Hugo Kaun and Max Chop

[Hamburger]

The two protagonists have already been discussed here in the forum. In 2009, Hugo Kaun's truly fantastic 2nd Piano Concerto in c-minor was published by me. I am in possession of one of the few original full score. It is the composer's dedication copy to the dedicatee. According to my research at the time, there is only one other score in the Berlin State Library. The publishing archive of the publisher André (Offenbach) was completely destroyed by fire during the 2nd ww.
It´s now a mystery to me why this concerto was still being performed. I have offered it to many people in Germany and America in recent years. In 2007, I made two mock-up audios. They sound pretty awful, but when reading the score (I posted the version for two pianos on IMSLP at the time), one cannot escape the genius of this work. The powerful chord strokes are reminiscent of Tchaikovsky's concerto, but that is certainly not a bad influence.
It is interesting that many passages sound like early Hollywood film music. In the year this piano concerto was composed, his son Bernhard Kaun (1899–1980) was already orchestrating Wagner's heroic epic (Music by Gottfried Huppertz, Orchestration by B. Kaun) for the film Die Nibelungen (Part 1: Siegfried, directed by Fritz Lang). Some time later, Bernhard Kaun composed his first film scores for Dracula and other horror films.

H. Kaun's preference for smooth 9 chords is unmistakable here too, but it is not annoying (as in some of his other works). Nor does the melody and its development take a back seat to the complex harmony. I have included the preface to the new edition here. (You can use online tools to translate it). So, if you know a talented pianist and the perfect orchestra, go for it. It would be a great addition to the Hyperion series.

https://app.box.com/s/fg9qktsgvf58tbj8gc5sgg18c0uxmzoq

https://imslp.org/wiki/Piano_Concerto_No.2%2C_Op.115_(Kaun%2C_Hugo)

[eschiss1]

Which would be great if there were a Hyperion series anymore, but hopefully someone will pick up that torch and we catch your meaning!!!

[Gareth Vaughan]

Of course, Fleisher has a copy of the printed full score by Andre (1920) and a complete set of parts of this outstanding work (also, incidentally, full score and parts of Kaun's 1st piano concerto, Op. 50). These two were on Mike Spring's list of candidates for Hyperion's RPC series. Too bad they never got round to doing them.

[eschiss1]

Offenbach am Main is the location, I assume you mean by André, or I'm confused, but good to hear?

[Theodore S.]

Do you plan on posting the full score on IMSLP? That might help the concerto gain further attention to conductors looking for new pieces to play, being that it would be easier to access than before. (I've heard several of Kaun's compositions, he really was a brilliant composer.)

[Hamburger]

Of course, Fleisher has a copy of the printed full score by Offenbach (1920) and a complete set of parts of this outstanding work (also, incidentally, full score and parts of Kaun's 1st piano concerto, Op. 50). These two were on Mike Spring's list of candidates for Hyperion's RPC series. Too bad they never got round to doing them.

The information is incorrect. I asked for it at the time. The Full Score was published in 1924, the piano score (Fleisher) in 1920..Only the piano reduction is available there, no full score and no parts. Such false information is often found because, as in this case, two piano scores (solo part and orchestral part) are present during cataloging. In the past, some librarians have created the misleading information that solo, parts and orchestral parts are available. I have often come across such misleading information

[eschiss1]

It says composed 1924, so the "[1920]" is clearly off by a bit, yes. It's also wholly possible that they've lost the full score and parts and have failed to update the entries; this happens even at my local public library. (I found a missing part to a Mendelssohn sonata in F in the score of one of his other violin sonatas - also in F (minor) - at the local university library. Things go missing all the time and sometimes even get found...)
(Also, while it doesn't say in this instance, most Fleisher entries are mostly manuscript score and/or parts, not published. But yes, it's best to check with a librarian to see if an entry is up-to-date with what's actually on hand, as the then-librarian of the LoC told me once, iirc.)

[Gareth Vaughan]

Offenbach am Main is the location

Yes, Eric. Quite right - being hasty. Now corrected.

The information is incorrect. I asked for it at the time.

How very annoying. That's useful to know. And Fleisher ought to have corrected that in their online catalogue.

[Darrel Hoffman]

I did post my rendition of Kaun's 1st concerto just a few weeks ago:

If you are able to share the full score of the 2nd, I'd be willing to take a crack at it.  There is a simulated recording in Garritan on the IMSLP page which is decent, though the 3rd movement is sadly unfinished.