RPC Vol. 50

[FBerwald]

has anyone listened to the Romantic Piano Concerto Vol 50. Tchaikovsky? Absolutely stunning stuff. I was a bit unsure of the choice but after listening to Stephen Hough's versions I'm completely convinced that THIS WAS THE RIGHT CHOICE!!! Only HE can make the jaded 1st movement of the 1st concerto sound like a discovery. I was a bit surprised at the tempo, but as you listen to the whole movement you get what he's trying to do.

As for the neglected 2nd concerto, till now I the definitive version by Peter Donohoe. Stephen Hough's version is every bit as good  (dare I say better??!!!).

Has anyone else heard it?

Bad news for Pixis fans.
till yesterday the info on RPC forthcoming volumes (I had ) were as follows
Vol.51 - Taubert concertos 1 & 2; Rosenhain concerto, (Howard Shelley) (Aug. '10)
Vol.52 - J. Wieniawski & Goetz concertos, (Hamish Milne) (Nov. '10)
Vol.53 - Reger Concerto; Strauss Burleske, (Marc-André Hamelin) (2011)
Vol.54 - Widor Concertos, (Markus Becker)
Vol.55 - English repertiore, being finalised this week I hope. (Martin Roscoe)
Vol.56 - Pixis Concerto plus something else (Howard Shelley)
Vol.57 - Wiklund Concertos (Martin Sturfalt).

Hyperion has announced the following series and unfortunately I can't find Pixis among them-
Volume 51 Taubert & Rosenhain
Volume 52 Goetz and Wieniawski
Volume 53 Reger and Strauss
Volume 54 Somervell and Cowen
Volume 55 Widor
Volume 56 Kalkbrenner
Volume 57 Wiklund

[Kriton]

Let's say they release 2 more this year (wasn't the Taubert/Rosenhain planned for release after summer?) and 3 or 4 next year - does that mean we're going to have to miss out on Pixis until we're well in 2012? Or does anyone know if Hyperion is speeding up production, since they already know what the next 7 volumes are going to be?

As I understood from another thread, it's going to be the 2nd Götz concerto that appears on vol. 52? Too bad, I must say I have rather a soft spot for the 1st one, with its subtle syncopations and beautifully naive melodies... I'm really at a loss as to what Mike (or others) are thinking, with recording such boring concertos as the ones by Dreyschock and Kullak (and dare I say Herz in this forum?), but leaving out the 1st one by Götz!

As for the neglected 2nd concerto, till now I the definitive version by Peter Donohoe. Stephen Hough's version is every bit as good  (dare I say better!!!??!!!).

Is it even faster and more superficial than the Pletnev recording? Then I'll go out and buy it immediately!

[JimL]

Watch yourself!  There are some who have a soft spot for Herz!  He was a much better tunesmith than I thought from his reputation before I heard him.  And how can you find something boring that's here and gone in a flash?  There are also admirers of the Kullak and Dreyschock concertos hereabouts.  To each his own.

[edurban]

"...such boring concertos as the ones by...Kullak."

Thunder and lightning!  I like Kullak's concerto.  Particularly the opening tutti and entrance of the piano...

It's no use using boring as a critical cudgel.  'Boring' is entirely subjective and says as much about the mood/blood-sugar-level of the listener as it does about the piece and composer...

David

[JimL]

I wonder which of the Kalkbrenner concertos is the F-sharp Minor?  I read a snippet of a Schumann review in which he mentioned (somewhat snidely) that the particular Kalkbrenner concerto he was reviewing was in that key (and also had some faux-programmatic pretentions).

[Kriton]

Watch yourself!  There are some who have a soft spot for Herz! (...) To each his own.

Thunder and lightning!  I like Kullak's concerto.  Particularly the opening tutti and entrance of the piano...

It's no use using boring as a critical cudgel.  'Boring' is entirely subjective and says as much about the mood/blood-sugar-level of the listener as it does about the piece and composer...

I should have expected reactions like those, and I have to apologise. Of course it's unfair of me to simply dismiss other people's favourites with one word (boring). I do admit I would find a forum "more fun" if one is allowed to trash some composers along with praising other ones, but I guess one could always find fans of even the most "uninteresting" (no, I'm not even going to start defining that word...  ) composers. It's all Geschmacksfrage. But you did give me an idea for a new thread!

(I hope you both got my apologies through the jungle of sarcasm!)

[thalbergmad]

As president of the NSPCH (National Society for prevention of cruelty to Herz), I forgive you

Having spent an extremely pleasant couple of hours playing Herz nocturnes this morning, I would plead with you to look a little further into his works.

Thal

[Alan Howe]

I'll take a shotgun to Herz any day.

From the President of LARK - League Against Ridiculous Konponisten...

[JimL]

I'll take a shotgun to Herz any day.

From the President of LARK - League Against Ridiculous Konponisten...

Benighted Schumannist!

[Kriton]

Now that they've reached 50 volumes, I think it is high time to package all the recordings into one box set and sell it for cheap. I'd buy the entire 50-CD set in a second, but I must admit I don't have the motivation to buy most of single CDs individually. Any chances a box set might emerge in the future?

Hyperion? Who keep repressing the 1ste volume in that series over and over again, instead of releasing it on Helios? Forget it. The closest thing to an offer is presented on their website now, with every volume going for a tenner...

http://www.hyperion-records.co.uk/o.asp?o=1027

[Kriton]

(...) I must admit I don't have the motivation to buy most of single CDs individually.

To P.S. that: you don't have to bother with Herz, so that'll be just 48 volumes for you... 

[JimL]

Egads!  Another one!

So you find Kalkbrenner superior, then?  I love the 1st Kalky.  I'd take any one of Herz' recorded concertos over the Kalkbrenner 4th.

[Kriton]

Egads!  Another one!

Huh? I thought I was responsible for starting the Herz-bashing!

So you find Kalkbrenner superior, then?  I love the 1st Kalky.  I'd take any one of Herz' recorded concertos over the Kalkbrenner 4th.

The 1st Kalkbrenner I love, and have always loved, right from the opening measures. And I like superficial music - a lot! But I can't stand Herz! Perhaps I'm not ready for him yet? I reckon I'd develop a taste for his music after plowing through the entire oeuvre of the 2nd Viennese School...

[JimL]

Just think "kiddie concertos", Kriton!  They're meant to be fun!  They're training concertos for 8-year olds to play at community orchestra concerts and competitions!  They're outdoor concert music for a Summer's eve!  They're meant to be listened to while sitting on a blanket under the stars!  That's it.  Well, the 1st and 3rd may be a little more substantial, but they're still nothing but fun.  I wish I could give the 2nd a listen, but apparently nobody takes much of an interest in it. 

[thalbergmad]

I'll take a shotgun to Herz any day.

And I to Schumann Sir.

Thal