Kalkbrenner Complete Piano Works Volume 1

[Martin Eastick]

I have just come across this https://www.amazon.co.uk/Friedrich-Kalkbrenner-Complete-Piano-Music/dp/B01340RWLW/ref=sr_1_11?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1461930384&sr=1-11&keywords=kalkbrenner - which should be of interest to some of us here - even more so if the complete series eventually comes to fruition! I know we are lucky enough to have both the Op1 and Op4 sonatas already available in the more-than-acceptable versions by Luigi Gerosa, but to have ALL Kalkbrenner's piano works............. and not a single hint of any "period instruments"!

[Mark Thomas]

A good spot, Martin, thanks. Downloading as I type....

[Gareth Vaughan]

I don't understand this. According to the MP3 downloads available, the 1st Sonata lasts 7.26mins; the 2nd a remarkably short 3.45mins and the 3rd only 5.20mins. This can't be right. Signor Gerosa's performances of the Op. 1 sonatas take up an entire CD.

[Mark Thomas]

Unfortunately there is no booklet supplied with the download, and I don't have the Gerosa CD, so I can't elucidate. I hope someone can.

[thalbergmad]

Worringly, only the first movement of the 1st sonata is played, hence the strange brevity.

I too am in a state of confusion and have not even started me 2nd pint.

Glad i did not download the whole blessed CD.

Thal

[Martin Eastick]

I already have the Gerosa CD, and have ordered this new release as a physical CD today, and will report back when received!

[Martin Eastick]

I have just received my copy of this new release and can, as promised, clarify the exact contents;. The Op5, Op187, Op120  & Op141 are complete as expected, but only the Sonata in F minor Op1 No1 is included, although from Ms Carola's playing times, one could be forgiven for thinking that she was trying her best to squeeze all three sonatas on the one CD, as well as the other works featured! Also, considering that the total playing time comes to approximately 64 minutes, there was surely plenty of room for more - perhaps one of his many Rondos!

Comparing the playing times with Luigi Gerosa performance, he includes the first movement repeat and is a fraction slower (11.08 as against 7.28). The second movement he also takes much slower, but this is almost exactly in accordance with the metronome marking on my copy (Goulding D'Almaine, Potter & Co, London - c.1820) By contrast, Ms. Carola rushes this at far too fast a tempo, which IMHO spoils it! With movement three, there is only 24 seconds difference, with Gerosa again feeling a little more relaxed. Other than timings, I also find that Ms Carola'a acoustic is very dry, and although she uses a modern instrument (no details included) it almost seems that this is an attempt to replicate a "historic" sound on a modern grand! By comparison, Gerosa's recording has more resonance and far more depth of sound, which shows off more poetic passages to much better effect.

Having said all this, I do however hope that the series continues..........