Hopekirk Concertstück

[pianoconcerto]

I know many were disappointed when Hyperion decided not to record the Helen Hopekirk Concertstück.  I have been in contact with Dr. Gary Steigerwalt, who performed the work on 17 April 2015 with the Mt. Holyoke SO conducted by Tian Hui Ng, and he has generously posted his performance on youtube so that others may be able to appreciate this long neglected composition.  Please spread the word.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sbqe3SARNDs

Happy listening.

[Mark Thomas]

Thanks very much. Though a thoroughly enjoyable listen, it's not the subtlest piece of work, but what is quite remarkable about it is the degree to which the first half anticipates the sound world of Rachmaninov and yet it was written in 1893, several years before he was well known in Russia, never mind the wider world. Of course there's a fair dollop of Lisztian bombast too in its 21 minutes but overall I'm delighted to have heard the Concertstück. Did Hopekirk write anything else? She must have been a formidable pianist as this work certainly justifies the old sobriquet of "barnstorming"!

[Gareth Vaughan]

Hopekirk also wrote a piano concerto but, sadly, this is lost.

Incidentally, it wasn't Hyperion's decision not to record it. The pianist who made the modern edition of the Concertstuck declined to give her permission for the use of the performance material.

[Mark Thomas]

Oh how silly, but presumably the pianist had ambitions to make the recording with Hyperion herself?

[Gareth Vaughan]

I think she intends to record it herself and perhaps had already made arrangements with another company.  I don't know the details, I'm afraid.

[matesic]

Mark sums it up well - great if you can't get too much of this kind of thing, but somewhat lacking in "feminine" delicacy and charm, wouldn't you say? Even Liszt made sure to leaven his grandstanding virtuosity with moments of stillness and quiet. There's a potentially magical moment at about 16 minutes, but the pianist seems not to notice and in any case in this performance it's completely ruined by the oboist!

[giles.enders]

My understanding about the proposed Hyperion recording is that the copyright holder would not sanction Hyperion recording the work, although it was known that it had been planned. 

[Mark Thomas]

Thanks, Giles.

[pianoconcerto]

In case anyone is unaware, Dana Muller, the wife of Dr. Steigerwalt, is the one who prepared the edition of the Concertstück in 1995 from the holograph scores and parts in the Helen Hopekirk Collection of the Music Division of the Library of Congress.  As I recall, Diana Ambache also performed the work in England years ago.  Hopefully, someone can arrange for a commercial recording.

[Mark Thomas]

Here's a little more information about the Concertstück.

[Gareth Vaughan]

I have always thought the Concertstuck a fine piece - and it is very sad indeed that her Piano Concerto in D major has not survived.

[matesic]

Trying to get a bit deeper, descriptively speaking, than simple "thumbs up/thumbs down", I have the image of an ornate, highly polished mahogany sideboard with silver breakfast service containing bacon, scrambled eggs and devilled kidneys.

[Mark Thomas]

Now that is deep! Actually, I really like the piece in the same way as I enjoy Bronsart von Schellendorf's Piano Concerto. It's full-on in this performance, certainly, but I suspect that an airing in Hyperion's RPC series would reveal subtleties which are glossed over here. What a shame that her Piano Concerto appears to be lost.

[Gareth Vaughan]

(aside) I am very fond of devilled kidneys.

[Alan Howe]

(aside)...as am I of eggs (in any form) and bacon.