Hello.
There seems to be a lot of talk on these forums about orchestral music, but at least from what I've seen, there is comparatively little about music for solo piano. It would be nice to hear some opinions on people's favorite composers for piano, not necessarily writing mainly for the piano, but writing well for it. Please list some specific pieces too. And list reasons for your choices. Let's not just make a bunch of name-lists.
I apologize that some of these composers may not be quite what people here would consider 'unsung,' but I haven't yet delved into the unsungs as far as many of you have yet. (And where I live, most people don't seem to have heard of more than some 25 composers, so composers tend to seem more unsung to me than they necessarily are.)
Charles-Valentin Alkan: The composer who got me started into investigating obscure composers. He produces so many unique, but fascinating sounds in the way he writes. I often find melodies of his running through my head. Especially: Grande Sonate Op.33 'Le Quatre Âges', Trois Morceaux dans le Genre pathétique Op.15, and for a very haunting one: Le chanson de la folle au bord de la mer Op.31 No.8.
Nikolai Medtner: To be honest, I'm not really sure what it is I like so much about his music, but somehow his music 'just works,' if that makes sense. I do like how he uses virtuosity in a way that adds to the music, without sounding like empty bravura, similar to Alkan in his better works. Especially: Sonata in F minor Op.5, and Forgotten Melodies I and II Op.38 and 39.
Wilhelm Stenhammar: Despite a rather small output for solo piano, I have come to like what I have heard of his quite a bit. I like a lot of the harmonies that he pulls from the piano, and his use of restraint in particular. Especially: Three Fantasies Op.11 Nos. 1 and 3, and No. 1 from Late-Summer Nights Op.33.
Given their style of writing, and the forum's requirements, I'm not sure I can include Frank Bridge, John Ireland, or Rued Langgaard.
I am currently exploring the piano works of Florent Schmitt and Joseph Holbrooke, but have not played/heard enough to formulate much of an opinion yet.
Yes, I think we perhaps talk more about orchestral music simply because of the tastes of some of the main contributors to the forum.
After years of ignoring his music for no good reason, I plunged into Alkan last year and quickly discovered cleverly crafted and thoroughly engaging piano music. I began with the Op.31 Preludes... but what would you suggest for someone approaching him for the first time? The Grand Sonate?
I haven't felt as enthusiastic about Medtner's piano music: maybe I should follow your example and get better acquainted. :)
I think there are a number of pieces that would probably be good for the first-time listener, but I think the one I would most highly recommend would be one I somehow forgot to list, the Symphony for solo piano from his Op.39. This was the first piece by Alkan I ever heard, and it made quite the impression on me. I have it on a disc played by MA Hamelin, which also includes the Trois Morceaux. A highly recommended CD. The Grande Sonate would also be a good place to start, assuming the listener has a good attention span (The Sonata progresses from extremely fast to very slow over the course of the work). Again, Hamelin does a very good job (I've heard it said that he's at his best playing Alkan). However, I think the Symphony would be the best entry point.
About Medtner, he does seem to be something of an acquired taste. He often requires repeated listenings. As I said, I am not really even sure what it is that I like about him so much. He is rather melodically sparing, but somehow, after a while something in just starts to grow on you. I have read articles by people extolling him for his mastery of form and structure. I am not much good at musical analysis, so I can't really say anything on that topic, but I wonder if that is partly why it just seems to work so well to me. Sorry if I'm being rather vague. The pieces I mentioned are, out of what I've heard, some of his most accessible music. One I also could have added, which might make a good first impression is his Skazka in Bb minor Op.20 No.1, of which there is a good (though old-sounding) performance of Medtner himself playing on Youtube.
Alkan is a fascinating composer, partly because of the forward-looking character of some of his music. I have heard the Grande Sonate described as one of the hardest of all sonatas, not so much for the difficulty of any one passage, but for the succession of difficult passages over an extended span. He doesn't feature much in concert recitals, but I think he is a lot less unfamiliar a figure than he was 40 years ago..
I would propose Peterson-Berger as a composer of little-known piano music of note - his Frösöblomster I have long admired on an old LP set, and have no been issued on Naxos (not quite such good performances IMO). Very refined, tuneful miniatures.
I would argue that Alkan is one of those rare composers who has managed to cross from unsung to, at least, the fringes of the mainstream - thanks largely to the work of Lewenthal, Smith and Hamelin. Unfortunately, the almost prohibitive demands of some of his large-scale works make programming of his music an unlikely proposition for most pianists.
Towards the top of the unsung pile, but not imo in the mainstream, lie two composers in whom I have a particular interest. Firstly, and he is a composer who I firmly believe deserves a place at the higher table, is Liapunov. Looking at his music, one finds a composer who evidently had complete command of the instrument as a pianist; his Transcendental Etudes include what must be considered his personal takes on Islamey and Feux Follets, as well as some beautiful character pieces written at a level miles above typical 19th century salon fare (Nuit d'ete and Harpes eoliennes). The piano and orchestra works are worth hearing too; the second concerto is probably the best, and the Rhapsody on Ukrainian Themes a glorious virtuoso romp.
Thalberg is almost forgotten, except by pianists, but people are doing themselves a disservice by ignoring him. It is well worthwhile to take a look at his better operatic fantasies ( for me, La Sonnambula and La Traviata spring to mind): though they were competitors on the concert platform, don't view him as an inferior version of Liszt. That's missing the point; whilst he lacked some of Liszt's compositional and structural ingenuity, his viewpoint is different, containing a certain classical purity. And absolutely take a look at his op. 70, L'art du chant: I think this is one of the most important works in the arrangement field, a multitude of vocal items set, in a non-virtuoso context, with skill and great care.
Gauk- That definitely describes the Sonata. Although I remember reading someone talking (I believe it was Hamelin) about the second movement, and describing one part in the central section as one of the twelve most tiring pages in all piano literature, which becomes quite believable when you look at the score and realize the tempo its being pulled off at.
I remember hearing two of Liapunov's Transcendental Etudes. ('The Storm' and 'Lezginka') and being very much impressed. For some reason I never really looked further. I will have to look into Thalberg and Peterson-Berger.
Oh, it was Raymond Lewenthal who commented on the extreme difficulty of the Grande Sonate. Also, I am in agreement about Liapunov.
I think one of the problems (if you will) with Alkan is the variation in the difficulty of his works. The trouble is, many people who may programme his works are only aware of the horrifically difficult works such as the 12 Etudes in Minor keys (which includes the Symphony mentioned earlier). Some of the Esquisse, Op.63 are no more than about ABRSM Grade 6 (nos.1 and 23 spring to mind for starters)...
Stephen Osbourn's recording on Hyperion is the best in these miniature pieces!
As for other obscure piano composers - Pabst (try Oleg Marshev's paraphrases disc on Danacord), Tausig (anything you can find!) and, much more famous for his operatic works - Weber.
Quote from: Jonathan on Sunday 02 June 2013, 17:31
I think one of the problems (if you will) with Alkan is the variation in the difficulty of his works. The trouble is, many people who may programme his works are only aware of the horrifically difficult works such as the 12 Etudes in Minor keys (which includes the Symphony mentioned earlier). Some of the Esquisse, Op.63 are no more than about ABRSM Grade 6 (nos.1 and 23 spring to mind for starters)...
Agreed. Out of habit, I will often print out a selection of a new (unfamiliar) composer's piano oeuvre and try to play it, before buying a CD. Given that I'm only an amateur pianist (Don't be fooled by my username. I'm not
that good.), I am only able to play Alkan's easier works, but even there, I've found, his creativity isn't diminished. Take, for example, Le chanson de la folle au bord de la mer (Song of the Mad Woman on the Seashore). I guess my recommendations of his works tend to be his harder works, because they show his compositional abilities really well, and also have that big 'wow factor,' but he definitely wrote some good smaller/easier works too that are well worth listening to.
Perhaps related to this topic: a wonderful new disk of forgotten piano music from the Steinway people, Jeffrey Biegel playing Moszkowski, Henselt, Rubinstein, Levitski, Sgambati and several others I am not familiar with at all. Great encore disk - I wish I could play like that!
My favorite unsung piano composer is Tchaikovsky. As an orchestral composer he is the antithesis of unknown, but how many people know any of his large solo piano output? Well worth seeking out.
Very true, and it's often said that Tchaikovsky is really known only for a small percentage of his oeuvre ... but then that probably applies to a fair few other famailiar names.
Hrm, how about e.g. Arnoldo Sartorio (over 1280 opus numbers, 1853-1936, many for piano?) Or Friedrich Baumfelder (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Friedrich_Baumfelder) (1836-1916), or Fritz Kirchner (similarly prolific :) )
And the pleasantly emollient Algernon Ashton, who is now being rediscovered by both Toccata and Dutton?
Any particular recommendations for pieces by Algernon Ashton?
Quote from: Alkanator on Tuesday 04 June 2013, 23:34
Any particular recommendations for pieces by Algernon Ashton?
There is not a lot to choose from, and sadly, the Toccata and Dutton releases have duplicated one another.
BTW Lisa Hardy's book "The British piano sonata, 1870-1945" (Boydell Press, 2001), devotes part of chapter 2 to Ashton.
I might just add by-the-by with regard to listening and buying habits, that my attention perks up when I see the title "piano sonata" and drifts away if I see "five pieces for piano" - even though the latter might actually be more attractive.
Quote from: mbhaub on Monday 03 June 2013, 15:41
My favorite unsung piano composer is Tchaikovsky. As an orchestral composer he is the antithesis of unknown, but how many people know any of his large solo piano output? Well worth seeking out.
This is true for a number of composers. For instance, although rather limited quantitatively, Dvořák wrote some good piano pieces, such as 'Twilight Way' from his Op.85.
Quote from: Gauk on Wednesday 05 June 2013, 20:21
My attention perks up when I see the title "piano sonata" and drifts away if I see "five pieces for piano" - even though the latter might actually be more attractive.
The same happens with me. Certain dance-names tend to turn me away, especially waltzes for some reason.
Some piano works by Tchaikovsky may have been recorded for the first time for the BBC Stravinsky-and-Tchaikovsky "marathon" a few years back...
Walter Bricht (1904-1970) http://www.walterbricht.com/composer.html (http://www.walterbricht.com/composer.html)
Among other things, seven piano sonatas. Sound files at the link.
Quote from: eschiss1 on Thursday 06 June 2013, 01:33
Some piano works by Tchaikovsky may have been recorded for the first time for the BBC Stravinsky-and-Tchaikovsky "marathon" a few years back...
Maybe a couple at most. The only existing pieces not recorded by Postnekova on Erato are Anastasie-Valse, The Little Rifeman (a student work I believe), a short version of a waltz from Op. 40, an early version of Natha-Valse from Op. 51 (recorded on Naxos), and a piano sonata movement (completed and recorded by Leslie Howard on Hyperion).
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Not exactly unsung piano composers, but neglected composers include some favorites who have composed remarkable works.
these include Charles Griffes, Julius Weismann, Ernesto Lecuona, Sergei Bortkiewicz (fully Romantic style). Enjoy.
If anyone wants i will submit a long list of Russian and Hispanic composers, many unsung, mostly neglected. Paul Rx4
A briefer list of highlights with descriptions would be most welcome.
Well, we did have that long thread of composers who were who in 1913...
I have spent a bit of time with the proto/early romantics. Here are my impressions.
Kalkbrenner - Always had a soft spot for the Effusio Musica. It is crying out for a fresh recording. Had immense fun with the Rule Brittania Variations.
De Meyer - More transcriptions as opposed to original works, but this chap is more than a charlatan. Transcription on Ernani, Il Trovatore, Lucrezia Borgia..... typical of the age, but I would love to hear them played. Awkward stretches, jumps and some pretty horrific trill work puts them out of reach of the average hack (me).
Herz - if you do not like the Op.45 nocturnes, you have no soul.
Tausig - His Ungarische Zigeunerweisen is a match for anything by Liszt in my opinion and his take on Weber's Invitation to the Dance is my favourite of all transcriptions bar none.
Tomasek - I am deeply in love with his Tre Allegri Capricciosi di Bravura Op.84. Lovely melodies well woven together. Many romantic hints.
Blahetka - the Polonaise on you tube is Chopin on steroids. Hugely enjoyable.
It is too hot to continue.
Thal
Incidentally, mention should be made of the new series of Raff piano music recordings on the Grand Piano label.
If he can be counted as within the scope of the forum, I think Jan Ladislav Dussek is also worth mentioning. Especially his 28th piano sonata "L'Invocation."
It's not up to me, but I find his stuff fascinating (only sometimes "proto-Romantic", but fascinating and quite good one-way-the-other, in my honest opinion :) )
Discussion of the 'proto-romantic' is fascinating and entirely welcome here...
One recording I've found myself returning to quite often is the ARTA cd of Vaclav Tomasek's Eclogues for piano (Op.35 & 51). Very engaging pieces from a composer that I'd neglected to explore to any great degree...
I have also recently been looking into Madetoja's piano works, and have very quite impressed with everything so far.
Quote from: kolaboy on Saturday 08 June 2013, 23:33
One recording I've found myself returning to quite often is the ARTA cd of Vaclav Tomasek's Eclogues for piano (Op.35 & 51). Very engaging pieces from a composer that I'd neglected to explore to any great degree...
I find for this period that Bohemian composers seem to be particularly consistent in turning out interesting music.
Pancho Vladigerov anyone???
5 Piano concerti for starters
Vladigerov's off limits here, I'm afraid.
Quote from: Alan Howe on Thursday 13 June 2013, 07:47
Vladigerov's off limits here, I'm afraid.
Alan:
Sorry I if I am running afoul of the remit here.
If you have heard them, you must know these concerti are tonal, accessable,traditional
and owe much to those of Rachmaninoff. They are certainly not avant garde.
Perhaps he was born too late 1899 – 1978??
According to Wikipedia "Vladigerov is arguably the most influential Bulgarian composer of all time"
Must all his music be piano music?
Tonal and accessible is not enough. The music needs to be thoroughly romantic in essence throughout. Vladigerov's isn't.
Quote from: Alan Howe on Friday 14 June 2013, 07:47
Tonal and accessible is not enough. The music needs to be thoroughly romantic in essence throughout. Vladigerov's isn't.
If I may presume to chip in here, the definition of romantic used in this site is misleading, since it makes consonance the only test. I suggest it should be amplified to include a note that music is not romantic if:
- It uses complex rhythm, polyrhythm, or excessive syncopation;
- It is heavily inflected with harmonies derived from folk music (as opposed to quoting folk melodies);
- It seeks to reinterpret a musical ethic from the 18th C or earlier (so no neoclassical works).
Thus unambiguously cuts out Vladigerov, and probably
most of the other composers that are ruled out of order here.
Some of the downloads of British music available here were considerably more avant-garde than Vladigerov. I deleted some that I gave a listen to as they were too modern for my tastes. Havergal Brian, Judith Bingham and Giles Swayne are just three that I notice. Doesn't the "modern" or "avant-Garde" description apply to British music?
Alan says "The music needs to be thoroughly romantic in essence throughout." - Judith Bingham's "Hidden City" doesn't seem to fit that description yet the work was allowed here in June 2012.
I personally find little of reward in modernish music - just my tastes - but I have to say that I enjoy Vladigerov immensely. He is hardly more avant-garde than some of Dohnanyi's later works and I feel he would be allowed in.
It must be remembered that the change in UC's remit took place in August 2012. Hence you will find more modern music discussed and archived before that point. The situation is quite different now.
Quote from: Alan Howe on Friday 14 June 2013, 12:16
It must be remembered that the change in UC's remit took place in August 2012. Hence you will find more modern music discussed and archived before that point. The situation is quite different now.
... and it would be an inappropriate labour and waste of time to trawl through the archive deleting everything that no longer fits the site aesthetic. It is not that Vladigerov is in any way avant garde - he would not have been appreciated in communist era Bulgaria if he had been. But his style is clearly of its period in both harmony and rhythm.
Quote from: JollyRoger on Thursday 13 June 2013, 01:22
Pancho Vladigerov anyone???
5 Piano concerti for starters
I probably should have been a bit more specific in the thread's title, but I meant piano-solo composers. Thanks though.
Quote from: Alan Howe on Friday 14 June 2013, 07:47
Tonal and accessible is not enough. The music needs to be thoroughly romantic in essence throughout. Vladigerov's isn't.
I guess I don't get what "thoroughly romantic" implies...it is an obvious abstraction, and not an absolute.
Perhaps Rachmaninoff, Sibelius and Atterberg would also be out of bounds.
If you dislike or have not heard Vladigerov's music, that is quite another matter..
Sorry I missed this part of your remit..
"and in any event if the music was written after 1918, please email or PM a moderator before posting."
Since you volunteer your time to maintain this forum, you certainly have the right to define the scope as you wish.
I will stick to those composers pre-1918..
QuotePerhaps Rachmaninoff, Sibelius and Atterberg would also be out of bounds.
Oh no, all are ruled in on stylistic grounds. Indeed, Rachmaninov is specifically mentioned.
Everything by Atterberg? Even that weird 9th symphony? Ok... *pulls it out again...* :)
Déodat de Séverac is another composer of piano pieces who has been well worth exploring. I know him primarily through his piano compositions, however...
Have any of his stage works been recorded?
Yes - the fairly early opera 'Le Coeur du moulin'. And a splendid recording it is on Timpani released in 2010. (Fully agree - the piano music is gorgeous stuff).
Thank you - shall track this recording down :)
I recall that Botstein in an interview in Fanfare awhile back (about 2005, when his recording of Chausson's Roi Arthus was issued) touched on one of Severac's operas and seemed to be considering staging it (Heliogabale, according to a quick check?) - I don't know what came of that (or if a recording was made available, if that happened.)
As far as I'm aware, Eric, nothing came of it. A pity.
What little of the piano music of Ignaz BRÜLL that I've heard suggests an unfairly neglected body of romantic piano music. Anyone familiar with it, and willing to give an overview?
I know Fibich also wrote wrote quite a bit. Has anyone looked into his piano works?
Certainly if by anyone you mean any pianists. There's a whole series of CDs of selections (at least) from Fibich's cycle Nálady, Dojmy, a Upominky (Moods, Impressions and Souvenirs) (Op.41, 44, 47, 57, at least?) which I gather are quite good, sensitive, memorable works... :) (Edit: er, whoops. This clause no adjective.)
If by anyone you mean anyone here, I haven't yet, but I know I mean to, as a listener. (Like I said, they get quite good reviews as a cycle, as does Suk's About Mother and other works. As to Suk I've heard a quartet arrangement of one of his piano cycles, courtesy of Matesic, and I liked it very much. Of Suk's works my favorites are still the 2nd string quartet (op.31) and the Ripening-Asrael-Epilog trilogy, but - well - anyway! :) Sorry. Maybe a little post-Romantic at that...)
I came across the name Rufinatscha on this forum, and was wondering if anybody knows where the scores for his piano works can be obtained. I take it they're not available for free online anywhere.
The manuscripts are held here
http://www.tiroler-landesmuseen.at/html.php/de/tiroler_landesmuseen (http://www.tiroler-landesmuseen.at/html.php/de/tiroler_landesmuseen)
The gent in charge is very relaxed about copies being taken. At least he was when a friend of mine visited in person.
Not much appears to have been actually published.
Thal
Now if only libraries allowed inter-continental loans...
Actually, Hofmeister lists rather a few Rufinatscha piano works published (though I'm not absolutely positive they're all by "our" Rufinatscha. E.g. The op.9 sonata in F published in 1857 is listed as being by "Jos." Rufinatscha- whether this is an alternate name for Johann Rufinatscha or a different person, I don't know. Could also be a Hofmeister typo). What do you mean by "not much"?
(E.g. sonata in F minor Op.5, published by Witzendorf of Vienna, 1847; 3 Marches Op.4 dedicated to Liszt, published by Pietro Mechetti in 1849; Grand caprice Op.5(? opus number is unclear in the ÖNB scan of Hofmeister's listing) dedicated to Schumann, published by Witzendorf in 1851; Rondo capriccioso op.6 published by Spina, 1852... etc. (Up to op.18 Sonata in D minor, pub. 1880 by Haslinger of Vienna.) How many of these publications are still in any libraries or private collections as against essentially lost, that's always another matter.
Quote from: eschiss1 on Monday 24 June 2013, 23:40
E.g. The op.9 sonata in F published in 1857 is listed as being by "Jos." Rufinatscha- whether this is an alternate name for Johann Rufinatscha or a different person, I don't know. Could also be a Hofmeister typo).
This was actually discussed in an earlier thread. It was decided its probably a typo.
Quote from: Martin Eastick on Sunday 02 September 2012, 19:59
I don't know whether or not this may help, but the one work that I have in my collection by Rufinatscha IS the Sonate Op9, in the first edition published by A.O.Witzendorf. It quite clearly states on the title "Sonate fur das Pianoforte von Johann Rufinatscha Opus 9"!
Thanks, I'd forgotten that.
But yes, a fair amount of Rufinatscha's music was published.
As IMSLP (e.g.) has nothing by Rufinatscha, it's true, I know I'd be glad indeed if someone who had a score of a sonata or set of caprices etc. in their possession (or a library similarly) might scan in and upload to that site (or to their own likewise) at least a movement from the former or at least one of the latter (e.g.) and start a Rufinatscha category out (etc.) (Can't be less than that, by IMSLP's rules- can't be just a page, say, unless the movement is just one page- but doesn't have to be the complete work :) Anyhow.).
Quote from: eschiss1 on Tuesday 25 June 2013, 00:35
I know I'd be glad indeed if someone who had a score of a sonata or set of caprices etc. in their possession (or a library similarly) might scan in and upload to that site (or to their own likewise)
Perhaps the one who made that post would be so kind. (Pretty please?).
Quote from: eschiss1 on Monday 24 June 2013, 23:40
sonata in F minor Op.5, published by Witzendorf of Vienna, 1847
I don't know where you got this info from but the score is clearly marked Op.3.
Score obtained from the University of Innsbruck.
Thal
then I and my source (or the OCR of my source- let me check my notes) were mistaken... hrm. No, the original HMB scan, as well as the Hofmeister XIX OCR, both say Op.5 (sometimes the OCR gets it wrong, as computer character-reading software will)- so HMB got it wrong way back in 1847, I'm guessing - source (http://anno.onb.ac.at/cgi-content/anno-buch?apm=0&aid=1000001&bd=0001847&teil=0203&seite=00000172&zoom=1). Thanks for the correction.
I don't know if Jongen's romantic/impressionstic music is off-limits here, but I'd like to put in a word for his gorgeously, shimmeringly atmospheric and often melodically memorable piano works, which should greatly appeal to admirers of Faure, Debussy and Ravel. The Klavier disc of some of Jongen's best piano works with Gary Stegall as pianist is strongly recommended as an entry point into his pianistic output. There is a more extensive series on Pavane which is worth exploring as well, but of course the music is more variable in quality. But Jongen on an off-day is far from bad!
Just happened to run across Baumfelder today when looking at piano works. Many of his 400+ works were destroyed during WWII, including 3 symphonies. Such a shame, as unlike other unsung composers, his works can never be resurrected.
For Baumfelder, see this new thread:
http://www.unsungcomposers.com/forum/index.php/topic,8397.msg87494.html#msg87494
I want to put in for Arensky since working on the review for "Egyptian Nights," I have discovered he is quite melodic, beautiful in fact, and while he has an output of 70+ works quite unknown.
Joseph Jongen- made a good amount of piano music.. there is a multi volume set of Cd's on the Pavane label with solo piano and also includes his music for 4 hands. Highly attractive, polished music from an accomplished composer which I would rate as still unsung.
I would have to put in a word for Robert Fuchs' (1847-1927) 3 lovely (published) piano sonatas. The 3rd (Op.109 in D-flat major, 1918), especially, reminds me of some of Schubert's later piano works in feeling (and maybe a few near-quotes) without attempting to "sound like a work of the 1820s" or anything other than a work by its composer.
my latest assignment is Rubenstein not unsung, his second and fourth.
(Do you mean Albert Rubenson? I'm unfamiliar with his piano music.) Or Rubinstein- there are a few, but the one with 4 piano sonatas- those are pretty good, yes.
(the OP specified solo piano, remember, not concertos!)
I think Tom means the recent cpo CD of the 2nd and 4th piano concertos... or maybe I'm mistaken.
YES YES YES. I like #4 a lot.
I'm not sure whether George Frederick Pinto's piano music is unsung - it is certainly seldom programmed to my knowledge - but I was thoroughly impressed with the 'proto-Romantic' nature of some of his music I encountered on a disk by English pianist Thomas Wakefield.
Wakefield's recording (http://www.tomwakefield.com/Recordings.html) included: Fantasia and Sonata in C minor | Sonata in E flat minor, Op.3/1 | Sonata in A major, Op.3/2 | Sonata in C minor | Sonatina in C major | Minuetto.
4c
what would you consider his best themes if any in his piano works. His 4th? What else?