Romantic PCs from Brilliant Classics

Started by Alan Howe, Saturday 21 November 2009, 16:54

Previous topic - Next topic

JimL

Those two works, in particular are among my favorite non-concerto concertante works for piano!  My thanks to John Boyer for sending me a copy of his booklet when I ordered a CD without it!

Jonathan

I have a question about one of the works in the box set - I was listening to the Berwald on the way to work this morning and I noticed it's listed as the Piano Concerto no.1 but I can't find any evidence of any other concerti on line! 
Does anyone here know anything about another piano concerto (or more) by Berwald?

eschiss1

Quote from: Jonathan on Tuesday 06 July 2010, 18:16
I have a question about one of the works in the box set - I was listening to the Berwald on the way to work this morning and I noticed it's listed as the Piano Concerto no.1 but I can't find any evidence of any other concerti on line! 
Does anyone here know anything about another piano concerto (or more) by Berwald?
I don't think there is, but may be mistaken. Then again, I'm reminded of, say, Martinu whose flute sonata, viola sonata, piano quartet, piano sonata, ... are all always referred to as "no. 1" despite the absence (to my knowledge) of "no. 2"s. (At least according to http://www.martinu.cz/katalog/martinu/catlist.php . Though that catalog _doesn't_ so refer to them- it just confirms that there isn't a "no. 2"..., the recordings I know of do.)

chill319

In my experience enumerations mean little unless supported by detail.

Sometimes romantic composers express an opinion about their earlier works through enumerations on manuscript title pages (e.g., Saint-Saens' Organ symphony labeled as his second).

Sometimes early publishers' enumerations differ (e.g., Beethoven's op. 21 as Symphony II by Cianchettini & Sperati, 1809).

Sometimes a composer expresses his or her larger aspirations  by labeling a first work -- which turns out to be their only such work -- as number 1 (most recently I've seen this in the MS of Melartin's piano sonata, op 111). A publisher might do something similar for commercial reasons.

eschiss1

No idea in this particular case whether no. 2 or no. 3 (or "door-number-4") maintains; not sure where Berwald's manuscripts mostly are (if there is a "mostly"), or if this is a more recent tradition and not a 19th-century one. (Though I should hesitate to speak of a tradition in regards a rarely played work in regards to which I am not even sure when it _was_ first published.  Written 1855; for a pupil of the composer's; check. Published by Barenreiter in 1974 as volume 6 of the complete works. (I think my local university library has this. I haven't been there in awhile, but I can be there sometime soonish I hope and check to see if the preface says whether there was a score published prior to this or whether this was the first known-to-the-editors publication of the work. Which still won't resolve the "no. 1" issue since the Barenreiter says nothing about "no. 1" either- it's just his piano concerto, the only known one by him - I think, unless there's some known lost or partially surviving one or something. That would be interesting, really. Just as with the fragmentary A major piano quintet (which I've heard once and enjoyed in its Naxos recording.)
Eric

JimL

I've seen the term "No. 1" applied to the Goldmark A minor Violin Concerto.  Trouble is, there is actually a "No. 2" in A Major out there somewhere, but nobody seems to know where.  Maybe Tobias has some info.

eschiss1

Quote from: JimL on Wednesday 07 July 2010, 06:12
I've seen the term "No. 1" applied to the Goldmark A minor Violin Concerto.  Trouble is, there is actually a "No. 2" in A Major out there somewhere, but nobody seems to know where.  Maybe Tobias has some info.
I'd heard it was in C Minor - maybe. Hrm. I think. I have heard more definitely ( :) ) that efforts to find it have so far turned up (as of a few years ago, though...) nothing at all.
Still, as with the Rufinatscha lost symphonies, it might turn up, one doesn't change the numbering just because it's lost...