Hyperion RPC no.55 - Widor

[markniew]

Marek--Thank you for the very welcome news about the Rozycki concertos. now if someone would only do the symphonic poems, Anhelli in particular. I think of Rozycki as making up in part the Karlowicz we never had.

as to the ctos by Rozycki - see my yesterday note in the download discussion
Marek

[eschiss1]

I've heard the first (F minor) symphony by Widor, yes. Early work, published (written? not sure) around the same time as the first three organ symphonies etc., and didn't leave as much of an impression as some other works of his (but then, relistening might change my mind...
I like the later chamber works for instance, and the 2nd symphony in A looks interesting in score. Would like to hear the cello concerto, too...)

[jerfilm]

The Krogulski Piano Concerto in E has been recorded on CD.  And his Variations for piano and orchestra are on a cassette tape which I assume came from a broadcast some time ago.

Jerry

[markniew]

Oh, that is really interesting! do you know the labels of them? and performers? in Poland - as far as I know - they were never commercially released.
I have got both pieces recorded off radio.

best,
Marek

[jerfilm]

I have got both pieces recorded off radio.

I should explain.  My database was designed for primary two purposes - to show what works I have and where to find them.  I don't keep a record there of artists and soloists, nor separate movements nor record/CD/tape labels or numbers.

And I'm not at home to look at the original materials.  The database shows I have the Piano Concerto on a CD.  Which unfortunately doesn't necessarily mean it was a commercial CD.  I've traded music with several friends over the last 50 years and one in particular switched to CDs a couple of years ago.  My suspicion is that both of these performances came from radio and are probably the same ones you have.  Sorry if I got you excited about that.....

Nice pieces, incidentally.  Jerry

[markniew]

Hello Jerry,

so now everything seems to be clear. I was simply excited that the pieces were issued in recordings other than mine. For dozens of years I try to collect pf ctos and especially those written by our composers. Many of them were not commercially recorded and exist only in private off radio registrations. I do also exchange recordings with some friends for years so for sure my chain of friends somwhere meets with your friends' chain :-).

best,
Marek

[JeremyMHolmes]

I think we might be in for a double release of the Widor PCs this month, as Dutton look set to release a CD of them as well (CDXL7276 on their website, although you have to search for it, and no artist details yet, as the link is to details for another forthcoming CD of music by Converse).

[eschiss1]

as to American Piano Concertos (re earlier post in this thread) there is one (in B minor) in manuscript (held at Vassar) by Frédéric Louis Ritter (French-American, 1834-91) .

[Alan Howe]

Well, the Hyperion CD of the two Widor PCs and Fantaisie in A flat arrived this morning. And, judging by a first listen, the identical Dutton offering is going to have to be very good to beat this. PC1 is a simply marvellous piece: a turbulent first movement is followed by a hushed Andante religioso and a finale with a Saint-Saens-like galumphing main theme. Absolutely memorable stuff: how can this possibly have got forgotten? Hyperion's production values are as excellent as usual and Markus Becker is a brilliant pianist, as he showed in his performances of Jadassohn and Draeseke in an earlier RPC release.
This is definitely one to rush out - or dash to the computer - and buy!

[Dundonnell]

Well, the Hyperion CD of the two Widor PCs and Fantaisie in A flat arrived this morning. And, judging by a first listen, the identical Dutton offering is going to have to be very good to beat this. PC1 is a simply marvellous piece: a turbulent first movement is followed by a hushed Andante religioso and a finale with a Saint-Saens-like galumphing main theme. Absolutely memorable stuff: how can this possibly have got forgotten? Hyperion's production values are as excellent as usual and Markus Becker is a brilliant pianist, as he showed in his performances of Jadassohn and Draeseke in an earlier RPC release.
This is definitely one to rush out - or dash to the computer - and buy!

....ah, but IS it THE one to rush out to buy? Martin Jones is also a very good pianist

[Gareth Vaughan]

Martin Jones certainly is a good pianist - but Martin Roscoe is the soloist on the Dutton/Widor disk.

[Dundonnell]

Aaaagh!!

Sorry

Well...he is pretty good too, is he not?

[eschiss1]

they've been in direct competition before (Szymanowski complete piano music on Nimbus and Naxos...) - maybe it's the Martin brief-last-name syndrome.  Very common, I hear. (Odd that Nimbus had Jones and Naxos had Roscoe- must be a Conservation Principle at work. Nature's full to brimming with them.)

[Alan Howe]

Obviously, I've not heard the Dutton CD. However, I have been disappointed in the past when they've used the BBC Concert Orchestra (finding them lacking in the heft needed for this sort of late-Romantic repertoire), so felt I had to make a judgment somehow as I wanted to hear the music.

[Dundonnell]

That's a fair point