Antoni Kątski Grande sinfonie héroïque Op.220 (etc.)

[eschiss1]

Also, not the same Katski, though they were brothers (a mistake I did also make a few comments back )

[Alan Howe]

Eric's right. Please don't post here about other members of Antoni K's family.

[eschiss1]

Not to say, since I had forgotten there was a recording of those interesting-looking quartets-etc.
Anyhow, Antoni K apparently has two symphonies, the other nicknamed "Fantastic", in full manuscript (copy) parts (possibly incomplete? - again, at SBB and mirrored at IMSLP) - there's something to have a look at...
(I still recommend considering changing the thread title, as, I believe, incorrectly capitalized French- as per earlier comment- but this is not by way of insisting on it.)

[Alan Howe]

Work title duly corrected, Eric.

[Alan Howe]

By the way, in case anybody was wondering about the Kątski/Kontski spelling issue, it appears that 'ą' (in Polish) is pronounced (approximately) 'on', so the name was re-spelt (e.g. in French) to preserve the correct pronunciation.

[Alan Howe]

I am now pretty well convinced that this is a masterpiece. It has everything - superb, memorable melodies, tremendous drive, energy and warmth and, above all, the capacity to engage the listener. I'm often put in mind of the best of Mendelssohn, although the idiom sounds a little later. Without doubt one of the Finds of the Year for me - until the next one comes along, of course! Seriously, though, I urge all lovers of mid-19thC music to get hold of this gorgeous work as soon as possible.

Mark T: you're going to love this!

[Mark Thomas]

Thanks Alan. I've downloaded it now but, as you know I've been away from home for over a month and have returned to a house taken over by builders so, priority though it has, I may not get around to listening to Kątski's Grande sinfonie for a few days. The audio extracts are hugely encouraging, though.

[Alan Howe]

Oh dear - apologies. The roof over one's head is rather important. Trust all goes well over the coming days.

[Martin Eastick]

My copy has just arrived and I will make some observations after an initial hearing,mainly concerning the Grande Sinfonie/sextet. I feel the work as a whole is probably more suitable in its chamber music guise - although one can only imagine how the (presumably) original orchestral version would come across. I immediately was reminded of  the wonderful 3rd Sextet (Op90) of Henri Bertini, which was published in 1839, and therefore more than 20 years earlier than Katski's work. The similarities are especially evident in the outer movements, with both works having memorable thematic material. The Katski does seem to hark back to Bertini's work in style, especially in the keyboard writing, which could easily be by the older composer, with shades of Kalkbrenner lurking in the background! (There is mention in the liner notes of Katski meeting with von Bulow and Kalkbrenner in Berlin during the 1850's, but this is incorrect as Kalkbrenner died in Paris in 1849).  In any case, this serves as a timely reminder that Bertini wrote SIX such sextets, and the remaining five are definitely well worth investigating!

The Piano Trio is again full-on, with much relentless virtuosic piano writing throughout - perhaps a tad too much at times, but immensely enjoyable nevertheless. Altogether, a splendid release of enjoyable music, guaranteed to please, and superbly performed!

[Mark Thomas]

I couldn't resist giving the Sextet a spin last night. Martin's right, the piece works so well as a sextet it's difficult to imagine it in orchestral guise. On the whole I agree with everything which Alan writes about it: melodically, it's both generous and memorable throughout; one couldn't ask for more verve and momentum in the three faster movements, contrasted with an effective solemnity in the slow second movement and it couldn't have a more persuasive performance. Even after one hearing it's clear that it's a terrific piece, it'll prove a favourite that I'll return to again and again. But is it a masterpiece? I'm not so sure. Effective though it is, for me there's also a whiff of the salon about the writing, maybe an "all-too-easy" facility about Kątski's tune-spinning, such as one hears in some of Raff's or Rubinstein's lesser piano works. That's not a bar to one's enjoyment of the Sextet, which I also enthusiastically recommend as a great discovery but, whilst it might prove to be Kątski's masterwork (I've not listened to the Piano Trio), I'm not sure it is a masterpiece in absolute terms.

[eschiss1]

Iirc while only one of Bertini's sextets has been commercially recorded, there are pleasant midi renditions of some of the others to give us a nice idea in the meantime over at imslp that are worth hearing.

[Alan Howe]

I sense a seriousness of purpose about the Sextet that lifts it beyond the realm of salon music - having said which, I know exactly what Mark means. It's that engaging fluency and easy melodiousness that leads one in that direction. And as Mark rightly says, this may be the composer's masterpiece (or one of them), but to go beyond that may be a step too far. My problem, if it is one, is that I just love the music of this period...

[Mark Thomas]

a seriousness of purpose about the Sextet that lifts it beyond the realm of salon music

I completely agree. The Piano Trio is also a very enjoyable work, but perhaps a tad too busy - there aren't many moments of relaxation to recover from the relentless forward thrust of the music. A Kątski concert must have been an exhausting experience! By the way, the commercial recording of Bertini's (I think) Third Sextet (mentioned by Martin above) is, unusually for an MDG release, available for download from amazon.co.uk - it's coupled with Hummel's Op.87 Quintet.

[Alan Howe]

The slow movement is glorious - can't get enough of it. I hope that other labels will record the work and so
encourage chamber ensembles to take it into their repertoire.

Buy this release while you can - it's bound to disappear quickly...

[Alan Howe]

More information about the unearthing of the scores here:
https://acteprealable.com/the-great-discovery-of-acte-prealable-world-premiere-of-chamber-music-by-antoni-katski/