Rheinberger’s Piano Music

[Alan Howe]

Meanwhile, back at the Rheinberger ranch...

[Jonathan]

Actually, on the subject of the multiple piano music boxed set, has anyone else who has a copy noticed quite a lot of cracks and pops on the first disc?  It's quite noticable on mine and I wondered if it's just my copy thats at fault...

[eschiss1]

i've heard some of the piano sonatas on the radio, but i think that's the limit of my exposure so far to his piano solo music - already love the multiple-instrument chamber works e.g. the two violin sonatas, the string quartets and quintet, the piano trios, etc. though.  one of the early piano pieces - a tarantella from opus 5, i think- received multiple editions under various editors at a time when US copyright law as regards European music was quite weak, iirc, and so the editions with only a bit of fingering added to allow for publication under local copyright law - scanned in at the library of congress' american memory website now - attest if nothing else to the popularity of that particular movement, not identified by opus number in the US pub. ... (a varying practice, sometimes, sometimes not, but anyway.) 
with the release of the new edition at the least i hope to hear a lot more of this music on the radios...

[DennisS]

I have had the Centaur Rheinberger disk of sonatas for about 10 days now and I keep coming back to it. Rheinberger's melodies are marvelous and Pompa-Baldi plays superbly. The first movement of the opening sonata is particularly memorable.Why haven't we heard more of this very talented pianist? The CD is IMHO a must buy!
cheers
Dennis

[Jonathan]

As promised, here are my thoughts on the Rheinberger set: 
Absolutely great stuff, superbly played throughout.  As to the question of influences on his work, aside from those mentioned in the notes, can anyone else discern Alkan, especially in the Toccatas and the fugues; maybe it's just me?
There are some real gems here, the Idyll on disc 7 is marvellous and unlike anything else I've heard or the era.  The very impressive Variations on a Original Theme are also marvellous.  There is much to be made in the toccatas and fugues (of various opus numbers) as well.  The studies are incredibly virtuosic but there is also some lovely miniatures too.
There are any hours of listening enjoyment to be had here!  As was said earlier of another Rheinberger disc, this set is a must buy (especially if Amazon still have the price at £16 or whatever it was (sorry, I've not checked)).
Full marks to Carus and to Jurg Hanselmann (who is an excellent pianist!) and his piano duo wife, Sandra Hanselmann-Kastli. 

[eschiss1]

Have noticed at LoC that some of Rheinberger's early piano music was popular enough to be republished several times in "edited" versions (really just given fingerings, but enough under USA weak copyright laws to allow republication soon after the original publication- a story in itself I gather!- but one that allows one to gauge somewhat just that sort of offshore popularity by the appearance of music in US publications in the LoC American Memory collection, I think. (Likewise, I think, a few movements by Raff and at least one complete piano suite, but anyway...)

[John Boyer]

Yes, this lovely, memorable work has been a  favourite of mine since I bought Adrian Ruiz's performance on an old Genesis LP way back in the early 1970s. I honestly can't imagine why anybody would be unimpressed with it, Jim.

I've never liked it, though heaven knows I've tried.  It never quite lives up to the opening.

[terry martyn]

I have three or four recordings (including the Genesis), but I'm with John on this one - the duplications are not for a desire to hear it.

[John Boyer]

Ah, but I suspect, Terry, that we dislike Rheinberger's 1877 opus for different reasons. 

[terry martyn]

My recollection is that I bought Bolet's Sgambati and the Rheinberger on the same day, found the former to be a gem,and just wasn't "wowed" by the latter.  I don't dislike it; it's just that I listen to it for a minute and then my interest drains away.

[Jonathan]

Just returning to the solo piano music again (and noting my 2011 post!), there's another follow up disc with Jurg Hanselmann playing early previously unpublished pieces. I have bought a copy but I'm unwell at the moment and haven't the inclination to listen to it.  I will do so in due course...

[John Boyer]

I only just bought the 10 disc set a few months ago and was looking back over the old posts to see what the general tenor of the comments was.

It's definitely worth tracking down, though I came away from it with no new favorites.  The Duo, Op. 15, and the Variations, Op. 61, which I already knew, still strike me as his best creations for the piano.

[eschiss1]

I used to hear the composer's piano sonatas from time to time on the radio and came away with a fond impression.