I don't know how welcome this news will be to everyone but I for one am absolutely thrilled. I love this composer. Simon Callaghan will be recording Reinecke's Piano Concertos No. 1, 2 & 4 with the Sinfonieorchester St Gallen and Modestas Pitrenas for Hyperion [dates 15th Nov - 19th Nov] I am already looking forward to this particular volume of RPC.
Very good news indeed - although we already have the complete set from cpo in superb performances, of course:
https://www.jpc.de/jpcng/cpo/detail/-/art/Carl-Heinrich-Reinecke-1824-1910-Klavierkonzerte-Nr-1-4/hnum/6768258
Neverthless, I'll be buying this!
Agreed, Alan. The CPO set is very good but dates, I think, from 1994, so some new recordings would not come amiss and I am sure Simon Callaghan will not disappoint.
I hope he'll add PC3 at some stage - my own personal favourite.
Members, especially Alan, will be pleased to learn that Simon Callaghan plans to record Reinecke's 3rd Piano Concerto and Konzertstück, Op. 33, for Hyperion and with the same forces, in late May 2023. According to the artist's website.
Very good news indeed! My favourite of the composer's four.
Details from the pianist's website:
Concerto No.1 in F♯ minor, Op.72
Played on 19/11/2021 at Tonhalle St. Gallen, St. Gallen, Switzerland
Recorded on 15/11/2021 at Tonhalle St. Gallen, St. Gallen, Switzerland
Concerto No.2 in E minor, Op.120
Recorded on 15/11/2021 at Tonhalle St. Gallen, St. Gallen, Switzerland
Concerto No.3 in C, Op.144
Listen live on 22/05/2023 at Tonhalle St. Gallen, St. Gallen, Switzerland
Concerto No.4 in B minor, Op.254
Recorded on 15/11/2021 at Tonhalle St. Gallen, St. Gallen, Switzerland
Konzertstück, Op.33
Listen live on 22/05/2023 at Tonhalle St. Gallen, St. Gallen, Switzerland
I also note that the recording of PCs 1, 2 and 4 is flagged up on p.36 (Hyperion advert) of the September issue of Gramophone magazine.
Here's the download of PCs 1, 2 and 4:
https://www.prestomusic.com/classical/products/9374167--reinecke-piano-concertos
I must say I prefer the fuller orchestral sound on the cpo recordings. From the excerpts, the St Gallen Symphony Orchestra sounds rather underpowered to me by comparison. Of course, this may be a question of balance, but first impressions don't favour the new recordings. I'll be sticking with the better balanced cpo set which I've always thought was very fine anyway.
The orchestral accompaniment sounds to me HIP-inspired. If so, this would rule it out completely for me.
The conductor so far seems to be associated with works by Ciurlionis, Balsys and also concertante works by Dohnanyi and Rachmaninoff. I may try to give this a listen at some point...
The slow movement of PC1 was played on BBC Radio 3's Record Review this morning (21/1). However, whatever the merits of the soloist, I'm sorry to report to report that the orchestral support was simply inadequate - far too pale and reticent. Unfortunately, then, this will be one of the few in Hyperion's RPC series that I'll be avoiding, preferring to stick with the excellently accompanied cpo version. Clearly, the St Gallen Orchestra are no match for the Nordwestdeutsche Philharmonie.
The Gramophone review (Feb. 2023 issue) notes the inadequacies of the orchestral playing/recording. Comments such as 'recessed' (twice), 'underpowered', 'restricted dynamic range' and 'the balance being better on the cpo set' are evidence that this is one of Hyperion's weaker efforts in their RPC series. I'm afraid my recommendation is 'avoid' - and go for the cpo set instead:
https://www.prestomusic.com/classical/products/7946113--reinecke-piano-concertos-nos-1-4
It's a pity they dropped the ball on this one, but then there have been a number of entries in the series that have suffered from this problem. At least we have the CPO set, along with Ponti's barnstorming recording of the 1st for Vox.
It seems Simon Callaghan is to record this month, in addition to Reinecke's Piano Concerto No. 3 & Konzertstück, but Sauer's Piano Concerto No. 2 as well.
Any idea about the orchestras involved? Vol.1 of his Reinecke was fatally vitiated by the choice of orchestra.
Unfortunately, the same forces
Then the project's a non-starter.
Perhaps they will do better this time. Let's not prejudge. Marshev recorded the Sauer 2. I must listen again to that disk.
I just have me doubts...
I've been comparing the first Hyperion disc with the CPO set, and there are genuinely things to like; I think I prefer Callaghan's lighter touch to Hellwig's pianism, and the recording feels more transparent than the older set. I don't even mind the slighter orchestral forces so much (and I don't think they're wholly inappropriate for this repertoire) but that situation is made worse by the recording balance, which puts the piano more to the front than the cpo recording does. However, my main gripe is that there's almost nothing new; in the first two concertos, the approach is basically the same in terms of tempi, pacing, and phrasing, and although Callaghan/Pitrenas play the fourth at a somewhat more urgent pace, I'm not sure that the results are all that great. If you have the older set, I don't think the very slight differences justify buying this new recording.
Agreed - as to the pianism, that is. However, the orchestral balance on cpo is far more convincing.
Is the (Hyperion) orchestra essentially the same one that also features in the Rufinatscha Third,do you know,Alan?
No! The Rufinatscha CD features the 'Orchester der Akademie St Blasius' which is made up of musicians from all over the Tyrol in west Austria and is based in Innsbruck. The Reinecke CDs feature the 'Sinfonieorchester St. Gallen' which is based in the town of that name in north-east Switzerland. So: two different orchestras from two neighbouring countries.
Thanks,Alan!
If i had taken the trouble to look up the Rufinatscha CD in my collection, I wouldn't have posted that!
Not to worry. I had to check myself!
Finally the release date for Reinecke & Sauer: 07 June 2024
https://propermusic.com/products/simoncallaghansinfonieorchesterstgallen-reineckesauerpianoconcertos
So: will this release put right the orchestral deficiences noted before? And will the Sauer measure up to the superb Marshev on Danacord?
https://www.prestomusic.com/classical/products/7967901--emil-von-sauer-piano-concerto-no-2-etc
It's a strange coupling. Thieriot would have been a much better choice to go with the Reinecke.
I am still hoping Hyperion will record both concertos by Thieriot, as they planned to do with Ivo Varbanov before COVID scuppered that project.
Let's hope so, Gareth.
This is quite a pleasant change. Usually (since the last could of years) Hyperion would release at least 2 Volumes of RPC per year but since 2022 have only release 1 volume per year. Now this year with Vol. 86 [Tellefsen & Kalkbrenner] in Jan, 24' and 87 [Reinecke & Sauer] June, 24' we seem to be back in old rotation. Now, if only they would continue the Violin or Cello series.
It includes Reinecke's 3rd PC, Konzertstück op. 33 and Sauer's 2nd PC. Release date on June 7th:
https://www.prestomusic.com/classical/products/9609434--reinecke-sauer-piano-concertos
I'm sorry to report that, judging by the excerpt available on Hyperion's website, this release shares the same problem as its predecessor, i.e. weak orchestral support.
...And is RPC in danger of drifting into the 'big label' syndrome and presenting another version of already-recorded works, rather than pioneering/exploring unknowns'?
Just a passing thought
Richard
I don't think so - at least, I certainly hope not. It is worth remembering that the Reinecke disks were scheduled for recording a while before Hyperion sold out to Universal. I will try to contact Simon Perry soon by telephone (if I can) and have a chat with him.
Simon Callaghan too might be able to tell me if he has been contracted to record any more for the RPC series.
Let's hope there are more RPC volumes to come - but with a better orchestra and recording balance.
I have just seen the booklet illustration for the first time, and notice that it describes the Sauer No2 as Op254! Of course Op254 is correct for Reinecke's 4th concerto. Sauer seemed to have ditched the use of opus numbers after a few sporadic early works!
You are quite right, Martin. That's a major error. Someone needs to point this out to Hyperion.
Many, many, thanks, Alan ! I had completely overlooked the Sauer performance by Marshev. I have purchased it, and i am listening to it now. As you say, superb!
Marshev is a brilliant pianist.
Here's a review of his Sauer CD:
http://www.musicweb-international.com/classrev/2004/Jun04/Sauer_pc2.htm