Just wondering whether anyone knows about this?
https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0CW37YH58/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?smid=A132STM5QOWUI2&psc=1
Well, some of it, more or less, is here:
LOL copy protected CD? What?
It's on the normal streaming services so it should be reletively easy for people to check out.
Thanks for drawing attention to this, Alan. It's new to me. Unfortunately, despite the 'big sell' on YT, I find the excerpts predictable and instantly forgettable. I suspect "Bohemian" is part of the marketing - much easier to sell that to contemporary audiences than "Piano Concerto No.1 in XY flat major, Op.z" - or is there really some other rationale of which I'm unaware? In any case, that long 'wants list' of mine will take priority. ;D Maybe other members have a different response?
Listening to it now. It's....enjoyable in a "it delivers what it's trying to deliver" way if that makes sense? Meanders with the same big tune a lot and feels like someone trying to write an archtypical piece of music in the style its trying to emulate. At the same time it has a sort of....very obviously written in the last 50 years in that it almost sounds like some versed in pop music trying to write a classical concerto.
I can see why some here would dislike it.
That in itself is no issue for me; Schmidt-Kowalski's music is heavily romantically inspired but also clearly from the 20th century. So long as it's done competently and creatively, why not - and I'm in fact quite optimistic about the new and upcoming crop of contemporary composers, who often incorporate pop, video game and film music into more formal scores.
I've only listened to this concerto once, and will have to again, but my first impression is that it is just a tad too easy to dissect it into its inspirational sources; which, in addition to the classical piano concerto, certainly includes film music (Michael Nyman, in particular). But that's just a first impression.
I refuse to be sniffy in advance of hearing the piece, but reserve the right to be so afterwards!
From what I have heard it is a bit like musical wallpaper. Enjoyable nonetheless, but I am not sure it has much staying power - at least, not for me.