Unsung Rachmaninoffian Piano Concertos

[Fronder]

The Kohsaku/Kayama PC1 is really a piece of fake classical music - very Rachmaninovian at the outset, but suddenly lurching into faux-Gershwin before returning to the opening material - which is repeated fff ad infinitum, ad nauseam. Absolutely gorgeous, but far too full-on - and the coda to first movement is a piece of grand larceny! The slow movement starts with woodwind phrases against a background of shimmering strings; it's not really like Rachmaninov at all even when the piano enters and includes an absolutely mad sudden accelerando before again returning to more dreamy and then more ecstatic-sounding material. It's really just a series of unconnected episodes, beautifully orchestrated, but unconvincing when compared to 'proper music'. The finale starts and continues throughout in rather jolly early 19thC Germanic-sounding fashion, almost as if Beeethoven had decided to put in an appearance - an idiom totally at odds with what has come so far, but actually rather more integrated in feel.

So, all in all, not a piece to be taken seriously at all. But great fun? Yes, indeed!

Second movement resembles to me Rach's rhapsody, op.43. But overall I agree with your opinion - not strictly academical but very fun indeed.

Fumio Hayasaka PC: The moody first movement, especially, has lost of Rachian gestures. The second, and final movement, though, is a quick-witted, infectiously bright romp. Kind of like the Poulenc PC, eh? It's available on a Naxos CD with two other pieces by Hayasaka.

1st movement is exceptionally good. Thanks for a recommendation.

[kyjo]

That Kohsaku/Kayama PC sounds quite interesting ! Are the PCs of George Lloyd in a Rachmaninoffian style? I haven't heard them yet, but I think they might be. Another example I though of is Arno Babadjanian's Herioc Ballade (a concerto in all but name) for piano and orchestra, available on an OOP ASV CD with Tjeknavorian's (better known as a conductor) PC and on Youtube. Also the PC of Witold Maliszewski, available to download here. Keep 'em coming !

[Mark Thomas]

Alan has described the Kohsaku Piano Concerto very well. It's pastiche, I hope, but of quite a high order, very well orchestrated and the performers go at it as if their lives depended upon it. At that level is a hugely enjoyable romp but, at the risk of sounding pompously sniffy, it's not something which one can take seriously in the way that one can Schmidt-Kowalski's modern romantc-style compositions for example. Think of it more as a grand version of one of those cinematic concertos from the 1940s and 50s. The Beethovenesque finale in particular works very well and could be quite convincing at that level even though the stylistic lurch from what goes before it is ear-jarringly bizarre. All that said, it's a fun listen.

[markniew]

One essential question is about the meaning of the Rachmaninoffian concertos? With wide Slavic-style themes, tuneful and memorable melodies, sense of nostalgy? In that sense there is evident difference between nos 2, 3 and 1, 4. Meself I expect that members think mostly about Rachmaninov of nos 2 and 3. Perhaps some fragments of the Paganini Rhapsody. Good examples of that understanding are also two arrangemsnts: Concerto Elegiaque (based on his Piano Trio) and "Concerto no. 5" based on the Second Symphony.
I can see that majority of examples given by participants of that discussion are concertos, well, melodious, some of bravura character but with no such wide breathe, without that sort of melancholy or so. Of course many of them I lke very much but in my mind only a few of them can be called Rachmaninoffian.
From the Polish music I can name Concerto no. 2 by Kazimierz Guzowski (of 60-70s) that consists fragments written in evident style (pastiche?) of Rachmaninov.

[Alan Howe]

Absolutely right, Marek. In fact, the only pieces that are truly Rachmaninovian are probably respectful copies (à la Mathieu) or pastiches (à la Kohsaku).

[Ser Amantio di Nicolao]

Alan has described the Kohsaku Piano Concerto very well. It's pastiche, I hope, but of quite a high order, very well orchestrated and the performers go at it as if their lives depended upon it. At that level is a hugely enjoyable romp but, at the risk of sounding pompously sniffy, it's not something which one can take seriously in the way that one can Schmidt-Kowalski's modern romantc-style compositions for example. Think of it more as a grand version of one of those cinematic concertos from the 1940s and 50s. The Beethovenesque finale in particular works very well and could be quite convincing at that level even though the stylistic lurch from what goes before it is ear-jarringly bizarre. All that said, it's a fun listen.

Speaking of fun listens...you're reminding me of Michael Easton's Piano Concerto on Australian Themes, which I have long owned on an old Naxos disc.  Granted, it's been ages since I listened to it, but I seem to recall it being a.) a bit kitschy, and b.) a cracking good time all 'round.

http://www.naxos.com/catalogue/item.asp?item_code=8.554368

It's rather more neo-Romantic than neo-Rachmaninov, but still.

[kyjo]

In a more "popular" vein, there's Michael Nyman's The Piano Concerto, available on a Naxos CD. Also, the Nigel Hess PC, played by Lang Lang on a rather short CD on the UCJ label (available on UK Amazon). Maybe not the most Rachmaninoffian concerto mentioned thus far, but has anyone else heard Rudolf Tobias' PC? It's a rather compact (just under 20 minutes) piece, completed by Vardo Rasmussen (IIRC). I listened to it on 1musikpensionaer's now deleted YouTube channel (Why were these videos deleted? His channel contained a treasure trove of unsung music of late-romantic and tonal modern music .). I was quite blown away by it! I think its secret to success is its compactness; it doesn't sprawl to excessive lengths like many late-romantic pieces do. I think it's available for download from this site. The finale, particularly, will keep you at the edge of your seat. BTW, has anyone heard Manolis Kalomiris' Symphonic Concerto for piano and orchestra (it was on 1musikpensionaer's channel also)? It might be Rachmaninoffian!

[Alan Howe]

We're way off-topic here. Simply posting about vaguely late Romantic-sounding PCs which one hasn't heard isn't very helpful. Let's restrict this thread to contributions from members who have actually hear a concerto that fits the bill...

[kyjo]

Right, Alan. Tobias' PC is just such a great piece; I had to mention it !

[febnyc]

The Piano Concerto of Paul Kletzki (yes, the conductor) qualifies I think.  It is a bit advanced in tonality, or post-tonality, but is a powerful twentieth-century work.  Quite Rachmaninoffian, I would say.

http://www.amazon.com/Piano-Concerto-Three-Preludes-Piec/dp/B0034JV6DE/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1344728196&sr=8-1&keywords=paul+kletzki+naxos

[kyjo]

Thank you, febnyc! I was going to mention the Kletzki PC, but I was travelling and then the next thing I knew it, UC was under construction! It's not pure Rachmaninov, like the Mathieu or Giannini PCs, with touches of Prokofiev in some of the harmonies, but it deserves a place in this thread.

[Alan Howe]

The Kleztki is nothing like Rachmaninov at all. It is written in a highly chromatic idiom on the outer fringes of anything that might be described as Romantic. It's frankly far too long for its material which is pretty undistinguished anyway, as the reviews which I've read elsewhere have pointed out. As I've pointed out before, this thread doesn't benefit from merely throwing names into the ring...

[febnyc]

Thank you, Alan, for your kind and understated response to my suggestion of the Kletzki PC.  Could you not have been a little more definite (and disrespectful, at the same time)?  I don't think so.

Of course this is your opinion - I don't agree and I continue to encourage kylo to hear it.  I did not "throw" this into "the ring" - I have heard it a number of times and have enjoyed the power of it - regardless of what "reviews" you've seen.

Another is the Piano Concerto #2 in Brazilian Forms by Hekel Tavares.   The Concerto has echoes of Rachmaninoff with a faint south-of-the-border tinge.  It's a beautiful work, especially the grand first movement. 

(This recommendation, no doubt, will bring another knee-jerk reply from Mr. Howe - since Tavares wrote the piece in the late-1930s.  I'll run for cover before the fire and brimstone starts to bubble up to the surface.)

[kyjo]

These should be more Rachmaninoffian than the Kletzki:
-Ilmari Hannikainen: Piano Concerto in B-Flat Minor. A shame Hannikainen didn't write more orchestral music (he did write a piano quintet, though). His PC (which collectioncb2 (YouTube channel) rightfully designates as a "must hear") is a successful mixture of Slavic romanticism and impressionism.
-Janusz Sent: Piano Concerto no. 1 in E-flat and Piano Concerto no. 2 in F Minor. Janusz Sent was born in 1936, so these concertos could be designated as "pastiche". But, both concertos being around 25 minutes, they are pretty substantial. Sent has also written a Manhattan Fantasy for piano and orchestra. All three of these pieces, along with the Hannikainen, are on YouTube.
- Dora Pejacevic: Phantasie Concertante for Piano and Orchestra. Well, it's not a full-blown concerto, at only 15 minutes, but I wish it was! It could easily serve as the first movement of a concerto. But Pejacevic knows that less is (sometimes ) more, so there's a lot of action packed into its small time span. It's available on CPO, with her large-scale Symphony, which also contains echoes of Rach. Has anyone heard her PC in G minor?
Febnyc, you probably didn't notice, but I mentioned the Tavares PC ! And Alan, could you please be a bit less critical if someone posts a reply you don't agree with? After all, no one's perfect . And I'll protect you, febnyc, if Mr. Moderator summons the fire and brimstone upon you !

[Mark Thomas]

Kyjo, febnyc, Alan was certainly robust in his disagreement, but not disrespectful. A difference of opinion, even trenchantly expressed, doesn't imply any lack of respect.

As for the Tavares, I don't know it but if you yourself think that it isn't a work which falls within UC's remit then I'm a bit surprised that you've brought it up. Still, it's early days.

To my mind this thread has been going around in circles for some time and I wonder whether it isn't now time to bring it to a close?