Reinecke Piano Concertos: Callaghan/Hyperion

[FBerwald]

I don't know how welcome this news will be to everyone but I for one am absolutely thrilled. I love this composer. Simon Callaghan will be recording Reinecke's Piano Concertos No. 1, 2 & 4 with the Sinfonieorchester St Gallen and Modestas Pitrenas for Hyperion [dates 15th Nov - 19th Nov] I am already looking forward to this particular volume of RPC.

[Alan Howe]

Very good news indeed - although we already have the complete set from cpo in superb performances, of course:
https://www.jpc.de/jpcng/cpo/detail/-/art/Carl-Heinrich-Reinecke-1824-1910-Klavierkonzerte-Nr-1-4/hnum/6768258

Neverthless, I'll be buying this!
 

[Gareth Vaughan]

Agreed, Alan. The CPO set is very good but dates, I think, from 1994, so some new recordings would not come amiss and I am sure Simon Callaghan will not disappoint.

[Alan Howe]

I hope he'll add PC3 at some stage - my own personal favourite.

[4candles]

Members, especially Alan, will be pleased to learn that Simon Callaghan plans to record Reinecke's 3rd Piano Concerto and Konzertstück, Op. 33, for Hyperion and with the same forces, in late May 2023. According to the artist's website.

[Alan Howe]

Very good news indeed! My favourite of the composer's four.

[Alan Howe]

Details from the pianist's website:

Concerto No.1 in F♯ minor, Op.72
Played on  19/11/2021 at Tonhalle St. Gallen, St. Gallen, Switzerland
Recorded on  15/11/2021 at Tonhalle St. Gallen, St. Gallen, Switzerland

Concerto No.2 in E minor, Op.120
Recorded on  15/11/2021 at Tonhalle St. Gallen, St. Gallen, Switzerland

Concerto No.3 in C, Op.144
Listen live on  22/05/2023 at Tonhalle St. Gallen, St. Gallen, Switzerland

Concerto No.4 in B minor, Op.254
Recorded on  15/11/2021 at Tonhalle St. Gallen, St. Gallen, Switzerland

Konzertstück, Op.33
Listen live on  22/05/2023 at Tonhalle St. Gallen, St. Gallen, Switzerland

I also note that the recording of PCs 1, 2 and 4 is flagged up on p.36 (Hyperion advert) of the September issue of Gramophone magazine.

[Alan Howe]

Here's the download of PCs 1, 2 and 4:
https://www.prestomusic.com/classical/products/9374167--reinecke-piano-concertos

I must say I prefer the fuller orchestral sound on the cpo recordings. From the excerpts, the St Gallen Symphony Orchestra sounds rather underpowered to me by comparison. Of course, this may be a question of balance, but first impressions don't favour the new recordings. I'll be sticking with the better balanced cpo set which I've always thought was very fine anyway.

[Alan Howe]

The orchestral accompaniment sounds to me HIP-inspired. If so, this would rule it out completely for me.

[eschiss1]

The conductor so far seems to be associated with works by Ciurlionis, Balsys and also concertante works by Dohnanyi and Rachmaninoff. I may try to give this a listen at some point...

[Alan Howe]

The slow movement of PC1 was played on BBC Radio 3's Record Review this morning (21/1). However, whatever the merits of the soloist, I'm sorry to report to report that the orchestral support was simply inadequate - far too pale and reticent. Unfortunately, then, this will be one of the few in Hyperion's RPC series that I'll be avoiding, preferring to stick with the excellently accompanied cpo version. Clearly, the St Gallen Orchestra are no match for the Nordwestdeutsche Philharmonie.

[Alan Howe]

The Gramophone review (Feb. 2023 issue) notes the inadequacies of the orchestral playing/recording. Comments such as 'recessed' (twice), 'underpowered', 'restricted dynamic range' and 'the balance being better on the cpo set' are evidence that this is one of Hyperion's weaker efforts in their RPC series. I'm afraid my recommendation is 'avoid' - and go for the cpo set instead:
https://www.prestomusic.com/classical/products/7946113--reinecke-piano-concertos-nos-1-4

[John Boyer]

It's a pity they dropped the ball on this one, but then there have been a number of entries in the series that have suffered from this problem. At least we have the CPO set, along with Ponti's barnstorming recording of the 1st for Vox.

[FBerwald]

It seems Simon Callaghan is to record this month, in addition to Reinecke's Piano Concerto No. 3 & Konzertstück, but Sauer's Piano Concerto No. 2 as well.

[Alan Howe]

Any idea about the orchestras involved? Vol.1 of his Reinecke was fatally vitiated by the choice of orchestra.