Hyperion has announced The Romantic Piano Concerto, Vol. 56 – Kalkbrenner 2 & 3 to be released in March 2012... FInally the Kalkbrenner cycle will be complete!!
No it wont. There is No.5 Op 125 for two pianos and orchestra.
Correct, Giles. I wonder if anyone has any suggestions for 2-piano concertante couplings for Kalkbrenner's Op. 125. An appropriate coupling might encourage Hyperion to consider it for the future - but it would need to be a work (or works) for 2 pianos & orchestra, of roughly the same period and, preferably, not recorded before.
Instead of academic contentions, I'd like to acknowledge this release with a welcoming post.Kalkbrenners D-minor concerto and the slow movement of his A-flat major composition, from the previous RPC volume of his works, possess the elegant, dark passion which portends Early Romanticism of a high and signature quality to me. We also, thanks to the scholarship here, learn of a plan or a recording far in advance of its release. Sometimes that gestation period takes years. Sometimes it never comes to pass. I greet this release with relief, then, that it will actually happen. I invest the projected RPC release of the Pixis compositions with the same mix of excited hope and some anxiety. If it follows this second volume of Kalkbrenner in about a year, this will personally be a highlighted span for me in this grand series. Can and will whoever specifically knows about the Pixis concerto volume that has been promised, give the most recent update on its status, please? I know I'm not the only one eager. Thank You.
doesn't seem to be an academic contention to me, but I enjoy these things... op.125 was published around 1833... hrm. (and piano duet (4h) and orchestra is out of bounds? :) and not including the already-recorded- even in this series- Mendelssohn, and the too-early Dussek op.63 (1808). Time to do some serious searching soon- today's a very busy day, but as I said, I like trying to do this, if in another thread if not in this one... )
Hrm. Op.102 is in the series, but how about op.101, the introduction and rondo brillant for piano and orchestra- well, maybe that will be part of volume 56 :)
I think the most obvious coupling for the 5th concerto would either be Carl Czerny's concerto for four hands and orchestra or possibly Josef Brozowski's Grand Allegro for two pianos and orchestra from 1846. There are also two concertos for four hands and orchestra by Theodore Schacht 1748-1823, though I have no idea about their quality.
I could only think of the Czerny - but the Brozowski Grand Allegro sounds interesting.
How 'bout that Moscheles/Mendelssohn two-piano collaboration? Concerto, variations, whatever it is?
But the Czerny is already widely available......
Jerry
As to Schacht, if you're going that early after all (instead of staying around 1825-1845), Dussek's of a younger generation and his opus 63 (1808, 2 pianos and orch.) has been recorded I think but not that often (and this would put it back in contention then :) )
Quote from: giles.enders on Friday 18 November 2011, 10:48
I think the most obvious coupling for the 5th concerto would either be Carl Czerny's concerto for four hands and orchestra or possibly Josef Bozowski's Grand Allegro for two pianos and orchestra from 1846. There is also two concertos for four hands and orchestra by Theodore Schacht 1748-1823, though I have no idea about their quality.
giles.enders
do you mean Jozef Brzowski (1805-1888)?
I have never heard his Grand Allegro off radio. I know and have Nocturne and Rondo for pf and string orchestra.
But I am in favour of rcording unknown Brzowski's piece
QuoteHow 'bout that Moscheles/Mendelssohn two-piano collaboration? Concerto, variations, whatever it is?
Well, what is it? And, more importantly perhaps, where is it?
Good question. Maybe someone around here knows. And even if it can't be found, don't tell me there are NO other two-piano concertos from the period out there. I refuse to believe that. Although...well, failing to come up with something roughly contemporary, maybe a fresh recording of the Bruch may fill the rest of the disc.
Moscheles/Mendelssohn? I know of the Duo Concertant op.87b- this has optional orchestral accompaniment, I gather (don't know if the parts are lacking??).
Well there's always Carnival of the Animals...
I am not aware of many near contemporary concertos for either four hands or two pianos. George Vogler is reported as having written one for four hands and one for two pianos but I know very little about them. There is also one by Ignaz Umlauf 174601796. Franz Frohlich 1780-1862 wrote a delightful one for two pianos and orchestra (1810) which was recorded some years ago by Koch.
The Koch disk you mention, Giles, has long been unavailable, alas! - and I agree that the Frohlich is utterly charming, so it would be good to have a new recording of that.
The extracts of both piano concertos and the Adagio ed Allegro di bravura can be listened here (http://www.hyperion-records.co.uk/dc.asp?dc=D_CDA67843&vw=dc).
They sound satisfying to the ear but are little surprising. These concertos could also have been written by composers like Cramer, Czerny, Field, Herz, Ries and even Hummel. Or is this too easy? Nevertheless, the CD will give me a pleasant listening hour.
There's the quote mentioned in the liner notes that I attributed to Schumann. Evidently, there is no F-sharp minor concerto. I recalled reading something from Schumann's pen to the effect that Kalkbrenner was writing pieces in F-sharp minor and saying Romantic-sounding things like the first movement was a military procession, the Adagio was a shepherd's pastorale and the finale was a peasant celebration, but I was probably in 8th grade at the time, so my memory isn't entirely clear. The quote about F-sharp minor apparently can be properly credited to Mendelssohn. The 3rd concerto does sound interesting, even though it's in A minor, not F-sharp minor as I had expected.
About Mendelssohn -Moscheles piano & orchestra piece, I remember a set of variotions on a theme from Weber's Preciosa.
I remember a recording of it played by Paratore brothers.
bye Andrea
The Precioza variations was on an Lp many years ago.... I have it, but am away from Minnesota now for the winter so not good for uploads...
Jerry
I think I saw it uploaded already, actually. A track from a LP (set, I think?) the rest of which (the early 2-piano concertos) was reissued (same performance/recording/etc.) on a CBS Masterworks CD 6 years later in 1988 (but not the variations, which haven't obtained CD reissue.)
Peter1953 wrote:
Quotethese concertos could also have been written by composers like Cramer, Czerny, Field, Herz, Ries and even Hummel.
I downloaded them a few days ago and have listened to all three pieces three times and, as Peter implies, they come across as fairly typical of their period apart, of course, from the technique demanded to play them which is clearly formidable. Once the soloist enters, the piano is almost always to the fore; they are, like Chopin's concertos, pretty much piano pieces with an orchestral accompaniment which fills out the textures. Melodically they're well supplied, but undistinguished. They a very
tinkly pieces and clearly served as a vehicle for Kalkbrenner's virtuosity. No undiscovered masterpieces here, I think, but each receives a wonderfully accomplished performance.
IMHO they're ideal background music for reading or composing a UC post - which is just what my favourite amongst them - the
Adagio ed Allegro di bravura - is serving as now!.
Gosh, Lucky You. Where did you find it to download? it's not supposed to hit the market for over a month......
Here's the link to the download page (http://www.hyperion-records.co.uk/dc.asp?dc=D_CDA67843&vw=dc), Jerry. I assume it works for the US too.
Thank you kind sir - it is downloaded as I type. Couldn't seem to access any reference to it from here except that it's slated for release in March. I expect within 10 minutes my Visa card wil be blocked. The last time I ordered some discs from Presto there, I hadn't hit enter more than 3 minutes before when my phone rang and it was Visa card services in Miami checking on the transaction. I guess we should be grateful for their vigilance.....
Anyway, thanks again.
Maybe those folk at Visa keep a special eye on chaps who purchase interesting and rewarding music? I had exactly the same experience on Monday when (in the UK) I ordered the Aeon CD of Georges Witkowski's Piano Quintet and String Quartet in E from France.
Who is going to volunteer to attempt buy some proper old rubbish (or Stockhausen) with a Visa card to see if the same thing happens?
Personally, I am more comfortable with Kalkbrenner's shorter works. Unlike the 1st Concerto, I did not think there was simply enough interesting material with the 2nd and 3rd to justify the length, or at least to hold my attention.
The Adagio ed Allegro di Bravura was the highlight for me and I had spent some time "trying" to play it before the release. Thankfully, Mr Shelley's performance was a million times superior to my effort.
Hopefully, Mr Shelley will direct his efforts towards the Potter Concerti. That really will be something.
Thal
Marginally on-topic (as it regards the RPC series) but has there been an update from Mike as what the series will hold after the Wiklund - which is, I assume, Vol 57? That was where the last list that I saw posted ended.
Rob
Pixis and Thalberg, I think.
Could be the best ever. Thalberg with Hyperion quality.
Thal