Hyperion Romantic Piano Concerto Series: Beach/Chaminade/Howell

[eschiss1]

Beach: I have a -very- cheap (to buy tyvm) recording on VOX with the Beach, Tailleferre (not the Chaminade, though) and much else besides via Amazon mp3, so there's at least 2.

[FBerwald]

The Howell is a very welcome recording because I have never been very happy with the Cameo version.

[Alan Howe]

right up my ally

 

[Gareth Vaughan]

The Cameo version is a live recording of that concert I mentioned. There were one or two minor mistakes in the orchestra but nothing serious.  I thought they played extremely well, particularly considering the condition of the parts, which was not great. And the pianist, Valentina Seferinova,  really understood Dorothy 's idiom. Merryn Howell, the composer's niece, who was present was very impressed. She said: "Aunt D would have been very pleased."

[FBerwald]

Oh, I have no problem with the interpretation. It's the sound quality that I don't like

[Gareth Vaughan]

That is fair comment. I am sure the Hyperion recording,  which I am looking forward to very much, will be in a different class.

[FBerwald]

The Cameo releases - especially the British Composer series had a consistent (slight) noise whenever a heavy bass passage was played. Did anyone else notice that or was that a faulty CD?

[Alan Howe]

Just received my copy of RPC vol.70. My initial reaction is that this is precisely the type of repertoire that the RPC series was created to promote - quickly followed by regret that the RVC series hasn't been anything like as adventurous: I can't really see the point of re-recording three volumes of Bruch for the latter when there are so many other VCs just waiting to be recorded.

However, be that as it may: this is a superlative addition to the RPC series. The Howell, for example, is a really lovely late-romantic piece - and it's all over in a modest 19½ minutes! So, no self-indulgent over-inflation there.

More anon...

[Jonathan]

Just ordered my copy - looking forward to hearing it!

[Mark Thomas]

Oh dear, looks like another must-buy!

[FBerwald]

Alan, How does the Beach concerto fare? - interpretation wise... Especially since the recordings so far seem to have been less than satisfactory.

[Alan Howe]

How does the Beach concerto fare?

I haven't listened to it yet - and am probably not the best person to judge the performance against other recordings.

looks like another must-buy!

Most definitely! You'll love it!

[Alan Howe]

The Beach is superbly done: Driver is particularly suited, it seems, to this late-romantic repertoire (Bowen's in the same stylistic ballpark) and the orchestral contribution is oustanding. I'll leave it to others to make comparisons with other recordings, though.

[Mark Thomas]

I haven't listened yet to the Beach, but both the Chaminade and the Howell are compact, ingratiating works which receive very sympathetic and persuasive performances. Most enjoyable.

[Ilja]

Having listened to the recordings now, I think that the old Naxos recording of the Beach still holds the upper hand, in terms of interpretation, playing and sonics. It's not a huge difference, but the BBC Scots are a bit rougher around the edges than the Nashville Symphony, and I do feel that Feinberg gives the music a bit more "space" than Driver does.


So while I wouldn't buy this for the Beach if already owned the Naxos recording, the recording of the Chaminade is a fine one (much better than the old Marciano/De Froment), and this is fine music too. Finally, for me, the Howells is very much filler - not up to the standard of either of the other works. Still, good to be able to hear it - and interesting how similar the opening chords of this work sounds to those of the Chaminade.