Moszkowski Piano Concerto Op.3

[Mark Thomas]

Download the PDF via the link I gave, select the text you want (it begins on p.361), and copy and paste it into Google Translate...

[arpeggio]

Many thanks Ludmil - and congratulations. What an enjoyable concerto.

[Richard Moss]

Mark,

Tks for the 'copy' tip - I didn't realise you could copy from PDF (I'd thought it was 'protected' or something)

Cheers

Richard

[Alan Howe]

I know there's a debate to be had about what constitutes a masterpiece, but this concerto is really something else...

[Martin Eastick]

I would like to join with others here to acknowledge and extend the warmest of thanks to all involved in making this concerto 'live' again! It is perhaps not what one might have expected from a young Moszkowski - a work more serious in intention for the most part which, IMHO is most successful! There are obviously glimpses of his later trademark style, especially in the 3rd & 4th movements, but this early work is indeed remarkable for its assuredness of construction and content - I have absolutely no qualms whatsoever about overall length and indeed, ended all  too quickly for me! A resounding success which must surely provide impetus for the examination and performance of his other works on a larger scale - imagine The D minor Symphony coupled with Joan of Arc Op19 for example........

[Mark Thomas]

Hear! Hear! What an impressive piece. The strength of this work of a 20 year old makes the most persuasive case possible for a serious look at the two major works that closely preceded it, the D minor Symphony of 1873 (which looks to be more modest in scale than this Concerto), and followed it, the four-movement symphonic poem Joan of Arc of 1875/6.

[eschiss1]

Isn't Joan of Arc already published and available online, unlike the symphony which is still in manuscript?

[Mark Thomas]

The piano four-hands reduction of Joan of Arc is available at IMSLP here. I can't find an online source for the orchestral original.

[Gareth Vaughan]

The score and parts are in Fleisher. I understand they began to digitise their holdings some years ago but how far they have got with this task I do not know. None of the items of which Cameo borrowed parts for recordings made in the last three years was available other than in hard copy.

[Amphissa]

I love the exoticism, the so-called "oriental" influence, that colored much in music of that era.

Is there any more information available concerning this radio broadcast? What is the orchestra? Who is the soloist?

[Mark Thomas]

See my post earlier in this thread here.

[Amphissa]

Thanks Mark. Not sure how I overlooked that.

[Gounod21]

What strikes me first re this wonderful concerto is how Moszkowski's style was already quite well formed at the age of 20; the finale, in particular, has his usual bittersweet insouciance: that kind of slightly forced happiness, despite everything; beautiful melodies;the aforementioned orientalism in the opening. But there is a slight difference: I detect a slightly greater grandeur, a greater majesterialness than the later , more famous(relatively!) PC. I still fail to see why this composer, who writes so idiomatically for piano AND orchestra, is so little known and sometimes maligned(slightly, anyway: Mark:P) for superficial or sugary emotion; I find his music some of the most moving ever; it has a resignation about it;almost an existentialist feel of "lets get on with it and have fun; life is so short and absurd". I know that is my (relativistic) opinion!Anyway, I DO hope the Symphony and Joan of Arc opera are recorded!Thanks so much to the excellent pianist who uploaded this . Btw, I also recommend the Toccata in homage to Schumann for piano, the solo piano music generally and the great Violin Concerto, with its Elgarian (?pre) echo in the slow movement, the melody of which is ineffably beautiful, and I would put up there with the canonic Violin Concerti, as well as all the Bruch and the Goldmark!Just listening now to the very end of the early PC, and it has a section quoted at (I think)  the end of the later PC, of the shrugging your shoulders in resignation/stoicism variety.Steve

[Gareth Vaughan]

I DO hope the Symphony and Joan of Arc opera are recorded!

Joan of Arc is a 4 movt. Symphonic Poem, not an opera. Though I agree, of course, that it would be marvellous to have these works on disk.

[Gounod21]

Oops , Gareth:)Am i thinking of "Boabdil"?Steve