Czerny sonatas for piano duet Op119,120 & 121 BUT WITH the ad-lib string parts

[Martin Eastick]

I know these 3 sonatas have been recorded before - but not with the violin and cello parts as originally intended, so I look forward to hearing these when released. https://www.jpc.de/jpcng/classic/detail/-/art/duo-pianistico-di-firenze-czerny-three-characteristic-sonatas-for-piano-4-hands-with-violin-and-cello-ad/hnum/10976756

[JP]

Check out the YouTube layout of the complete soundtracks here for those wishing to sample the CD contents in full beforehand before buying. Judging from the sound quality and acoustics of the recordings which appears centred exclusively upon the keyboard, the violin and cello parts sound rather thin-bodied, recessed and muffled. Not sure how the actual recording fares on the CD itself is if this is anything to go by.

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_lOp2CAnoo9BsJUHvQzOQHcP2YtKrnnous

The featured pieces in this CD are well composed replete with pleasantly crafted melodies in keeping with late classical to early romantic musical idiom of the Beethoven-Schubert-Weber-Hummel transitional era. I nonetheless find a striking affinity between the vibrant bouncy pianistic fecundity of Czerny's chamber music output and those of the tragically short-lived Prince Louis Ferdinand of Prussia's compositions. 

[Gareth Vaughan]

the violin and cello parts sound rather thin-bodied, recessed and muffled.

Hardly there at all, I would say! I hope the YouTube extracts are not accurate replicas of the sound on the actual CD. If they are, it will be a great disappointment - at least, to me. A pity because these are delightful pieces.

[Martin Eastick]

They are indeed delightful pieces, Gareth. Years ago, I was lucky enough to be able to participate in performances of the Sentimantale and Pastorale sonatas (in those pre-IMSLP days all we had were those two of the three!). Some early editions make no mention of the ad-lib strings, and we had no idea that they existed, but when I was able to obtain original copies with the separate parts, I had these sonatas in the back of my mind for a complete recording with strings ever since, so it would be a great pity if this new CD is a let-down due to poor engineering! Perhaps the string parts do not have a great deal to do, but Czerny always seems to know exactly what he is doing in such circumstances, and as such, should always be included. There is a similar instance with his Op149 Rondoletto for flute and piano with cello ad-lib. This work has been recorded WITHOUT the cello more than once (Naxos, most recently) CTH2258, but the only recording WITH (Thorophon CTH2258) shows the work at its best!