Piano Concertos -- The List

[Amphissa]

Is there a list somewhere online of all (or a great many) works for piano and orchestra by unsung composers? Or one that includes all (or a great many) unsung composers? Something extensive and reasonably accurate?

[Alan Howe]

I take it you know Dr Allan Ho's discography...

http://www.siue.edu/~aho/discography/Discography.pdf

[JimL]

While perusing that list I noticed a Concerto in E-flat by Anthony Burgess (1976).  That wouldn't happen to be the author of A Clockwork Orange, would it?

[eschiss1]

While perusing that list I noticed a Concerto in E-flat by Anthony Burgess (1976).  That wouldn't happen to be the author of A Clockwork Orange, would it?

He's mentioned composing in his autobiography, I think...

[petershott@btinternet.com]

Indeed - the prolific author is one and the same as the composer! Burgess wrote a considerable amount of music, including several symphonies. In addition to developing an inoperable brain tumour earlier in his life, he did just about everything apart from flying to the moon. Much of the music was composed just for sheer fun - I've got no idea as to whether it is any good.

In a way it is a pity he is now largely remembered for 'Clockwork Orange'. Some of his books are not only enormously clever - but very very funny. Try, for example, the 'Worm and the Ring' - which is directly parallel in terms of plot and character to Wagner's Ring. (But on no account attend a meeting of The Wagner Society with the book sticking out of the pocket.)

Peter

[Amphissa]

I take it you know Dr Allan Ho's discography...

http://www.siue.edu/~aho/discography/Discography.pdf

No. Thanks!

That is a very long list. 

[jerfilm]

I have a list of about 175 unsungs and their piano concertos numbering perhaps 400 - I've never counted them.  Gleaned from the 1950s Grove's years ago.  I'm not sure that I should post it here but I'd be happy to share it with anyone who'd like a copy.  It's basically my "want list" so does not contain the Beethovens and such.  Most of these I'm sure we'll never hear in our lifetimes - if ever.  Although I've already been pleasantly surprised any number of times......also, they are almost exclusively from the Romantic era.

I also have similar lists for Piano Trios, Piano Quartets, Piano Quintets, Symphonys and other catagories if anyone is interested.

jerfilm@aol.com

Jerry

[thalbergmad]

Anyone interested in this genre would be well advised to buy Music for Piano & Orchestra by Maurice Hinson. It is a bit like a Bible to me and mine is falling to pieces with the margins covered in notes.

Does include the popular ones, but with some 3,000 in total, there are bundles of neglected works.

Don't know where I would be without it. Well, I would probably be taking my holidays in Barbados instead of Bournemouth if I had never seen the blessed thing.

Thal

[jerfilm]

Thanks for the tip.  I ordered my copy immediately.  If I'd had this 20 years ago Iwouldn't have had to spend the time going through the entire edition of Grove's.........

Jerry

[Gareth Vaughan]

Hinson's work is good, as far as it goes, but there are significant omissions (especially among English composers), and a few errors. Also, I am not convinced that Hinson has actually seen all the works he mentions!  I asked him once if he had seen a full score of Dreyschock's PC and he said there was one in the Library of Congress. There isn't, of course, because a full score never existed. Indeed, the Library of Congress does not even have the solo piano part.

[thalbergmad]

I think you are right Gareth. I would be amazed if he had personally seen all of those listed in his book even taking into consideration the  huge list of Libraries and publishers in the acknowledgments of the preface.

Huge amounts of English composers left out, but probably the best guide available.

Thal

[Mark Thomas]

The best I've come across certainly, but I find it rather an irriatating read. I'm fine browsing it until I come across a glaring omission and then I lose interest in it.

[giles.enders]

You could also look at the web site; piano-concertos.org, which contains most of the classical and romantic piano concertos that were ever performed.

[Gareth Vaughan]

You could also look at the web site; piano-concertos.org, which contains most of the classical and romantic piano concertos that were ever performed.

And we are eternally grateful to you, Giles, for undertaking this mammoth task and producing such a valuable resource.

[Amphissa]

You could also look at the web site; piano-concertos.org, which contains most of the classical and romantic piano concertos that were ever performed.

What a great website, Giles. I'll be referring to it.

I notice on your Recordings Wishlist, Geirr Tveitt piano concerto no. 3. Yes, this concerto deserves a modern recording. But it would be hard to better the performance played by Tviett himself with the Bergen Philharmonic. It has been released on a CD called "Geirr Tviett plays Geirr Tviett" on the Simax label. The audio is certainly not up to today's standards, and the orchestra is rather scrappy in places, but his performance is quite enjoyable nonetheless.