Emile-Robert Blanchet (1877-1943) Swiss pianist and composer

[adriano]

Another "unsung" Swiss recommendation!

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C3%89mile-Robert_Blanchet
http://www.bach-cantatas.com/Lib/Blanchet-Emile.htm

https://imslp.org/wiki/Category:Blanchet,_Emile-Robert

https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=Blanchet+Emile

He wrote very beautiful and virtuoso music for the piano. There is a historical CD with the composer performing solo pieces and his "Concertstück No.1" (conducted by Ansermet), which, unfortunately has become very difficult to find. On Yotube you can find Clara Haskil performing the Concertstück, conducted by Thomas Beecham.

Adalberto Riva also recorded 4 of his pieces on a Anthology CD of Swiss piano music - with a very interesting program:

https://www.prestomusic.com/classical/products/8079724--swiss-piano-works

[pianoconcerto]

Do you have any details on the historical CD (label, number, orchestra) that you mentioned?  If so, please share them with us and/or cite the source of your information.  Thanks.

[adriano]

Hi pianoconerto and thanks for your interest!
Will find out if there are copies left of this limited edition CD, which was financed by the Foundation Marcel Regamey in 2014. The catlaog number is just "Harmonia Helvetica 001". I possess this CD.

[Mark Thomas]

Hadrianus has kindly uploaded a copy of the historic Konzertstück recording mentioned by him above. I've moved his post with the link to our Downloads Board here. Thanks very much, Hadrianus.

[pianoconcerto]

Wonderful!  Thank you Hadrianus for the information and for sharing the recording.

[adriano]

Thanks, Mark 
May we have this link closed down by the end of this week, please - in order to avoid eventual trouble - although radio files of that age and the composer's music are public domain anway.

The society who has issued this Blachet CD sent me a list of items for sale (on which the Blanchet CD is not listed), but also a form to apply as a member, which I am not intending to. I've cancelled all music societies memberhips since years (including the one to the official and high-nosed Swiss Tonkünstlerverein one - with a fee of 300 CHF per year! They only support avant-garde music and despise the Swiss musical past).
Then they mentioned that they want CHF 20.00 for the Blanchet, postal charges not included! This is absolutely too much for such a badly mastered historical CD. Let's see what I can do with some other connections in French Switzerland...

[pianoconcerto]

Do the liner notes on the Concertstück say when the work was composed?  WorldCat lists a copy of the score publ. 1911 and New Grove says the work was orig. for 2 pianos and then orchestrated by Ansermet.  Thanks.

[eschiss1]

In the US at least I gather that such recordings as have entered the public domain -so far- have done because of failure to be renewed, not because of age, or something like that, so that there are a number that won't enter the public domain (in this area with our laws - which for printed/music-score material have allowed quite a lot more into PD than European Union law has by contrast) for some years yet despite being over a century old. It's very much a region-dependent thing...

[adriano]

@pianoconcerto
In this CD's notes precise indications about the piece are missing, but I try to find out more through my Geneva and Lausanne library contacts. I've already ordered a scan of the score. It was published by Rozsavölgyi & Cie, Budapest in 1911.
As far as I know, Ansermet orchestrated Blanchet's Ballade pour deux pianos op.57, not the Concertstück.
On the CD there are also two talking documents, one of the composer about his Ballade for two pianos op. 57 and another by Lazare Lévy remembering the composer.

[eschiss1]

Basel claims 1912, BNF claims 1911 (but only has the solo piano part), British Library has [1912], otoh BSB München does have "1911" and the full score and hopefully has it right... (what is it in so many cases with peoples' inability to agree on a date? Is it another case where the cover page says one thing (1912) and the title page another (1911), e.g., as often happens? Well, no knowing a priori. Best! )

[adriano]

Just a bit of patience, eschiss1!
They are scanning the full score for me and I will get it within a few days. In any case I've noticed two different dates 1911 and 1912 myself already. Perhaps 1911 may be the composition date or the date of the two-piano score.

[pianoconcerto]

The author of the New Grove article mentions the Concertstück and Ballade, Op. 57 in the same sentence, but the reference to the work being originally for two pianos and then orchestrated by Ansermet appears to apply only to the latter.  My mistake.

[adriano]

No problem, pianoconcerto. The important is, that we have opened this interesting case :-)
I am also traying to get a scan of the Ballade (or at least a perusal score), but this is still under copyright, and has been published by Max Eschig.

[eschiss1]

it's in copyright in the US, but it should be OOC elsewhere since he died over 70 years ago and it was published in the 1930s...

[adriano]

Wrong, eschiss1: Ansermet is still under copyright - he is protected as an arranger in this case.