Customer Reviews

The Romantic Piano Concerto Vol. 1 - Paderewski: Piano Concerto in A minor, Op. 17; Moszkowski: Piano Concerto in E major, Op. 59

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Since I first heard these two concertos in the same pairing, performed by Michael Ponti on a poorly recorded and accompanied Vox disk, I've prayed that they would be recorded by a good team in excellent modern sound. My wish is exceeded with the issue under consideration here.

Both concertos make you hate the concert-going public, with its penchant for wanting to hear their 5,000th Brahms' Second or Tchaikovsky First. So what if the Paderewski and Moskowski aren't quite in the same league artistically? With melodies to burn and with at least two movements that are as memorable as anything in the standard repertoire, they should be heard, demand to be heard.

Both are fluent, attractive concertos throughout, but for me, the outstanding movements are the last of the Moskowski and the first of the Paderewski. Moskowski's, as one might expect of a salon composer, is a bit more lightweight but has all the disarming bustle and dazzle of the French dance hall and has a main tune that you can't help whistling as you come away. Padeweski's first movement is a grand, sweeping drama that is more serious but just as memorable. And the other movements aren't bad either. Paderewski's concerto is somewhat let down by a rather corny chorale treatment of the big tune of the last movement, but otherwise, it is a wonderful achievement and would be a great vehicle in the concert hall. Moskowski's less serious work, though, is of a piece--an entertaining enterprise from beginning to end.

Both Lane and Maksymiuk perfectly catch the fervor and sheer pizzazz of these works, and the BBC Scottish Symphony is in fine fettle, captured in a nigh-perfect recording. This one's a keeper.

The Piano Concerto in E Major, op 59 by Moritz Moszkowski is a thing of beauty. As the liner notes aptly state: "if it fails to stir the intellect, it sets the pulses tingling." The opening Moderato does indeed tingle. The playing on the Adante is exceptional. Pianist Piers Lane acquits himself very well of the Scherzo. The finale is ravishing.

The Moszkowski is coupled with Paderewski's Piano Concerto in A minor. A little less refined and more bombastic than the Moszkowski, it also is deserving of a wider audience.

Piers Lane does a wonderful job on the entire disc. The BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, under the direction of Jerzy Maksymiuk, handles the task at hand in a creative and faithful manner.

Hyperion deserves laurels for unearthing these gems. I recommend this disc.

These 2 concertos are true neglected pearls. Although the theme-development and the length are a bit redundent and the whole work overall lack of great depth like those of Mozart or Beethovan's, these 2 lovely pieces are full of wonderful passages and exuberant sweet melodies. The performance are good enough, the sounds are well too.

Paderewski's piano concerto Op. 17 is possibly the last romantic piano concerto of the XIX century. Based on many Polish national themes, expanded and exploited in characteristic bravura style, it was designed as a vehicle for the performer. Hovered and nourished by a febrile sentimentalism proper of the fin de siécle. Rich in melody, delightfully pianistic passage work and sumptuous style, one cannot forget Frederic Chopin (with pages such as both piano concertos or his celebrated pieces for piano and orchestra).

Until the three first decades of the last century, this Op. in hands of his own composer had a gratifying reception, then, it fell into oblivion until the middle sixties when experienced a sudden renaissance with pianists of the calibre of Earl Wild or Felicia Blumentha.. Fortunately, the interest for listening it has been ascending, and with the arrival of the digital technology we have had the chance to relive and even know other versions nor less important, like this one, for instance.

In case you get the Earl Wild version, you will be armoured, but in case you want to have another alternate version, this would be a wise option.

The Op. 59 hs name and surname. Watch for the version of Michael Ponti.

when I first read the only review with 1 star from "alscribji "TibbsinDC" I was pretty much appalled. Because, the tone it is written in is rather harsh and I personally felt the Piers Lane recording was rather good. BUT...being a musician myself and rather curios and all I actually bought the Earl Wild recording and although the words of "alscribji "TibbsinDC" are still very harsh, he is indeed correct. However, I am not sure if for an untrained "non-musician" ear the difference would be very obvious. For musicians though it is. So, now I own both. Piers Lane's recording of the piano concerto is not bad, don't get me wrong here. But given the choice now, and having heard the difference, I will stick with Earl Wild. For me the actual question is: Which pianos did they use? I love Boesendorfer, but I feel a Steinway would be the way to go for the Padarewski. Interesting to know if Lane used a Boesendorfer, which I personally believe because the sound is less crisp than from a Steinway, which I have the impression from the Wild recording which is very, very crisp. But I suppose this tidbit I will never find out ;o) About the orchestra: Of course, they are both good. But it seems to me that the conductor Jerzy Maksymiuk rushes the Glasgow BBC Scottish Symphony partially through the score, I don't hear things in this recording which are very clearly brought out in the other by Fiedler and the London Symphony. Bottom line is that I am so impressed with the Elan/Wild recording that I am actually going to give it as a Christmas present for several of my musician friends. I personally give the Piers Lane recording 3 stars though, because it remains a "GOOD" recording and is pleasing to an untrained ear. It just isn't as good as the other one. I hope that helps.

The Moszkowski concerto is one the great treasures of the late Romantic period. It is basically a "crowd-pleaser", full of beautiful melodies and lush orchestration, designed to pack the concert halls and earn its talented composer a fortune. As one of the greatest pianists of the 19th century, Moszkowski proudly displays his super-virtuosity in vast runs and arpeggios, complex chord passages, and generally amazing feats of pianism that produces the "Wow!" effect and has the listener coming back for more. Moszkowski was a passionate Jew and the concerto contains some lovely Hasidic themes that give it an intriguing Eastern European flavor. The effect is brilliant, sparkling music full of joy and the celebration of life.

The Paderewski concerto is another glittering crowd-pleaser and a worthy companion to the Moszkowski concerto. The pianist in this recording, Piers Lane, displays astonishing technique and plays the concertos with total authority. This is one my all-time favorite CDs and earns my highest recommendation.

This is a marvelous recording.Bravo for playing the unknown. This is a truely beautiful and passionate CD. We need more pianists to play these works. This was a suprisingly amazing CD. Buy this instead of the popular romantic concertos!

Hyperion's superbly executed and wonderfully adventurous Romantic piano concerto series is at the time of writing at its 49th release, and of all those, this one - the very first - is one of the best. Piers Lane is a superb soloist, infusing these two outstanding concertos with dreamy, atmospheric poetry to take them from the dazzling virtuouso pieces to the near-masterpieces they both are. That is, these are emphatically not empty vessels for breath-taking display of pianistic pyrotechnics, but thoughtful, strong, memorable and profound works, and they require exactly the poetry and commitment as well as the coruscating brilliance that Lane gives them.

Moszkowski's concerto is striking as much for its nimbly graceful and glowing character as for the pianistic fireworks it can be used to realize. It is also a truly endearing work, lavishly scored and genuinely atmospheric. The ideas are striking, but one might criticize the composer for being unwilling to let go of them after they've been developed as far as they can go. It doesn't sound that way in these performances, at once subtle and filled with smoldering drama as well as refined colorism and charm. Of course, you get the pianistic fireworks aplenty; the sunny and vigorous Scherzo is a case in point - Lane plunges in with fearless bravura and an almost dizzying array of smoldering colors

The even better Paderewski concerto is as breathtakingly realized. The first movement's atmospheric journey is wonderful (maybe the balance is a little off between soloist and orchestra, if I were to find a quibble) and wonderfully shaped and colored; the wistful, reflective and happy Romanza played with warmth and sensitivity (superb quieter playing) and the rumbustious, glittering finale with life and spirit. The support from BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra under Jerzy Maksymiuk is warm and full-blooded - which is, of course, crucial, especially in the Paderewski where much important material is given to the orchestra. Overall, this is a scintillating release of masterly music in excellent performances, strongly recommended

Delightful!!! Get them and sit back and enjoy. The old VOX recording is horrible at best.

The real discovery here is Moszkowski's brilliant concerto, "the best four-movement concerto since the Brahms Second" (because there are hardlothers). The Veteran collectors will recall Michael Ponti's LP. I've not heard the Naxos, but Piers Lane plays expertly, only slightly edged out by Daniel Bar-Ilan in the Moszkowski concerto, but the equal of Earl Wild and Arthur Fiedler in Paderewski's, which Boston SO/s pianist Jesus Maria Sanroma, a Cortot pupil, also recorded long ago. A notable addition to Hyperion's superb series of romantic piano concertos.

For Moszkowski I'd still hold out for Bar-Ilan and Alfredo Antonini with the Munich orchestra on Audiophon, for an example of great pianism by the former editor of "The Jerusalem Post" and advisor to Bibi Netanhahu, no less.