The Romantic Piano Concerto, Vol 34

[Cover graphic]

Compact Disc CDA67348

£13.99

There are three world premiere recordings on this charming disc of the complete music for piano and orchestra by the unaccountably neglected Gabriel Pierné.

In his time Pierné was hugely successful as composer, conductor and organist; a sort of latter-day Saint-Saëns, and indeed his music is very reminiscent of that composer. The earliest three works on this CD were all written between 1885 and 1890 and could easily be mistaken for the older composer, the piano concerto even follows the unusual layout of Saint-Saëns' 2nd piano concerto in having a scherzo but no slow movement. The Poeme symphonique of 1903 is harmonically more daring and reminiscent of Franck. This work is a true orchestral symphonic poem with the piano fully integrated into the musical argument, it is also perhaps the most impressive work on this disc and its obscurity is inexplicable.

A disc full of surprises, all of them pleasant!

Recorded in Caird Hall, Dundee, on 16, 17 May 2002

Recording Engineer: SIMON EADON
Assistant Recording Engineer: DAVID HINITT
Recording Producer: ANDREW KEENER
Piano: STEINWAY & SONS; prepared by PETER ROSCOE
Booklet Editor: TIM PARRY
Executive Producers: SIMON PERRY; MICHAEL SPRING

Duration: 52’14
DDD

The Romantic Piano Concerto - 34

Gabriel Pierne

STEPHEN COOMBS piano
BBC SCOTTISH SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
RONALD CORP conductor

Contents:

Piano Concerto in C minor

Allegro [8'01]
Scherzando [4'35]
Final [7'05]
Poëme symphonique in D minor Op 37 [13'02]
Fantaisie-Ballet in B flat major Op 6 [11'21]
Scherzo-Caprice in D major Op 25 [8'08]

Sleeve Notes

'Stephen Coombs savours the more exotic keyboard writing with confidence and a sure sense of style, contributing appropriately dazzling and light-fingered virtuosity when required' (International Record Review)

'This is the greatest thing since ice cream! ... Coombs and conductor Ronald Corp catch the concerto's sly leg-pull and puff the airy graciousness suffusing these youthful pieces with soufflé-like savoir faire' (Fanfare, USA)

'Every track on this disc is an absolute winner. Stephen Coombs revels in the myriad of notes that tear around the keyboard in such light-hearted mood, the pro-active orchestral partnership captured in a superb recording' (The Yorkshire Post - The Guide)

See also:: The Romantic Piano Concerto, Vol 1 - Moszkowski and Paderewski; The Romantic Piano Concerto, Vol 2 - Medtner; The Romantic Piano Concerto, Vol 3 - Mendelssohn Double Concertos; The Romantic Piano Concerto, Vol 4 - Arensky and Bortkiewiez; The Romantic Piano Concerto, Vol 5 - Balakirev and Rimsky-Korsakov; The Romantic Piano Concerto, Vol 6 - Dohnányi; The Romantic Piano Concerto, Vol 7 - Alkan and Henselt; The Romantic Piano Concerto, Vol 8 - Medtner; The Romantic Piano Concerto, Vol 9 - Eugen d'Albert; The Romantic Piano Concerto, Vol 10 - Weber; The Romantic Piano Concerto, Vol 11 - Scharwenka and Sauer; The Romantic Piano Concerto, Vol 12 - Parry and Stanford; The Romantic Piano Concerto, Vol 13 - Glazunov and Goedicke; The Romantic Piano Concerto, Vol 14 - Litolff; The Romantic Piano Concerto, Vol 15 - Hahn and Massenet; The Romantic Piano Concerto, Vol 16 - Huss and Schelling; The Romantic Piano Concerto, Vol 17 - Mendelssohn; The Romantic Piano Concerto, Vol 18 - Korngold and Marx; The Romantic Piano Concerto, Vol 19 - Tovey and Mackenzie; The Romantic Piano Concerto, Vol 20 - Brüll; The Romantic Piano Concerto, Vol 21 - Kullak and Dreyschock; The Romantic Piano Concerto, Vol 22 - Busoni; The Romantic Piano Concerto, Vol 23 - Holbrooke and Wood; The Romantic Piano Concerto, Vol 24 - Vianna da Motta; The Romantic Piano Concerto, Vol 25 - Edward MacDowell; The Romantic Piano Concerto, Vol 26 - Litolff; The Romantic Piano Concerto, Vol 27 - Saint-Saëns; The Romantic Piano Concerto, Vol 28 - Stojowski; The Romantic Piano Concerto, Vol 29 - Moscheles; The Romantic Piano Concerto, Vol 30 - Lyapunov; The Romantic Piano Concerto, Vol 31 - Fuchs and Kiel; The Romantic Piano Concerto, Vol 32 - Moscheles; The Romantic Piano Concerto, Vol 33 - Scharwenka; The Romantic Piano Concerto, Vol 35 - Herz; The Romantic Piano Concerto, Vol 36 - Moscheles; The Romantic Piano Concerto, Vol 37 - Nápravník & Blumenfeld; The Romantic Piano Concerto, Vol 38 - Rubinstein & Scharwenka; The Romantic Piano Concerto, Vol 39 - Delius and Ireland; The Romantic Piano Concerto, Vol 40 - Henri Herz; The Romantic Piano Concerto, Vol 41 - Friedrich Kalkbrenner; The Romantic Piano Concerto, Vol 42 - Alnæs & Sinding; The Romantic Piano Concerto, Vol 43 - Sterndale Bennett & Bache; The Romantic Piano Concerto, Vol 44 - Melcer; The Romantic Piano Concerto, Vol 45 - Hiller