Léon Kreutzer 1817-1868

[matesic]

Main text - C'est pour la beauté de l'inscription que Mr J Maho a fait graver en Allemagne. Car les examplaires sont revenus en france, et il didiserait bien de dédommager par un pue de publicité de frais bien considerable - pour y vous sait au moniteur, sait a la france, ou pour le [plus?] grand charme des [lettres?]

Don't you think "pue" could be "peu"?!

[matesic]

Left flap - vous avez enfin repris la plume [annoncer?] cette publication - si vous eu [désirez?] en un exemplaire Mr Maho se ferait un [plaisir?] de vouz l'addresser - ci joint

Bottom flap - pour [devenir?] a moi pour la traduction de mes [?]

It's hard work!

[4candles]

Really appreciate your efforts matesic! Makes much more sense now!

[matesic]

That's the most energetic French work-out I've had since 1965!

[4candles]

I'm hopefully not going to incur the wrath of admins here (seeing as this topic has been quiet for a while), but...

I was made aware at the weekend of a midi transcription of Léon Kreutzer's 'Concerto de Piano' on musescore, made by a clearly dedicated individual who certainly receives my thanks.

The work is solid, if not wholly memorable, and there are some lovely things in it, including some piquant harmonies and unexpected harmonic twists. Certain of the composer's contemporaries felt (and no doubt some modern-day Classical afiçionados may feel) the work, especially the first movement, outstays its welcome, but I didn't find the length overly bothersome.

If listening, my personal take was that the tempi set for Mvt 1 and 2 are too slow, so I increased the speed and the music moved along much better.

Obviously an acoustic recording would be desirable and I'd venture Hyperion's series would be a good fit for it, especially as it may well only ever receive one recording, certainly in my lifetime.

• Léon Kreutzer's 'Concerto de Piano'

4c

[Gareth Vaughan]

I have directed Simon Perry's (Hyperion) attention to this work (Full Score at IMSLP) with a strong recommendation. May I suggest you write to him on your own account advancing this work as a clear candidate for Hyperion's RPC series.

[Mark Thomas]

Thanks for the opportunity to hear this behemoth of a work. Even in a MIDI rendition it comes across as a fine, inventive, characterful piece of writing and, despite its length, certainly an improvement on some of the weaker concertos which grace the Hyperion series. I do agree that, at 26 minutes and on first hearing, the opening movement in particular seems more than a tad overlong, but that may because of the limitations of MIDI orchestral sound wearying my ears. The other three movements, while still quite substantial, seem to support their material very well and interest doesn't flag. I do hope that Hyperion pick up the baton and run with it.

[4candles]

Thank you Gareth and Mark for your thoughts and suggestions.

Gareth, that's great that you have again promoted this to Simon. Disappointingly for my efforts, I have emailed Hyperion's general email address several times over the years regarding various recording suggestions and I have maybe received one or two responses all in all. Is there a better way of making contact with them other than the general address (obviously if those details are private, you can IM me if appropriate)?

On the basis of having heard the Concerto, I am also eager to hear Kreutzer's other substantial orchestral works – his two symphonies in B flat major (Beethoven-like) and F minor – as well as his Introduction à la Tempête de Shakespeare, which is apparently rather Berliozian.

His output, almost exclusively housed in the BnF in Paris is quite substantial and includes most genres. This IMSLP list is indicative. Other works of his I am trying to promote in my own way are his rather inaccessible string quartets (9), quartet for flutes, and mélodies, of which he composed over 50 I believe. I'm on the understanding that Psaiko Quartet aim to record his 'Quatour pour Saxophones' at some stage, too.

4c

[cypressdome]

The Bavarian State Library has digitized its copy of the full score of Kreutzer's Symphony in F minor which I have transferred to IMSLP. Unfortunately, the low quality of the images required me to leave it in its original grayscale so the pdf is rather large.  The instrumentation would seem unique for a symphony of its time as it incorporates six saxophones and six saxhorns.

[eschiss1]

That's really neat.
I wish Lilypond still worked on my computer so I could consider extracting the parts but doesn't so can't! (Edit: hey, wait... I found a version that does, I think. Well, isn't that good news...)

[4candles]

This is good to know, and thank you for your efforts cypressdome.

The Symphony was privately shared with me before Christmas and I'm reliably told it certainly is worth investigating by willing orchestral forces. I don't know if it was ever performed like its B-flat predecessor, but my guess it that its dimensions are similar to that of the Concerto, with a long first movement and where the music improves as the work progresses. (Kreutzer seems to have been a fan of his development sections.)

Only a recording or midi rendition will tell!

[adt]

If nobody else is doing so, I'd be happy to work on a digital simulation of the F minor symphony. I use Sibelius and Note Performer, so it will sound much more realistic than regular MIDI soundfonts. NotePerformer saxophones sound pretty good. Haven't tested out the saxhorns yet, but I expect the same.

[Gareth Vaughan]

Brilliant. I would love to hear it.

[4candles]

I would very much appreciate the opportunity to listen to your proposed rendition!

Although the Piano Concerto was regarded (by anyone who actually heard his music) as the composer's masterpiece, I'd vouch that the Symphonies aren't that far behind in terms of quality.

We can expect a long first movement I'd say.

Thanks for your generous offer!

[4candles]

Members may be interested to listen to Léon Kreutzer's Grand Piano Trio, Op.5, which I discovered unexpectedly on musescore after a routine internet search on the composer.

Considering the composer was largely self-taught, I feel it is an accomplished early work. It's in the 'traditional' four movement format, and clearly rooted in the classics but with plenty of individuality and brightness to make it interesting.

As an interesting aside, it seems all the Kreutzer uploads on the musescore site have been done by Japanese (amateur?) musicians. Indeed, there seems to be a burgeoning interest in forgotten or neglected composers in the far east, demonstrated here and also by such 'institutions' as represented here.

• Léon Kreutzer, Grand Piano Trio, Op.5

• Allego giusto
• Adagio non troppo
• Scherzo moderato
• Rondo Allegro