please play this in concert.... may be the Proms !

I still can't warm up to the 3rd concerto [no ref. to the players!]. May be It's just not for me!

[Alan Howe]

It's good to have the contrary view - especially when accompanied by concrete examples. Thanks for telling us what you think.

[jerfilm]

I'm feeling like an idiot.  Not at home to check it out.  But the performance of the 3rd that I treasure is on an old reel to reel tape, goes WAY back and I can't remember for the life of me who the artists are.  Will try to remember to check it when I get home next month.  No banging and pounding, a much more sensitive reading.  And if it was from a broadcast, I will upload it.

Anyone else have a clue who this might be??

Jerry

[pablothepiano]

Dear friends,

I am so happy that people are more and more discovering Xaver Scharwenka's music. I personally regard it very high and I am a little surprised that he is not as famous as his contemporaries. I like the sense of his piano concertos. For me they are sort of a mix of Chopin, Schumann, Brahms and Rachmaninoff on many levels (the phrase, the texture, the brilliance and lyricism and also their lenght.

Anyway, I would like to ask you a question. Does anyone know what form the 3rd Piano Concerto has? This is my favourite, but I'm finding some trouble working it out. Maybe someone could take a look? I think it would help me to understand it better.

Btw, I think the last recording by Markovich is pretty good, I like his strong hand. I think it fits the music.

All the best

Pablo

[pablothepiano]

I have done some thinking and it might be the big A B A form (i mean the wholw concerto, like Liszt's first) and each separate movement has it own free form.... Though i am not certain.

[Alan Howe]

Martin Eastick's notes on the Tanyel recording of PC3 at Hyperion's website read as follows:

The first performance of the Piano Concerto No 3 in C sharp minor, with Scharwenka himself as soloist once again, marked his welcome return to Berlin as a performer in January 1899 after a seven-year absence, and he had a magnificent reception. The third concerto is symphonically much stronger than the second, where the emphasis is very much on the soloist. Here the piano and orchestra are much more integrated. Thematically Scharwenka tends to follow Liszt's example with regard to cyclic form, and although he still retains the three separate movements (the finale follows the second without a break), the main theme from the first movement is varied in lyrical form in the second, and it appears as the main theme in the third movement also, this time with rhythmic variation. Again, in the finale, as with the second concerto, Scharwenka reminds us of his Polish origins.

[FBerwald]

Just been listening to the Seta Tanyel version of the 1st Piano Concert and struck again by the wonderfully detailed reading of this underrated and sensitive pianist as opposed to the fiery versions by Wild and Hamelin.

[Ilja]

To be fair, I think this genre of concertos is more conducive to power play than subtlety (with the possible exception of no. 3), and in that sense Hamelin and Markovich do what the score expects them to do. That is not to say this is the only possible approach, but it is the obvious one. Having said that, my personal favorite recording of the Second Concerto is the perhaps somewhat self-indulgent one by Jeanningros.

Am I correct in remembering that Tanyel's disc of nos. 2 & 3 were a re-release of a Collins disc?

[FBerwald]

Yes, The Tanyel No. 2 & 3 is a re-release.... and I agree with you. It's just the Tanyel reading of the 1st concerto is my guilty pleasure - There are passages in the 1st movement that I feel cries out for very subtle handling (like the 2nd theme). I haven't heard the Jeanningros recordings - its on Presto website for download (without the booklet which kind of discourages me at times from adding it to the cart!) - What's your opinion of them?