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I will have a lot of time on my hands in the near future and am looking for some unsung piano music to read through or include in my repertoire. Any suggestions? I am particularly open works by Russian nationalists (like the Ilyinsky Lullaby), but am also interested in most musical styles. I am pretty much confined to works available on IMSLP, but does anyone know where I could find a copy of the Nicolai sonata to look at?

Thank You!

JSK

I have all but decided to do my senior research on chamber music of Russian composer Cesar Cui. To my knowledge, English-language research into his works has so far only covered the operas and, to an extent, the piano music and songs.

Unfortunately, to most musicians Cui is only known as the least talented of the Russian Five. Nevertheless, I feel like he did write some attractive music.

Of the chamber music, I am far more interested in his four works for larger forms than his typically salonish minatures, particularly the third string quartet and the delightful violin sonata. Sadly, none of the quartets have been recorded.

Foremost a composer of operas, only Cui's Feast in a Time of Plaugue is readily available on disc. I found the work somewhat unusual. Not the most memorable Russian opera I've heard, but interesting for its intimate quality more reminiscent of solo song than grand opera.

Anyone else familiar with his music? Opinions?

A few days ago I received a stack of (mostly very old) piano music, some of which is falling apart. A lot of it is salonish, reflecting the tastes of many music lovers of around 1890-1910. A few of these composers are fairly famous, but I can find very little information about a few of them. I now have a lot of music with which I am not horribly familiar, but would like to intelligently explore. I would appreciate any recommendations of what to look at and information about some of the more mysterious of these composers/works.

I am now sifting thorugh:

Lots of Liszt and MacDowell, some Schumann, Greig, Chopin, plus some newer Schirmers
D'Indy Piano Sonata in E minor - Didn't know he wrote significant piano works
Godowsky Fantasia on themes from Strauss' Kunstlerleben
Philip Schwarenka Moment Musical
Moszkowski Cappricio Espagnol and Melodie for Piano
Lecuona Malaguena
Schulz-Evler Adaptation of the Blue Danube Waltz for Piano
A Schubert transcription by Tausig
Godard - At the Spinning Wheel Op 85, Mazurka Op 54, En Courant
Pabst - Concert Paraphrase on Eugene Onegin - Very worthwhile concert paraphrase if that's your cup of tea
Schytte Nocturne - Fairly easy but rewarding work that would be great for recitals by intermediate students.
Louis Conrath Air de Ballet - This seems like a pretty mediocre and repetitive salon work. All I can find out about the composer is that he had something to do with Missouri and wrote a piano concerto, whose manuscript still exists. It may not be worth playing, but the cover of the score is especially amusing. It calls the Conrath concerto "The most effective Concerto of modern times" and the back advertises Beethoven's "32 Piano Sonatinas" (not to be confused with Beethoven's "29 Sonatas") with a (probably fake) endorsement by von Bulow.

Perhaps of particular interest is a collection of opera transcriptions/paraphrases bound by a Mexican professor into two volumes at least about 100 years ago, and are thus in excellent condition considering their age. I haven't spent much time with them yet, but they seem to vary considerably in quality. Liszt and Gottschalk aren't too unknown, but I would appreciate it if any of you have comments about:

Richard Hoffman
Sigismond Thalberg (I've heard one or two recordings - impressive)
Alfred Quidant
Alfred Jaell
Joseph Ascher
A. Coria - google hardly confirms this composer's existence, so I would like any information anybody has. Maybe Coria is a pseudonym?
Th. Dohler
J. Leybach
Emile Prudent

I just ordered a recording of a Hummel oratorio Der Durchzug Durchs Rote Meer on CPO cheaply and I'm curious to hear it. I know Hummel is not particularly obscure, but my understanding is that his music has been far overshadowed by Beethoven's. Grove says that "Hummel's music reached the highest level accessible to one who lacks ultimate genius." Any Hummel fans out there?

I play violin in most of my college's pit orchestras. Today we started rehearsals for Otto Nicolai's Merry Wives of Windsor. It does not seem particularly musically profound or thrilling, but is nevertheless a lot of fun, even if not as much enjoyable as Mozart's Cosi fan Tutte was two years ago. Any thoughts on Merry Wives or Nicolai? I do not know much about the composer.

Dohnanyi is a little bit less "unsung" that some of the other composers discussed on this forum. I am very impressed by this symphony and was wondering if anyone else here has any opinions on the work or the composer or better yet any recommendations of other works by Dohnanyi which I should listen to next. The only other work I know is the Serenade for String Trio.