Xaver Scharwenka - Piano Concerto No. 2 in C minor - Composer: Franz Xaver Scharwenka (6 January 1850 -- 8 December 1924) - Orchestra: Hamburg Symphony Orchestra - Conductor: Richard Kapp - Soloist: Michael Ponti - Year of recording: 1969-1971 Concerto for piano & orchestra No. 2 in C Minor, Op. 56, written in 1881. 00:00 - I. Allegro 17:19 - II. Adagio 25:53 - III. Allegro non troppo Just over three years after Scharwenka composed his popular Piano Concerto No.1, the Piano Concerto No. 2 in C minor appeared, and, with the composer as soloist, was given its premiere in Vienna on 12 December 1880, followed by a performance at the Allgemeinen Deutsches Musikverein in Magdeburg in June of the following year. Although he had been specifically commended for his originality in the first concerto, with the second Scharwenka adopted a more conservative approach, returning to classical sonata form, and looking back to the concertos of Chopin and Hummel as his role models, but within the musical idiom of the later nineteenth century. Obviously, some reviewers were critical, but others were more enthusiastic considering the new work to be superior to its predecessor, and praised it as a work of distinction and finesse, clear in form with perfect balance between the orchestra and soloist. Furthermore, it was well received by the public and was yet another success for the composer, who performed it frequently. - The concerto falls into the normal three-movement pattern (fast--slow--fast), with the first movement Allegro being the most substantial and offering a rich contrast between the principal statement together with its subsidiary themes, and the extended lyrical second subject. The technical demands on the pianist are considerable and ample evidence of Scharwenkas own remarkable abilities as a performer, although he was at the same time renowned for his fine sense of judgement and musicianship, and consequently the virtuosic piano writing never seems superfluous. - The second movement, Adagio, owes more than a little to Chopin, especially in the first theme which is given unaccompanied to the piano after a short introduction from the strings of the orchestra. However, as the movement develops, so Scharwenka finds his own identity, and after building several climaxes closes with an air of tranquillity, leaving us perfectly poised for the finale. - Scharwenkas Polish origins are echoed in the main subject of the third movement, Allegro non troppo, which is distinctly Eastern European, perhaps also with a slightly Yiddish colouring, although there is no evidence to suggest that Scharwenka had any Jewish family connections. The movement basically follows a rondo format, with the coda reintroducing material from the first movement, bringing the concerto to a brilliant conclusion in the affirmative key of C major. https://youtube/watch?v=Kst-hhHfwHk
Posted on: Thu, 16 Oct 2014 14:20:47 +0000
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