After being horribly disappointed by the forthcoming RVC13, Hyperion has come out with something that we have all been waiting for for quite a while... The Romantic Piano Concerto, Vol. 58 – Pixis & Thalberg
http://www.hyperion-records.co.uk/dc.asp?dc=D_CDA67915&vw=dc (http://www.hyperion-records.co.uk/dc.asp?dc=D_CDA67915&vw=dc)
Thanks for bringing this to our attention, FBerwald. This is indeed very exciting news! After hearing members here rave about Pixis, I couldn't wait for this recording. And I'm glad that Hyperion is redeeming themselves after a string of uninteresting releases. I shall be looking forward to this eagerly!
I'm not quite so excited by these late Classical/Early Romantic concertos but will still investigate this disc. By the way, I've often wondered if Howard Shelley commits all these concertos to memory given that he'll probably never be asked to play them in the concert hall. Surely he must have the music in front of him when he plays...but then, he conducts as well! Does anyone know?
He's a phenomenon! That's for sure!
A warm welcome to this recording from me. Shelley is an absolute master of this period and style: I don't know for sure whether he has the music in front of him while recording (although if he's conducting as well, he surely must), but I really can't see how it matters. Anyway, The CD's already on my wants list.
QuoteI'm glad that Hyperion is redeeming themselves after a string of uninteresting releases.
I expect these "uninteresting releases" you find so disappointing help to pay for the "interesting" disks which probably do not have a high sales volume. Though I would have said that the last 3 RPC releases (Widor, Kalkbrenner, Wiklund) were anything but "uninteresting". I can remember when the sort of Romantic repertoire that is now being considered by a number of labels was the preserve of niche companies like Vox and Genesis - and we were grateful for any pearls that emerged from those sources, no matter how roughly played or recorded. To have this repertoire performed by first class orchestras and in Hyperion's customarily excellent sound is riches beyond anything I could have hoped for back in the sixties and seventies. Hyperion has no necessity to redeem itself as far as
I'm concerned.
I'm very sorry, Gareth, if I offended you :-[. I admit I was being way too harsh on Hyperion. I am sincerely grateful for their Romantic Concerto series and maybe it's just that Hyperion doesn't usually release interesting CDs as often as Naxos or CPO. Anyways, it all comes down to the fact that I am greedy, selfish person :-[.
Hyperion are an absolute gem of a company. If I am (very occasionally disappointed) when mainstream repertoire is included in their RPC, RVC or RCC series, I am reminded of what Gareth has just told us, i.e. that it may be volume sales of familiar repertoire that pay for the unsung music in which we are ultimately more interested.
I think my problem is that I'm so spoiled by Hyperion's excellent CDs that I moan when I see upcoming CDs of mainstream/early music. I agree with you, Alan, about Hyperion's marketing tactics, which are quite sensible. (Maybe "tactics" is the wrong word"!) Anyway, sorry for posting so much today, I must say that UC has become an addiction ;).
Is there any information of the next volumes?
I've heard whispers of the Bronsart PC coming out and Mike Spring has scores of scores (bad pun, I know ;)) of PCs he's thinking about recording sometime in the future. We'll keep you posted :).
I'd love to see something with the Herz PC 2. I'm throwing in the towel on the 6th. Apparently it's a lost cause. Hyperion isn't interested enough in the first place to commission a reconstruction of the orchestration.
A pity.. as it would have given us a complete set! ..and come on.. How banal could the No. 6 actually be? I have the greatest respect for Mike Spring but I would think twice before relying COMPLETELY on the opinion of a person who is prejudiced against the Raff concerto! However Hyperion has done a wonderful job of bringing some wonderful gems to light eg. Scharwenka - 4, Sauer, Lyapunov, etc!!!
On a diff. note. does anyone know if there will be a Vol. 4 in the Romantic Cello Concerto series and if so what it will be!
I think Herz No. 2 will make an appearance in the RPC series, but not coupled with No. 6.
Quote from: kyjo on Sunday 05 August 2012, 23:58
I think my problem is that I'm so spoiled by Hyperion's excellent CDs that I moan when I see upcoming CDs of mainstream/early music.
Don't begrudge us early music lovers their really excellent releases of (often otherwise unavailable) early music. A treasure trove indeed.
Seconded...
Quote from: Revilod on Sunday 05 August 2012, 16:59
By the way, I've often wondered if Howard Shelley commits all these concertos to memory given that he'll probably never be asked to play them in the concert hall. Surely he must have the music in front of him when he plays...but then, he conducts as well! Does anyone know?
He's a phenomenon! That's for sure!
I have it on very good authority that he uses piano parts, especially since he's conducting/recording several concerti over his few weeks visiting Hobart. I think he directs some of them at concerts at the time, but I couldn't d/l any relevant program information from the TSO site.
If he actually performs them in concert, I'm moving to Tasmania!!! ;D
Watch out for Tasmanian Devils down there, Jim ;)!
Quote from: MikeW on Tuesday 07 August 2012, 12:50
Quote from: Revilod on Sunday 05 August 2012, 16:59
By the way, I've often wondered if Howard Shelley commits all these concertos to memory given that he'll probably never be asked to play them in the concert hall. Surely he must have the music in front of him when he plays...but then, he conducts as well! Does anyone know?
He's a phenomenon! That's for sure!
I have it on very good authority that he uses piano parts, especially since he's conducting/recording several concerti over his few weeks visiting Hobart. I think he directs some of them at concerts at the time, but I couldn't d/l any relevant program information from the TSO site.
In answer to my own question, here is Mr Shelley thoroughly enjoying himself at the recording sessions for the finale of Hiller's 2nd Piano Concerto in 2007. He has the music in front of him but I'm almost sure it's only the piano score. He looks at it but is obviously playing mostly from memory.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7zI9YzKrD7o (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7zI9YzKrD7o)