Beethoven Piano Concerto 'No.6'

[Alan Howe]

...i.e. a fragment in D major, begun at the end of 1814/start of 1815, and here completed by Nicholas Cook/Hermann Dechant:
https://www.prestomusic.com/classical/products/8668360--beethoven-piano-concertos-no-0-2-6  (track 1)

I'm sure Gerd Prengel would enjoy this! I certainly did - a lot!

[TerraEpon]

Interestingly, this work was on none of the three big so-called-complete boxes released at the end of 2019. Unheard Beethoven gives this info:

"Hess 15, Piano Concerto #6 in D, as completed by Nicholas Cook (first movement), was recorded by Roberto Diem Tigani and the Sassari Symphony Orchestra, with Maurizio Paciariello on piano, was released in 2005 as a hybrid SACD in volume 4 of the series Beethoven Rarities, on the now-defunct Inedita label from Italy, PI2352. This disc had limited circulation and today is an extreme rarity.

A revised version of Nicholas Cook's completion of Hess 15 Piano Concerto #6 in D, with a cadenza and a different conclusion by Hermann Dechant was released in 2019 on OEHMS Classics, OC 1710, performed by Sophie-Mayuko Vetter, with Peter Ruzicka conducting the Hamburg Symphony Orchestra. It bills itself as the world premiere recording, which is true from the standpoint of this edition. This CD can be obtained here."

[semloh]

Oh, these excerpts are glorious. Definitely onto the 'wants' list!

[Alan Howe]

It makes for a fine listen. Very exciting.

[Revilod]

Here it is on Youtube:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=inIs3WE-kok

[semloh]

Having now heard the complete fragment, all I can do is wish Beethoven had completed the whole concerto - of course. As an aside, I notice that some YT sites are referring to the piano version of the Violin Concerto as 'Piano Concerto No.6', which is a bit confusing.

[Richard Moss]

Some years ago, I remember a  'midi' version of this being available on the 'Unheard Beethoven site and although enjoyable to get some idea of the work, to finally hear it in a proper orchestral setting is marvellous.  Even if you didn't know what it was, I suspect you would almost instinctively say 'Beethoven' (or one of his pupils at the least) in terms of its overall style and particularly, for me, the 'authority, positiveness and cheerfulness' with which the piece speaks.  Indeed a 'fine listen!'

For a 2019 (was it?) release, it's amazing how long this has kept itself under the radar!  Thank you UC for now bringing it into the light.

Cheers

Richard

[Christopher]

Interestingly, this work was on none of the three big so-called-complete boxes released at the end of 2019. Unheard Beethoven gives this info:

"Hess 15, Piano Concerto #6 in D, as completed by Nicholas Cook (first movement), was recorded by Roberto Diem Tigani and the Sassari Symphony Orchestra, with Maurizio Paciariello on piano, was released in 2005 as a hybrid SACD in volume 4 of the series Beethoven Rarities, on the now-defunct Inedita label from Italy, PI2352. This disc had limited circulation and today is an extreme rarity."

The Paciariello version is also on youtube - https://youtu.be/YSpnqCrK_6k - reading about that CD, I learn that it also contains an overture called Macbeth "by Beethoven", which is essentially an amalgamation of some sketches and an orchestration of the slow movement of his Ghost Trio.  I didn't find that recording on youtube though there is another one here which by the look of it is a bootleg - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wIa-9qRLxeo.  There's an article about how the overture came into being here - https://www.nytimes.com/2001/08/23/arts/beethoven-s-macbeth-bubbles-to-the-surface.html.