Unsung BUSONI

[semloh]

In 1890 Busoni won the Anton Rubinstein Competition with his Concert Piece for Piano & Orchestra, Op.31a, which one must assume is a significant composition, and represented an important milestone in Busoni's career, yet it appears to have been quite neglected. It doesn't feature on my Chandos Busoni discs, and I think may be currently available only on a Claves CD otherwise devoted to our friend Raff. As I already have the Raff, I was wondering if anyone knows of other recordings, or can point me to a version on-line that can be purchased or legally shared. I have a version on cassette, somewhere(! ), which I will upload when I can find it, and if I can establish that it is non-commercial.

Perhaps someone who is familiar with this work, would share their thoughts about it. Is there any obvious reason for its neglect? Thanks.

[mjkFendrich]

There is an All-Busoni CD from Music&Arts with Carlo Grante
playing smaller accompanied piano works, see e.g.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Busoni-Works-Orchestra-Carlo-Grante/dp/B005GSWL6W/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1434781169&sr=8-1&keywords=grante+busoni

and

http://www.rodoni.ch/busoni/novitacd/grante.html

[adriano]

I have this rare Italian CD since its first issue 15 years ago, it's a very recommendable item. Another "older" Busoni CD is Michael Gielen's wonderful interpretation of Turandot Suite and the two Studies for Doktor Faust, which was issued by MMG (Moss Music Group) in 1983.
Before Chandos issued their two Busoni CDs, Capriccio did produce two with some valuable unsung pieces, as the Symphonic Suite op.24, the Nocturne Symphonique op.43 and Vezweiflung und Ergebung op.41.
Busoni's String Quartets are available on cpo.

[Michael Sayers]

One work by Busoni that doesn't get much attention, and which is quite tremendous in my opinion, is the Anton Rubinstein inspired Piano Sonata Op. 20a.


Mvh,
Michael

[adriano]

You are perfectly right, Michael :-)
Unfortunately it does not figure in that magnificent 6-CD "selection" set of Busoni's piano works by Geoffrey Madge.
There is a Stradivari CD by Emanuele Arciuli and another one on Music and Arts by Bruce Wolosoff featuring this Sonata.