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Good point, orff!

So here are some serious additions (but in no way something like Saint-Saëns' firework in his #2):

Sgambati, op. 15
Peter Benoit, op. 43b with a final movement called Fantastic Hunt in the Night 

[Which post classical and romantic neglected piano concerto has a "fast and furious" finale?]

Interesting piano concertos are passed in review, some of which I have never heard off (e.g. a few on Ilja's list). Although the topic concerns the opening, I suggest we expand the thread to cover stirring con fuoco finales as well.

Which post classical and romantic neglected piano concerto has a "fast and furious" finale?

For me the standard of the sung PC's is Saint-Saëns 2.

Unsung examples are in my opinion – here we go again – Henselt, Moscheles 3 and Scharwenka 4. However, none of these three examples beat the Saint-Saëns, I think. Which "fast & furious" finales do you have in mind?

I have both MacDowell's PC's played by Vivian Rivkin and the Vienna Opera Orchestra conducted by Dean Dixon on a CD of the MCA label (1992). Although those performers don't look obscure to me, it sounds like a re-release of a re-release or something. After hearing both concertos a few times some years ago, I don't dare to give it another try ever again. But maybe I am not supposed to complain, because it's a recording of 1958...

This week the Dutch public "Radio 4" broadcasts the Top 400 of Classical Music for the year 2009. The list is compiled by the listeners.

We find Messiaen's "Quatuor pour la fin du temps" on 118 and Górecki's 3rd on 121.

How about our hero's? Not even Raff's Cavatina, not even Rubinstein's Melody in F!
Does this say something about the Dutch listeners audience? Or are our unsung composers typically for connoisseurs like us? I suppose so.

[R]

In Reply #6 [Topic: Music, but not for amusement] Alan Howe wrote to me I'm sure we'd all to hear your thoughts on Rufinatscha in a new thread - when you have time.

Well Alan, it will be my pleasure. But, as I have said in the old Forum, I am neither a musician, nor a musicologist, just a listener. Besides, English is not my native language. But I will give it a try anyhow, because Rufinatscha's music is for me so far nothing less than a "Trouvaille". You are a real advocate for Rufinatscha and like you, I also hope to stimulate fellow Raffians to listen to Rufinatscha's music, which is enchanting.

I have already said something enthusiastic about his symphonies 1, 2, 5 and 6 (Topic: Rufinatscha 6, Reply #4) and the two piano quartets (Topic: unsung chamber music with piano, Reply #7).

The other disk I have is "Symphonische Musik für Klavier zu vier Händen", although I had ordered the CD "Klaviertrio, Klavierkonzert zu 4 Händen". Never mind, because its marvellous music. It gives a pretty good idea how the first 3 movements of the lost score of his symphony in C minor must have sounded. Manfred Schneider in his booklet notes quotes a music reviewer who attended a concert in 1846, saying that he ... halte es für die heiligste Pflicht der Kritik, solch ein symphonisches Talent mit Theilnahme in die Welt zu führen. Unfortunately that never happened.

Today I have ordered two CD's, the "Klaviertrio, Klavierkonzert zu 4 Händen" and "Tiroler Klaviermusiek" with four-handed piano music from Rufinatscha and Netzer. I will let you know what I think of it in due course.

Rubinstein-Raff-Rufinatscha. A coincidence or not? 

Definitely a gorgeous and sparkling work full of catchy and even humorous themes, especially the first movement.
You have the MDG disk, I suppose. How about the lovely Berceuse? I think only Chopin's heavenly Berceuse surpasses Henselt's masterpiece with that same title.
We can only regret that Henselt stopped composing after the age of 30.

Steven, as a pianist you probably also have Henselt's Études (Hyperion) in your collection, but I can also strongly recommend "Piano Pieces/Klavierwerke" played by Rüdiger Steinfatt on Dontrie, a disk with 12 most enjoyable works.

Steven, we have the same favourites! I like to add Rubinstein's 2, 3 and 5 and Scharwenka 4. I have thought to add my favourite Hummel's op. 85&89 as well, but I think Hummel is one of the few former unsung composers who became more or less sung over the past 30 years, although we never hear Hummel performed in concert halls, but not unfrequently on the radio.

That could be an interesting topic: which former unsungs became sung and what are the criteria?

O yes, Paderewski is briljant too. I have it coupled with Moszkowski. But we were talking about openings. And then comes Moscheles 3. But... not only the opening. The whole atmosphere of the PC is catchy, I feel it even as rather melancholic. But full of beautiful themes, one after another.

Not belonging to my favourite composers, but still very pleasant to listen to is piano music by a name which no member has mentioned so far. William Sterndale Bennett. I have his 5 PC's (1, 2, 3 and 5 on Lyrita). I find the openings of both his 4 and 5 quite majestic.
Raffians, what is your opinion of this British romantic composer?

Dear Raffians!

With great interest I read the pros and cons of both works in the discussion. But both works have something in common, and that is World War Two. Messiaen composed his work in the Nazi camp, and Górecki was influenced by the moving words of the 18-year-old girl scratched on a wall in a Gestapo prison. I strongly believe that these facts are the reason why these particular works of Messiaen and Górecki sound so monotonous. But poignant. They reflect an agony.

Jim, I have Dreyschock's PC coupled with the Kullak on Hyperion, and although I think Kullak is absolutely superior, Dreyschock's PC is not unpleasant, on the contrary. Then I have a few disks "Romantische Klaviermusik", a series by Michael Krücker on NCA, one of them filled with some of Dreyschock's piano music. Lovely pieces. But I am eager to learn his Konzertstück.

I know another stunning PC opening and that is Friedrich Kuhlau's concerto in C major. The rest of the concerto is great too, but reminds me very much of Beethoven's 1st. A compliment for Kuhlau.

Steven, on the CD "Pinto Piano Music" played by Míceál O'Rourke (Chandos) you will find even 3 piano sonatas (in E flat minor, A major and C minor). All very pleasant to listen to. The disk is still available.

Emptiness, no structure, naive, but isn't that exactly what both Górecki and Messiaen had in mind? Górecki based his symphony on an 18-year-old girls inscription, scrawled on the wall of a cell of a Gestapo prison in the Polish town of Zakopane, and Messiaen was captured and put into a Nazi camp as a prisoner of war.

I like to stress that it is not my kind of stuff, and for many music lovers, including myself, it's not great music, but I'm fascinated what the composers mainsprings were for these amazing, and maybe boring sounds. Also this music has a message for the listener, I suppose.

Enough for now. Time to spin a new Rufinatscha disk.

I would very much like to know your opinion of the following dramatic music, music which probably doesn't please you but almost certainly won't keep you unmoved. You will understand the resemblance, I guess.
"Quartet for the end of time" (Quatuor pour la fin du temps) by Olivier Messiaen and "Symphony No. 3" by Henryk Górecki.

Alan, what is your opinion of the Reubke coupled with Schuncke on the Dynamic label, played by Mario Patuzzi? I don't feel much attracted to Reubke's (or any composers) organ sonata on the Tanski/Sander disk.

A few months ago I acquired a double disk with Czerny's piano sonatas 5, 6, 8 and 9 played by Martin Jones on Nimbus Records. A must for anyone who likes this genre! Especially #6 is exciting (6 movements in almost 51 minutes, but not for a second boring, on the contrary). I already had 1 and 3 played by Anton Kuerti on Analekta, both gorgeous and interesting pieces.

This brings me to the question, which surprising unsung piano sonatas are your favourites?
Mine are 
1. All 4 piano sonatas by Rubinstein (Leslie Howard on Hyperion). These superb sonatas are all interesting, full of emotion and most impressive, especially 3 and 4. One of the reasons why Rubinstein is my number one unsung composer
2. Raff's opus 14 of course, which is a masterpiece
3. Ludwig Berger's Grande Sonate in C minor (Frederick Marvin on Genesis). A "trouvaille"!
4. Norbert Burgmüller's sonata in F minor (Adrian Ruiz on Genesis)
5. Sigismund Thalberg's Grande Sonate in C minor (Ian Hominick on Titanic)

None of these sonatas deserve to be background music. You have to sit down, just listen and get overwhelmed!

There is so much more in this genre, but certainly you can add interesting unsung piano sonatas which are fascinating to discover and explore.

Wouldn't that be a music lovers dream coming true? A disk with Pixis' 3 concertos? Booklet notes written by Kees Kooper?
His notes on the LP sleeve are interesting enough. Pixis must have been a formidable pianist and composer. A nice anecdote is recorded by Kees Kooper: "Schumann expressed great admiration. So did Franz Liszt, in a rather unorthodox way. In 1837, in Paris, he presented in concert, two trios, by Beethoven and Pixis. Without announcement he played the trios in reverse order. The public hailed the Pixis, thought to be Beethoven, as a masterwork; the real Beethoven came in second best."