In another topic Rheinberger's gorgeous piano sonatas opp. 47, 99 & 135 played by Pompa-Baldi on Centaur were praised highly.
More piano music (all of Rheinberger's solo piano output?) will be released soon in a 10 CD Box, see here (http://www.jpc.de/jpcng/classic/detail/-/art/Joseph-Rheinberger-1839-1901-Das-Klavierwerk/hnum/1155122)
Here's a rave review of the Centaur CD...
http://www.classicstoday.com/review.asp?ReviewNum=7607 (http://www.classicstoday.com/review.asp?ReviewNum=7607)
I ordered this as soon as I saw the link above! Will let you all know what I think when it arrives...
As that rave review was written by the excellent and all-knowing Jed Distler, I will order this post-haste! Thanks to all, not sure how I missed this...
David
The CD's a stunner!
Well, the Rheinberger arrived in the post this morning. It is the complete piano music (including the WoO works) and also includes some (?all) of the duets. I have some serious listening to do now!
What a wonderful collection the complete music for piano, including for four hands, is. I'm really impressed by the great variety. Sonatas, Toccatas, Studies, Studies for the left hand only, Character pieces, Fantasies, and a lot more. All these works demonstrate Rheinberger's fine craftman-ship and above all that he was an all-round composer. It's not fair to remember him only as a composer of organ and religious works. Impressive is his output of all kinds of chamber music, his orchestral works (who doesn't like his PC?) and his lovely piano works. What a fine composer Rheinberger was.
This 10 CD box set is a collection of former releases of his piano music, recorded between 1990 and 2004, played by Jürg Hanselmann together with his wife Sandra Hanselman-Kästli. For those who like Romantic piano music, this set is warmly recommended.
There are a couple of members who are less than impressed by the PC. I adore it, myself.
I too think the PC is a work of real stature - memorable and beautifully written for both piano and orchestra...
Yes, this lovely, memorable work has been a favourite of mine since I bought Adrian Ruiz's performance on an old Genesis LP way back in the early 1970s. I honestly can't imagine why anybody would be unimpressed with it, Jim.
I can't even remember who it was. I don't think he (or they) are around anymore. I seem to recall he thought it bland, and the virtuosity spliced in rather than integral to the music. I strongly disagree with both positions. Like I said, it was long ago, but I am pretty sure it's somewhere in this forum, not the old one. I doubt I could find the thread.
BTW, I speaking of the Genesis label, I just broke out that CD yesterday. I only listened to the Sgambati PC the Rheinberger is coupled with, though. I should give the Rheinberger another listen soon.
Mayhap it was me? But given my general love of Rheinberger (where is the old Columbia recording of the organ concertos with E. Power Biggs?) I have been itching to give the pf concerto another try. I have a lonnnnng-overdue order for the Genesis disc out there somewhere. I can't imagine why it's so hard to get...
It will not do to breed reptiles of the mind!
David
Could have been. If it was Thal, well, he ain't 'round no more to bandy it around. I think it might have been one of the resident pianists. IIRC, the subject got onto the Lalo PC, and I stated my objections to that particular work, particularly that the virtuosity of the piano part was rather clunky and seemed to be spliced into musical phrases for the most part, and not integral to the musical ideas. His retort was that the same thing could be said of the Rheinberger PC, which, IMNSHO, is just waaaaay out in left field.
out in left field - imho has always seemed better 'translated' as in my honest opinion and one really wants to keep the acronym brief in that case... ;D
I always thought IMHO stood for "In my HUMBLE opinion", since by definition an opinion is honest. IMNSHO in that context stood for "In my NOT so humble opinion", since that opinion wasn't very humble. IMHO. ;)
Meanwhile, back at the Rheinberger ranch...
Actually, on the subject of the multiple piano music boxed set, has anyone else who has a copy noticed quite a lot of cracks and pops on the first disc? It's quite noticable on mine and I wondered if it's just my copy thats at fault...
i've heard some of the piano sonatas on the radio, but i think that's the limit of my exposure so far to his piano solo music - already love the multiple-instrument chamber works e.g. the two violin sonatas, the string quartets and quintet, the piano trios, etc. though. one of the early piano pieces - a tarantella from opus 5, i think- received multiple editions under various editors at a time when US copyright law as regards European music was quite weak, iirc, and so the editions with only a bit of fingering added to allow for publication under local copyright law - scanned in at the library of congress' american memory website now - attest if nothing else to the popularity of that particular movement, not identified by opus number in the US pub. ... (a varying practice, sometimes, sometimes not, but anyway.)
with the release of the new edition at the least i hope to hear a lot more of this music on the radios...
I have had the Centaur Rheinberger disk of sonatas for about 10 days now and I keep coming back to it. Rheinberger's melodies are marvelous and Pompa-Baldi plays superbly. The first movement of the opening sonata is particularly memorable.Why haven't we heard more of this very talented pianist? The CD is IMHO a must buy!
cheers
Dennis
As promised, here are my thoughts on the Rheinberger set:
Absolutely great stuff, superbly played throughout. As to the question of influences on his work, aside from those mentioned in the notes, can anyone else discern Alkan, especially in the Toccatas and the fugues; maybe it's just me?
There are some real gems here, the Idyll on disc 7 is marvellous and unlike anything else I've heard or the era. The very impressive Variations on a Original Theme are also marvellous. There is much to be made in the toccatas and fugues (of various opus numbers) as well. The studies are incredibly virtuosic but there is also some lovely miniatures too.
There are any hours of listening enjoyment to be had here! As was said earlier of another Rheinberger disc, this set is a must buy (especially if Amazon still have the price at £16 or whatever it was (sorry, I've not checked)).
Full marks to Carus and to Jurg Hanselmann (who is an excellent pianist!) and his piano duo wife, Sandra Hanselmann-Kastli. :)
Have noticed at LoC that some of Rheinberger's early piano music was popular enough to be republished several times in "edited" versions (really just given fingerings, but enough under USA weak copyright laws to allow republication soon after the original publication- a story in itself I gather!- but one that allows one to gauge somewhat just that sort of offshore popularity by the appearance of music in US publications in the LoC American Memory collection, I think. (Likewise, I think, a few movements by Raff and at least one complete piano suite, but anyway...)