Theo Mackeben (1897-1953)

[tuatara442442]

Speaking of Mackeben, does anyone have a complete recording of his Piano Concerto? The YT upload by Boissier is apparently not all that was recorded.

[Ilja]

To my knowledge, there are two recordings of the piece, both archival. The Bassler/Eisbrenner is heavily cut (in the first and second movement), the Seidemann/Aberth recording is complete. I own both, but the copyright situation in either case makes sharing via the forum too much of a risk.

[Wheesht]

The website dedicated to Mackeben does not provide any information either, it looks as though it was last updated about five years ago.

[tuatara442442]

To my knowledge, there are two recordings of the piece, both archival. The Bassler/Eisbrenner is heavily cut (in the first and second movement), the Seidemann/Aberth recording is complete. I own both, but the copyright situation in either case makes sharing via the forum too much of a risk.

I think this is actually a one movement work like the Symphonic Ballade.

[Ilja]

I've moved the Theo Mackeben posts here for separate discussion from the 2026 Performances topic.

[Ilja]

I think this is actually a one movement work like the Symphonic Ballade.

Both recordings that I have split up into "movements" along the same lines, but without having seen the score it's difficult to assess whether the composer thought this of a work in three movements played all' attacca, or a single-movement piece in three sections. Writing it down like this makes it sound like counting angels on a pinhead, to be honest.

[tuatara442442]

From what I've heard, I'm quite sure the recapitulation actually happened in the third part, and the second part contains a scherzo section and then the rest of that part is slow. This is effectively a four-in-one single movement design. Considering the almost equal length and one movement design of the Symphonic Ballade (though I haven't listened to that to grasp its structure yet), and that the two works were written only a year apart, I'm pretty convinced that its a highly integrated one-movement work, and not the kind that is effectively continuously-played three-movement work.

[pianoconcerto]

I am aware of four archival recordings of the Mackeben pc. As Ilja states, only the Seidemann appears to be complete:

Julius Bassler/Studio-O Berlin/Werner Eisbrenner (abridged; e.g., missing 3'29" between 10:09 and 10:10)
Julius Bassler/SWR SO Stuttgart/Harry Pleva (abridged)
"Rainer Carell" [Siegfried Stöckigt]/Leipzig Radio SO/Adolf Fritz Guhl (abridged)
Herbert Seidemann/Munich Radio O/Rudolf Alberth (complete)
 

[Ilja]

Apparently, "Rainer Carell" was Stöckigt's pseudonym when he engaged in playing light music and jazz - which might give some idea of how and where Mackeben's concerto was appraised.