Messages

You won't like this, guys, but RPC No. 50 is to be the Tchaikovsky concertante works, played by Stephen Hough (who is performing the concertos at the Proms this year). Personally, I think it will be a good set - and, after all, the series is called the Romantic Piano Concerto, not the obscure or unsung Romantic Piano Concerto.
Incidentally, I have just listened to the Jozef Wieniawski PC on a disk Mark kindly burned for me. I like it - very Lisztian, especially in its declamatory opening. Somewhat rhapsodic (but so was Liszt). A lovely slow movt in decorative salon style. And a finale with the potential to coruscate deliciously in the hands of an expert pianist. Altogether a lovely work.

Am I missing something? There seems to my ear to be nothing inconclusive or abrupt about the ending of Giannini's PC.

I have converted people to opera with TOSCA: three relatively short, highly dramatic, "wham, bang, thank you, ma'am" acts. A masterpiece! It never fails. Personally, I love Wagner and Richard Strauss, but I wouldn't suggest anyone new to opera started with either of them. A less well-known Puccini opera is the one-act IL TABARRO - that's wonderfully, darkly dramatic (and, of course, melodic too). Another great favourite of mine is Berlioz' THE TROJANS - but that is very long. For terrific tunes, raw emotion and drama, and a perfectly shaped plot and score you'd have to go a long way to beat Bizet's CARMEN. I've sung in three different productions, the last one with the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, and I marvel at the sheer dramatic genius of the work more and more each time I encounter it.

As a former teacher of English and student of linguistics, may I say that modern English usage is very happy with 'rapture' in the singular in the context of Alan's last line, so there is no need to call on poetic licence to justify the rhyme. Indeed, W.S. Gilbert had no problem with using 'rapture' in the singular as a synonym for 'joy' - "Oh Joy! Oh rapture unforeseen!"; HMS Pinafore. The technically imperfect rhyme of 'Rufinatscha' with 'capture' also seems to me to be perfectly acceptable (even, dare I say, rather good) in the form of a limerick, where historical examples show half-rhymes abounding.
I just thought getting Rufinatscha into a limerick was neat and clever, and I enjoyed it. Well done, Alan!

The Controller of Radio 3
Thought his audience was bound to agree
That Holbrooke and Raff
Were both utterly naff
And would not be their cup of tea!

Sorry, Jim. My mistake - it's the Goetz Op. 18 in B flat that's coupled with the Wieniawski. Even so, I agree with you that it's rather an odd coupling. There's no particular connection I know of between Wieniawski and Goetz.

"Ulalume", of course, is another Poe inspired piece - and a very fine one, in my view. His first symphonic poem is "The Raven", based on Poe's poem of that name. It has been recorded before by Marco Polo - a dreary performance which does it no credit whatsoever. Howard Griffiths is interested in committing it to disk.
Other Poe pieces are: Dramatic Choral Symphony "Hommage to E.A. Poe"; the orchestral song "Annabel Lee"; the nonet "Irene"; the ballet "The Red Masque"; the late tone poem "The Pit & the Pendulum" (premiered by the Lambeth Orchestra under Chris Fifield last December); the late Fantasy-Sonata for piano "The Haunted Palace" (based on themes from the Dramatic Choral Symphony mentioned earlier) and at least 2 of the Op. 121 Nocturnes.

The full score is 85pp, according to Fleisher, so it would seem to be quite a modest piece - about 25 mins!?

To answer your queries in order: Jim, the Wieniawski will be coupled with Goetz 1 and the coupling for the Pixis has not yet been decided (possibly the Concertino + something else; possibly just something else - the Hartknoch would be an obvious choice, but I'm doubtful the orchestral parts exist).
Alan, I'm afraid I don't know Jozef Wieniawski's piano concerto.  It is his only concerto: Op. 20 in G minor, 3 movts. Allegro moderato, Andante, Allegro molto; scored for a standard 19th century orchestra (double woodwind, 4 horns, 2 trumpets, 3 trombones, timps & strings); published Cranz, 1880; score and parts in Fleisher (full score only also in BL). I believe it has been recorded once before on CD - the label was "Chant du Monde", I think. But I never owned a copy and haven't heard it.

But what highly inventive variations! A great fun piece and one of Sir Henry Woods' favourites. I reported on this disk under the topic "Josef Holbrooke" as I was instrumental in getting the music recorded. As I said, I think Howard Griffiths and the Brandenburgers play Holbrooke superbly and really understand his idiom, which seems to elude most modern conductors. Holbrooke is a brilliant orchestrator and possesses a truly individual voice as a composer. As you will have realised, I am something of a Holbrooke champion!

I spoke briefly to Mike Spring today. Forthcoming releases in the RPC series are:
Stenhammar (2) in the autumn; Taubert (2) + Rosenhain, spring 2010; then probably Joseph Wieniawski & Goetz No. 1. Pixis is still definitely on the cards. Under consideration is the 2nd PC of Carl Eduard Hartknoch (1830), but finding the orchestral parts might be a problem.
I'm sorry but we didn't get round to discussing the RVCs.

On the subject of Raff's choral music, was there not at one time a rumour of a recording of Raff's oratorio "World's End" - or is this just wishful thinking on my part?

Mark, this absolutely fantastic news. At last, these important works will be available for all to hear and appreciate. Those of us who correrspond on these pages owe you and Sterling a great debt of thanks. And now I KNOW what I want for Christmas.

Where are they? Do you know the whereabouts of the scores and/or parts?

I too am very excited to hear Mark's news of the sessions for Raff's Suite for piano and orchestra. This work, his Op. 200, is not only one of his most splendid compositions but it is a major work in the concertante piano repertoire and IMHO a true masterpiece. It's utter neglect until very recently is simply staggering. I look forward to purchasing the CD in due course - what a treat that will be!