Max Jentsch (1855-1918)

[Alan Howe]

Please tell us more as and when you have further details about this attractive project.

[4candles]

I'm afraid I am no further forward in my quest to finance a recording of Jentsch's music, but I am pleased to say that a Japanese(?) friend of the unsung has created midi versions at Musescore of Jentsch's most difficult piano opus – his 6 Konzert Etüden Op.28.

They don't seem completely unified as a set, and melodically aren't groundbreaking, but this is high-quality piano writing in the Romantic, Lisztian virtuoso tradition.

• Allegro - the most academic study of the set, and perhaps the least interesting (but worth a listen!). Suggest upping the metronome to 150.
• Eroica - clearly influenced by, and in the same key as, Chopin's 'Ocean' etude, op.25/12
• Galop de concert - a delightful romp, in the salon vein, which would do well as a recital encore. Some of the piano figurations remind me of Méreaux's writing. Suggest bringing the metronome down to 150.
• Chromatische Etüde - eye-wateringly difficult, requiring the highest virtuoso technique and the mind of a master musician to make it sound like a coherent utterance. Worthy of the opus's dedicatee, August Stradal.
• Perles d'écume - possibly my favourite; a delicious work, with some gorgeous, oriental-sounding harmonies. Midi limitations are unfortunately intrusive around the halfway mark, at several fermata.
• Appassionata - the most widely know piece by Jentsch - praised by Stradal - which actually received several performances in his lifetime, by the Leschetizky student Natalie Duesberg. Barnstorming stuff, requiring a titanic technique.

Although in ways this is standard 'etude' fare, I'd be interested in views.

4c

[Alan Howe]

I'm no expert, but I'd buy the CD (if there were one)...