Rheinberger Piano Concerto in E flat (JWV128 - 1860)

Started by Alan Howe, Wednesday 21 June 2017, 16:02

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Alan Howe

My first reactions to this orchestration from the short score by Jürg Hanselmann are:
1. It's pretty small beer. I'm not really surprised Rheinberger didn't go further with it.
2. The recording doesn't show it in the best possible light: the pianist (Hanselmann himself) is good - he is a Rheinberger specialist - but the orchestra (the Liechtenstein Symphony Orchestra) are feeble, especially in the string department.
3. There is some attractive writing, especially in the finale, but overall this is only for the very curious...
4. Its construction (4 movements: Andante, quasi larghetto [6:33]; Allegro molto [all'ongarese] [6:26]; Tempo di marcia [4:10]; Finale: Allegro vivace [8:19]) is probably the most interesting aspect of the piece!

Alan Howe

Friends may like to read some of the posts regarding this work and the CD which features it here:
http://www.unsungcomposers.com/forum/index.php/topic,6526.0.html

adriano

I am glad having done my own private digital transfer of the Adriano Ruiz version (which is good) - and this even before it was done by Genesis (coupled with the Sgambati). This coupling sells at Amazon for 37 £!

Alan Howe

That, of course, is a performance of Rheinberger's mature PC in A flat, not this early work.

adriano

Oops, so I could learn that there are 2 Piano Concertos by Rheinberger. Thanks, Alan :-)

Alan Howe


jimsemadeni

Maybe not to you, hope to have the chance to make up my own mind, something I am quite capable of. Jim

Alan Howe

I'm not saying I didn't enjoy the piece - but compared with his A flat PC, well....

Gareth Vaughan

I have now had the opportunity of hearing this concerto and I must say I largely echo Alan's comments. It is not without its attractive moments (I particularly enjoyed the opening movt.) but it frequently seems to be going nowhere, especially in the 2 middle movts where some of the material is rather pedestrian. The orchestra really doesn't help either, making to my mind a very lack lustre contribution - more attack is needed. It is not at all unpleasant and I am very glad to have heard it. A better orchestra might have lifted it to another level, but it is IMHO "no great shakes" really.

FBerwald

It's a very early work so I guess we shouldn't put much expectation on it... anyways, it's something else that I'm curious about. This concerto seems to be orchestrated from a short score. Can anyone explain what this is in terms of indication or help with individual instruments.... I mean if there is a short score to help the with orchestration, how much does the arranger have to contribute?

eschiss1

Digitized manuscripts of the work can be viewed at BSB:

http://daten.digitale-sammlungen.de/~db/0010/bsb00108352/images/index.html?seite=00001&l=de (2-piano score)

http://daten.digitale-sammlungen.de/~db/0010/bsb00108351/images/index.html?seite=00001&l=de (2-piano score, orchestral score clearly marked as "orchestra" with a number of instrumental indications.)

Hope that helps! But the answer to "how much does the arranger have to contribute?" is still "a lot". Only the main lines are indicated as to orchestration. Try orchestrating a FULLy orchestrated score from that and see if it doesn't at least draw on your skills - assuming you want to do it well. (And one has to decide on doublings, etc. unless one's just going to score it for string quartet accompaniment...)

That question was meant rhetorically, wasn't it? Of course it was.

semloh

Yes, like hadrianus, I had no idea there was a concerto preceding the excellent A flat work. More to explore...

Alan Howe

I'm sorry to say that, now that my curiosity has been satisfied, the CD will be consigned to the darker depths of my collection...


eschiss1

Not this but others of his early works have been appearing in edited scores @ IMSLP, I should note in passing.