The Romantic Piano Concerto #87. Reinecke: Piano Concerto No. 3 in C, Op. 144; Konzertstück, Op. 33/Sauer: Piano Concerto No. 2 in C Minor. Simon Callaghan, piano; Modestas Pitrėnas, conductor; Sinfonieorchester St Gallen. Hyperion CDA68429.
Hyperion's Romantic Piano Concerto series is something for which we should all be grateful. It allows us to sample broad swaths of repertoire mostly laying forgotten. Thereby we have the chance to discover things which surprise and delight. It also helps us to contextualize familiar masterpieces, and see them in better relief. How do we really know that the perennially beloved Brahms, Grieg, Schumann etc. piano concertos were the best of their time? Well, by listening to as much of everything else as we can and learning to appreciate those other scores too, despite the fact that they may rarely supplant the privileged few in our affections. It was through this very series that I first discovered multiple neglected concerti I came to adore. I still listen to them today. My musical life would be poorer if these works by Arensky, Balakirev, and Scharwenka (to name just a few) had not been imprinted upon my imagination. Sure, there have been many other instances where I've said, "yeah, this is pleasant and all, but it doesn't really do anything for me." And that's fine; at least I had the chance to listen and decide for myself. If nothing else, more knowledge is always good.
So how was this outing? Better than average, I'd say. Of these three concertante pieces, only one am I fine with not revisiting again any time soon. The other two I'd be glad to hear in the future (particularly in concert, but that's probably a pipe dream). We'll briefly treat each in descending order of my preference.
I'd be lying if I said I've heard anywhere close to all of Carl Reinecke's huge composition catalogue. But I had already been familiar with some entries, including what is easily his most performed work today – the Undine Sonata for Flute and Piano. This is still very popular among undergraduate flutists, and with good reason: it is passionate, moving, and sticks in the memory. Nothing else I've heard by Reinecke quite matches it by these measures. (He was an academic and often composed like one.) But the Third Piano Concerto of 1877 comes fairly close. Having heard each of his four piano concerti, which are now all recorded by Hyperion, I think No. 3 is the best of the bunch and deserving of its separate placement on this new release. (The others are on the recent CDA68339, #85 in the series, with the same performers.) The opening movement starts with a lovely theme that recurs with similarly attractive subordinate ideas. The whole thing is well crafted and has a gentle flavor of its own. (Interestingly, an alternate take on the first movement is included, which features a loud ending that I don't think works quite as well as the 'official' soft one.) The beautiful second movement faintly recalls Schumann, but is consistent in character with its surroundings. The finale is a funny animal whose initial idea is bland by comparison with its second theme. It is bouncy stuff, though, and the main theme from the first movement makes a cyclic appearance. Callaghan, Pitrėnas, and Company take an overall mellower approach than do Alun Francis and his cohorts on CPO (999 239-2). But I think this suits the music very well.
Emil von Sauer's Second Piano Concerto lacks the polished craft that marks Reinecke's Third. Despite that it is full of interesting, and at times bewitching, ideas...even if the whole impresses less than its parts. I well remember the fanfare that greeted the eleventh disc in this Romantic Piano Concerto series in the mid-90s, which featured Stephen Hough playing the first of the two Sauer concerti. Admirers of that work should enjoy the Second.
Reinecke's Opus 33 Konzertstück impressed me the least. While it is built well enough, the materials themselves just fail to register beyond listener recognition of their heavy debt to Schumann and Mendelssohn. Truthfully, there is a lot of this kind of music in the series, with some discs boasting little to nothing more. Luckily, the Konzertstück's companion pieces here offer more interest.
Even though we're now 87 discs into The Romantic Piano Concerto collection, I find myself wanting more. I hope very much that Hyperion keeps this gravy train chugging along. It's a repertoire explorer's dream.
Cheerfully Recommended
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