Goetz/Wieniawski piano concertos

[giles.enders]

I have purchased the above concertos on the Hyperion label.  The pianist is Hamish Milne.  What a disappointment, he has a slow unexciting tinkle through the Goetz, it almost falls apart.  It is as though he loves the sound of each chord and wants to savour it, never mind what comes next. As for the Wieniawski, I will stick with the other recording I have.  Hamish Milne, was a disappointment with his Lyapunov recordings, compare No2 with Shelly and as for his Medtner almost any recording is preferable. 

ps. I returned the Goetz after a week.

[Gareth Vaughan]

I agree - Milne has been disappointing, and is so again in the Goetz, though I thought he was better overall than Setrak in the Wieniawski. He seemed to give it a better shape.

[giles.enders]

There is a wider issue and it is this;  there are a number of soloists out there who somehow are recorded and who are inferior to others who never, or rarely have a chance at recording or high profile performance.  It is the same with chamber musicians.  It is a tough world and second raters do no service to the cause of classical music by hanging on and feeding their egos, it is money and politics and skewed Arts Council funding that cause this.  The Halle Orchestra is a case in point, for years it was dreadful yet retained it's subsidy for political reasons.

[Steve B]

Try Ponti for Goetz; that will bring it to life AND its one of his more subdued performances :)Steve

[Alan Howe]

The cpo performance of the Goetz PC2 is excellent: no compromise there on sound quality, orchestral playing or pianism. Highly recommended!

[Mark Thomas]

I'd already decided not to duplicate my existing recordings by buying this and it's good to be vindicated. Giles' point about so-so performers getting recordings whist better soloists can't is also spot on.

[JimL]

The cpo also has one thing going for it that Ponti doesn't: it's uncut!

[jerfilm]

Me either.  This falls in the same catagory as Hyperion PC 50 - the Tchaikovsky.  When there are so many more interesting ones to record, why duplicate these....?

Jerry

[Alan Howe]

For me, the CD was the way to get hold of J. Wieniawski's PC. In this respect I am very happy with my acquisition!

[JimL]

Any way to get the Setrak?  What's the label, and is it still in print?

[eschiss1]

Any way to get the Setrak?  What's the label, and is it still in print?

I think it's a 1988 Harmonia Mundi France CD?

[Alan Howe]

Nope. Used only.

[Gareth Vaughan]

I think it's a 1988 Harmonia Mundi France CD?

The label is Chant du Monde actually.  No sign of it on Amazon.co.uk, I'm afraid.

[Ilja]

The cpo performance of the Goetz PC2 is excellent: no compromise there on sound quality, orchestral playing or pianism. Highly recommended!

Although I admire the likes of Hamelin, and Ponti is always worth a listen (and, occasionally, a giggle), I'd like to second Alan's endorsement (on this occasion) of Volker Banfield. We haven't, as far as I know, discussed him before, but here's also a very fine pianist who's done sterling work on behalf of the unsungs. His Goetzes and Pfitzners are the best I know, and his playing in the d'Albert 2nd and Busoni is nothing to be ashamed of.

[JimL]

I'd also like to chime in about the fine work done on behalf of Carl Reinecke's concertos by Klaus Hellwig for cpo.