Hyperion has just published on its webpage - Vol. 55 of The Romantic Piano Concerto - Charles-Marie Widor [Release date: November 2011]... Even before Vol 54. has been released.. A bit unusual .. but who am I to complain!
http://www.hyperion-records.co.uk/al.asp?al=CDA67817 (http://www.hyperion-records.co.uk/al.asp?al=CDA67817)
BRAVO!!! This is why we love Hyperion.
.... from the samples the Fantaisie in A flat major Op 62 sounds just heavenly.
Wonder whats in the line up on the Romantic Violin Concert and Cello concerto series?
Absolutely fascinating - and the samples are very enticing indeed, I agree. November can't come quickly enough...
Would you like to have an old broadcast recording of the 1st concerto - just to water your mouth? ;)
I have, I suspect, the same off-air recording. On the whole I have found Widor to be disappointingly unmemorable melodically (apart from the famous Toccata of course), but an exception is the First Piano Concerto, so I have hopes for this release. It's always good to have one's prejudices confounded.
Yes, I have the same prejudices. Have heard some of his chamber music works and was quite bored.
Hrm. I have an off-air tape of the -2nd- piano concerto (unless it's mislabeled- I'll see if I can find it and compare it against the scores online) and the first symphony, which I haven't heard in awhile - the 1st symphony op.16 is a somewhat early work (1870?- published 1873 - admittedly, after the first 4 organ symphonies and 1st piano quintet, but...) - wasn't too thrilled by it though not bored either, I think. The 2nd concerto (op.77, pub.1905) seemed better (but then all 10 organ symphonies were composed at that point, etc. )
I know I am overgeneralizing mightily but there sometimes seems to be something about certain Romantic 19th century approaches to organ writing, whether German or French, that makes it hard for me to hear and get the music behind the texture - many of the best "organ composers" of the period wrote the music I find (at this time...) that I like best for other instruments (e.g. Vierne and Rheinberger with wonderful chamber music imh(onest)o..., ... don't know yet re Widor. Have heard a little of his chamber music I think- one of the violin sonatas, one of the piano quintets, the piano quartet- but only a few times, and those orchestral works mentioned too but not recently enough.)
I defy anyone to listen to the opening chords of the final movement of Op. 42 and call it 'unmemorable'. But I agree that Widor's 'on' or 'off' a lot of the time. I found him most satisfying in larger forms, and I'm really fond of all the symphonies.
The first concerto is a fine work, but so is the - to my knowledge - only recording of the work (Brautigam/Utrecht SO-Fournet), even if its sonics leave something to be desired. It will give Hyperions new recording something to measure up against.
I've come to quite like Vierne's last organ symphony and Reger's 2nd sonata among other organ works by the composers I mentioned - it was more of a generalization and a "as things stand now and for me and mostly" :) Didn't know the first piano concerto had been recorded at all commercially. Hope Hyperion is considering Widor's cello concerto too...
...and the Suite for Cello and orchestra, perhaps.
Widor wrote a pleasant little Intro and Rondo (Op. 72) for clarinet and piano that's close to being in the standard rep for said instrument. Also some nice flute and piano music too (Suite Op. 34)
volume 54 is however announced in September 2011 releases so they're not jumping the gun by that much I guess.