Kahn Piano Quintet in D Major (1926)

[fahl5]

Since I was probably the first who rediscovered the manuscript of this piece in the miraculous suitecase with manuscripts which Kahns Wife brought back to germany after Kahns Dead in his british exile, I always felt a bit responsible to propagate this never published late Chambernusic of Robert Kahn. Therefor I already produced a first recording of the first movement some years ago as music example for my LexM-article about Kahn.

In my current Project to produce recordings of the complete Chambermusic of Kahn to his 150th birthday I was now able to complete the recording. I not only recorded the other two movements "Vivace" and the large and demanding Variation "Andantino con moto", but also reworked on my first recording of the "Allegro con brio". Now also based on the handwritten Strings Parts I  found at the Berlin Akademie der Künste, which Kahn obviously has written when he premiered the piece in the early 30th in Berlin "from the manuscript".

So here comes now the very first and complete recording of Robert Kahns
Pianoquinett in D-Major (1926).

I hope you like it.

[Alan Howe]

Thanks for this. I assume this is another electronic rendition?

[fahl5]

It is just the very "first complete recording" of this absolutly unkown piece of music.
And I hope you like it since it is imho wonderful rich music.

And of course I'd be happy if this "first recording" might inspire others to perform or record their own interpretation of this great music, what seems to me one of the most important benefits of "first recordings" simply because they are the "first" and create something never recorded befor (and therefor for the most people also never heard) befor, exploring unkown musical thinking, unkown musical expression and starting the Dialog of listener and reproducing musician which is so constitutive for the interpretation of music from the classical-romantic tradition.

Have  I answered your question ? 

[Alan Howe]

Let's concentrate on the music, please, now that we have established that this is indeed an electronic rendition.

[fahl5]

Yes please concentrate a bit more on the music!!!
This would be much more interesting.... 

[Alan Howe]

Well, you've heard it - I haven't! All we know so far is that it is apparently 'wonderful(ly) rich' and 'great music'. What characterises this music, do you think? What makes it great? What about its structure? What about its idiom? How does it relate to the great conservative tradition?

[fahl5]

Ok, so you obviously just should listen...

Honestly I prefer to hear about what other people think about what they have heard, and therefor for the moment dont want to go more into details yet than to confess, that I simply like this music ("wonderful - rich"), because i just do not know, what certain aspects others might be interested in.

Of course there is a lot more one might discuss, than the fact that it is a mp3-file or whatever other technical aspect has part to make this music audible here the very first time.

So I consent let us concentrate on those who at least already have heard this recording  which is the subject of this thread.

[Alan Howe]

Fair enough. Let's see what others think...

[Alan Howe]

Has anyone listened to the work yet? Any impressions?

[Sibeliusfan]

Having heard this Piano Quintet just once, I have some first impressions.
The overall character of the music seems rather nervous. Indeed, in the first movement it seems that strings and piano play in a different style, but in the second and third movements one gets used to this way of writing, or Kahn placed the instruments more in line.
I liked the first two movements, the melodies in the third are less impressing and the ending of the quintet is rather plain. But maybe that I change my mind after more hearings.
I must compliment Steffen Fahl for his realisation of the score; he did a very fine job making this unknown piece audible.

[fahl5]

Hello Sibeliusfan,
Thank you for friendly detailed and honest firsst impressions. It is definitly possible the the nervous character could be more my mistake than the one of Robert Kahn, since I know that I tend to fast tempi since I was a pianoplaying child. But nevertheless the first movement is "allegro con brio" this does in my eyes not allow to lean back to much.

On the other hand one might perhaps in some aspect think on Kahns contemporary Gabriel Fauré who in his late chambermusic like the Quintett op.115 (1921) was likewise pretty "busy" perhaps even a bit more "nervous" in some of the movements. Like Kahn Fauré was as strongly as rich founded in late romantism but still open minded enough to search for its further development.

Even if I know that Fauré and Kahn are definitly very different in their romantism aswell in their way to find an own more modern way to continue writing seriously romantic music, they share imho at least an compareable perspective as composer, searching for livly (perhaps nervous) and intelligent (perhaps somtimes harmonically or/and counterpoinal "a bit" sophistcated) ways to compose. 

Your Impression about the difference of piano and strings in the first movement is most interesting for me, since there was already another listener commenting my earlier realisation of the first movement quite similar. Indeed both play mostly the same melodic material aswell as the same figurations even often enough combined together. That why this impression was quite surprising to me.

It is a pitty, that you did not liked the third movement that much. To me it seem to be the most ambitous and challenging (perhaps it is again just my problem to just realise it that awful). I personally like counterpointal composition very much and the end of the variation is a quite rich Fugue. I confess, I am at least easy to catch with that kind of music. 

Thank you once again for your detailed impressions.
best
fahl5

[minacciosa]

This piece is absolutely excellent. It's just amazing that this is completely unknown. Thanks for this rendition; it clearly makes the case for this piece. It has to be performed.

[Alan Howe]

Kahn was a wonderful craftsman. Everything he wrote is a satisfying listen.