I received response from Bodleian Library that this manuscript from their archives is being prepared for a recording in January next year, shelfmark MS. Sterndale Bennett 32. This is the only unpublished concerto left unrecorded at the moment. Fingers crossed.
'Konzertstücke' is plural in German: could you clarify whether this is one single work, i.e. a Konzertstück, please?
Moderator's note: one single work confirmed - no 'e' on 'Konzertstück'.
According to IMSLP with A Descriptive Catalogue as source:
WoO 48, "Concert-Stück (Piano Concerto) in A minor (1841-43, rev. 1848)" (I see his other published concertos and an unpublished concerto in F minor in the Oxford library catalog, but not this, offhand...)
That's quite right, Eric. This is apparently the so called Piano Concerto No. 6, the MS of which was, until fairly recently, in private hands and unavailable to those who might have wished to study it.
Ah, thanks. Are we sure the 6th concerto wasn't the F minor recently found and published instead, mind, though...
Quote from: Gareth Vaughan on Tuesday 29 October 2024, 23:24That's quite right, Eric. This is apparently the so called Piano Concerto No. 6, the MS of which was, until fairly recently, in private hands and unavailable to those who might have wished to study it.
Yes. The 6th concerto in 2 piano reduction by Geoffrey Bush is in Bodeleian Library. Maybe the true manuscript is still in private hands. Not sure whether the recording is just a piano reduction
Quote from: eschiss1 on Tuesday 29 October 2024, 23:29Ah, thanks. Are we sure the 6th concerto wasn't the F minor recently found and published instead, mind, though...
The unpublished F minor concerto (No.5) is the rejected concerto for another F minor concerto No.4. This concertstuck is in A minor though.
In August 2022 I wrote thus to pianist Simon Callaghan:
"I have just learned that, shortly before the pandemic, the autograph score of Sterndale Bennett's 6th piano concerto (in A minor) was deposited at the Bodleian Library and can now be accessed as MS. Odling Sterndale Bennett 43 and MS. Odling Sterndale Bennett 44. This concerto has long been known about but was inaccessible because the lady who owned it (the composer's great grand-daughter, I think) would not allow anyone to see it. I was given to understand she was prepared to sell it, but only at a very high price (though I do not know for certain the truth of this assertion). Anyway, it has now found its way to the Bodleian (apparently partly in lieu of estate death duties), so one can now examine it. Also deposited, though from a different family source, is the ms. of the concerto for 2 pianos and orchestra which Sterndale Bennett wrote in 1835 jointly with George MacFarren. This is MS. Sterndale Bennett 25 and is described thus: 'Autograph full score (damaged in places), signed by William Sterndale Bennett only, not dated.' One wonders about the extent of the damage. Nevertheless, it is of some considerable interest that these two works are now accessible to musicians. As you know, Sterndale Bennett's Piano Concertos 1-5 were recorded by Malcolm Binns for Lyrita many years ago, while Howard Shelley has more recently recorded 1-4 plus the Caprice and Adagio (the only other 2 extant works for piano & orchestra by Bennett) for Hyperion in the Romantic Piano Concerto Series. Perhaps Hyperion might be interested in recording PCs 5 & 6, together with the 2-piano concerto (provided it is in playable condition)."
The link to the entry for the MS in the Bodleian Catalogue is: https://archives.bodleian.ox.ac.uk/repositories/2/archival_objects/212272 (https://archives.bodleian.ox.ac.uk/repositories/2/archival_objects/212272)
Simon replied: "Gosh, how wonderful! I'll try to get this asap, but it may be that someone has got there first... let's see!"
As members of this forum know, it was shortly after this exchange that I was diagnosed with my stomach cancer and started chemotherapy, ultimately undergoing a total gastrectomy in October 2023, from which it has taken me until now to recover properly. So I did not follow this up with Simon, but will now do so.
Our very best wishes to you, Gareth. Thanks so much.
I got information as below:
The concerto is being recorded for Lyrita by Simon Callaghan with (I think) the Northern Sinfonia, conducted by Martin Yates.
Eagerly waiting for the release
Thanks all for the news and clarifications (could use a little more clarification for
"The unpublished F minor concerto (No.5) is the rejected concerto for another F minor concerto No.4.") but I do that sort of accidental word-repetition all the kind. Problem is, I'm not sure what word was actually meant, honestly...
Brilliant news, promusician. I am delighted Simon is the pianist for the recording.
Do you know, by the way, what else will be on the Lyrita disk?
I have not yet had a reply from Simon, which is unusual. He normally responds at once, but he is a very busy bee!
I know that the the RAM has the MS for Bache's G minor concerto, and also at least one of his other works for piano and orchestra, namely a Polonaise, which was later published in a revised piano solo form as his Op9.
Then there is, of course John Francis Barnett's D minor concerto, but this would have to be orchestrated - although Martin Yates would be and ideal candidate for the job! But perhaps the 2-piano concerto can also be given the same treatment if necessary|
Quote from: Gareth Vaughan on Friday 01 November 2024, 10:09Do you know, by the way, what else will be on the Lyrita disk?
I have not yet had a reply from Simon, which is unusual. He normally responds at once, but he is a very busy bee!
I am sorry, I have been told to not disclose any further information until the recording is released.
Quote from: Martin Eastick on Friday 01 November 2024, 10:53I know that the the RAM has the MS for Bache's G minor concerto, and also at least one of his other works for piano and orchestra, namely a Polonaise, which was later published in a revised piano solo form as his Op9.
Then there is, of course John Francis Barnett's D minor concerto, but this would have to be orchestrated - although Martin Yates would be and ideal candidate for the job! But perhaps the 2-piano concerto can also be given the same treatment if necessary|
The 2 piano reduction is made from original manuscript which includes the full score
Wo 48/A.4, Autograph full score of movements 1 and 3, final version; titled '5th Concerto in A minor', not signed or dated.
WO 48/A.2, Autograph full score of movement 2; untitled, not signed or dated.
WO 48/A.1, Autograph full score of movements 1 and 3, 1843 version; titled 'Concert-Stück - Pianoforte, with Orchestra', signed and dated May 1843 and 2 Jun 1843.
WO 48/A.3, Movement 3, piano part with orchestral cues, not signed, dated 1843.
WO 48/C.1, Set of parts in a professional hand for Finale only, dated Jun 1844.
WO 48/C.2, Set of parts probably copied by William Godwin, dated 1848.
Not the famous William Godwin who died 1836 (father of Mary Shelley but famous in his own right) but is anything known about this William Godwin?
I'm sorry if I did not make myself clear! I was referring to the 2-piano concerto in collaboration with G.MacFarren. Depending on what is still extant, Martin Yates is surely the person to do any necessary completion/orchestration of what is missing! Simon Callaghan and Hiroaki Takenouchi would be ideal for this!
Another contender that comes to mind is the concerto by Charles Edward Horsley, the MS of which is just missing a page at the end, if I recall correctly.
Quote from: Martin Eastick on Friday 01 November 2024, 14:59I'm sorry if I did not make myself clear! I was referring to the 2-piano concerto in collaboration with G.MacFarren. Depending on what is still extant, Martin Yates is surely the person to do any necessary completion/orchestration of what is missing! Simon Callaghan and Hiroaki Takenouchi would be ideal for this!
Another contender that comes to mind is the concerto by Charles Edward Horsley, the MS of which is just missing a page at the end, if I recall correctly.
I see. Rumours said that the 2 piano concerto is not a good composition, although I haven't heard the music myself. Maybe just for sake of completion, it will be included in the album. Most likely paired with WSB 4th concerto, which is so underperformed.
I am thinking of a 5 CD set of teacher and pupil piano concerto series: Cipriani Potter - WS Bennett - FE Bache
Quote from: Gareth Vaughan on Friday 01 November 2024, 10:09Do you know, by the way, what else will be on the Lyrita disk?
I have not yet had a reply from Simon, which is unusual. He normally responds at once, but he is a very busy bee!
Simon Callaghan's website confirms that, joining WSB's 6th piano concerto will be his 4th concerto, noted elsewhere here as underperformed. So this is all good news!
Since Martin Eastick mentioned the ms of Bache's piano concerto in g minor (1850) being in RAM, please note that Darrel Hoffman posted his realization of that score on YouTube last week:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2VZFbcrjwyU&t=313s
Thanks Darrel.
Although I shouldn't be the one to complain, I feel that Bennett's 4th Concerto (Op19) is simply the wrong coupling. Whilst I appreciate it should still be considered underperformed, the fact that Hyperion, with Howard Shelley, have already recorded concertos 1-4, as well as the Capriccio Op22, BUT not the earlier F minor concerto, this would be preferable as a coupling. However, I still think Bache's G minor work would have been better still - especially now having heard Darrel Hofmann's realisation of the work!
However, taking note of the announcement on Simon Callaghan's website, the mention of both Martin Yates AND Hero Takenouchi indicate that the Bennett/MacFarren collaboration may also be included!
Quote from: pianoconcerto on Tuesday 21 January 2025, 14:36Since Martin Eastick mentioned the ms of Bache's piano concerto in g minor (1850) being in RAM, please note that Darrel Hoffman posted his realization of that score on YouTube last week:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2VZFbcrjwyU&t=313s
Thanks Darrel.
I have acquired the full color score from RAM and passed it to Darrell for typesetting and realization. Very tough work as the clef and instrument changes are not clear in the manuscript. I will be contacting Callaghan for his consideration of recording this work.
In the meantime, we would be working on Bache's 1st version (year 1851) of Piano Concerto Op.18 which is different considerably from the recorded work.