MOSCHELES : Piano Concerto No 2 In E Flat Major • Piano Concerto No 3 In G Minor • Anticipations Of Scotland, Op 75 (Howard Shelley · Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra) (2002) Serie The Romantic Piano Concerto – 29 | FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

With this 29th volume in the Romantic Piano Concerto series we commence a cycle of three CDs that we hope will include all eight of Moscheles' piano concertos. It also marks the start of our exploration of concertos from the earlier part of the 19th century, which we have so far rather neglected.

Moscheles, though born in Prague, was a truly cosmopolitan figure. He studied in Vienna and then, after a short stay in Paris, settled in London for over 20 years before returning in 1846 to Leipzig where he spent the rest of his life. His musical roots were in the Viennese classics of Mozart and Beethoven and he was one of many pianist composers (other examples being Hummel and Kalkbrenner) who bridged the gap between the classical and the Romantic period but who were forgotten when the next wave of revolutionaries (Chopin, Liszt, Schumann) arrived. His concertos were written in the 1820's and 30's (the last in 1838) and therefore more than half were actually written in England. The first five (including the two here recorded) follow the traditional three movement pattern whereas the last three are shorter more thematically connected works, the third is undoubtedly his most famous and it remained in the repertoire throughout the 19th century.

Anticipations of Scotland is a pot-pourri of Scottish folk tunes that Moscheles wrote for performance in concerts he gave in Edinburgh in 1827.

We are delighted that Hyperion artist of old Howard Shelley has returned to us for this cycle of concertos. The wonderful understanding he has shown of Mozart and Hummel make him the ideal interpreter of this music in which he directs the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra, of which he is a regular guest conductor, from the keyboard. Hyperion

Ignaz Moscheles (1794-1870)
        
Piano Concerto No 2 in E flat major Op 56 [30'54]
                    
Piano Concerto No 3 in G minor Op 58 [29'26]
                    
Anticipations of Scotland 'A grand fantasia' Op 75 [14'57]

Credits :
Orchestra – Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra
Piano, Conductor, Producer – Howard Shelley

MOSCHELES : Piano Concerto No 1, Op 45 • Piano Concerto No 6, Op 90 • Piano Concerto No 7, Op 93 (Howard Shelley · Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra) (2003) Serie The Romantic Piano Concerto – 32 | FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

The continuation of our survey of Moscheles piano concertos brings us to three works which have never been recorded before. The 1st Concerto, written in 1819, is a very Mozartean affair; though the young composer had become a friend of Beethoven it seems the example of that composer's last three concertos hadn't been followed, instead we have a work full of charm, grace and untroubled lyrical melody.

For his final three concertos (6,7 & 8) Moscheles broke away from the traditional three-movement structure and produced works that presage Liszt in their combination of fast and slow movements in one structure. These works, written in London in the 1830s, show that at that time Moscheles, later regarded as a traditionalist, was then at the forefront of the developing Romantic movement in music. The lessons of Beethoven, so absent in his first concerto, are now clearly learned. Howard Shelley has already proved himself the perfect exponent of the repertoire which bridges the classical and romantic period in music. His first Moscheles recording (Concertos 2 & 3 and 'Anticipations of Scotland') has met with universal acclaim and this release will surely follow. Hyperion

Ignaz Moscheles (1794-1870)
                
Piano Concerto No 1 in F major Op 45 [22'11]

Piano Concerto No 6 in B flat major 'Fantastique' Op 90 [16'57]

Piano Concerto No 7 in C minor 'Pathétique' Op 93 [22'10]

Credits :
Orchestra – Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra
Piano, Conductor, Producer – Howard Shelley

HERZ : Piano Concerto No 1, Op 34 • Piano Concerto No 7, Op 207 • Piano Concerto No 8, Op 218 (Howard Shelley · Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra) (2004) Serie The Romantic Piano Concerto – 35 | FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

Hyperion’s Record of the Month for June sees the thirty-fifth release in our award-winning Romantic Piano Concerto series, and three première recordings of concertos by Henri Herz.

Over the years Herz has had a very bad press, a situation begun through the writings of Robert Schumann and continued ever since, yet in his day—and this was primarily in the early part of his life—his music outsold all rivals, and his tours, particularly as the first major pianist to visit the USA, brought him huge success. This dichotomy is easily explained: Herz never tried to be a ‘great’ artist, though he was often judged against such criteria; he was an entertainer. Of course the concerto lends itself perfectly to this role and his eight concertos are full of charm, almost operatic melody and scintillating virtuosity, their model is Hummel, though in the later works Herz put less emphasis on virtuosity and more on lyricism. If we can accept that music need not be profound to be enjoyed we should welcome this revival of these works, the pop music of their time.

Needless to say Howard Shelley, who has made such exceptional recordings of the concertos of Hummel and Moscheles, is just the man for the job. He will follow up this recording with a second disc of Herz next year. Hyperion

Henri Herz (1803-1888)

Piano Concerto No 1 in A major Op 34 [25'46]

Piano Concerto No 7 in B minor Op 207 [17'50]

Piano Concerto No 8 in A flat major Op 218 [14'14]

Credits :
Orchestra – Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra
Piano, Conductor – Howard Shelley

MOSCHELES : Piano Concerto No.4 In E Major • Piano Concerto No.5 in C Major • Recollections Of Ireland, Op.69 (Howard Shelley · Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra) (2005) Serie The Romantic Piano Concerto – 36 | FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

Howard Shelley’s third disc in Hyperion’s traversal of the complete extant piano concertos by Ignaz Moscheles brings us triumphant performances of the fourth and fifth concertos which are complemented by a spirited rendition of the Recollections of Ireland, composed almost by way of thanks for divine deliverance from a storm-tossed crossing of the Irish Sea in 1826.

Piano Concerto No 4 represents the culmination of Moscheles’ output in the genre during his years as a touring virtuoso, and the results are every bit as pyrotechnical as this might lead one to expect. A precurser of the Chopin and Schumann concertos, here delicious melody and rumbustious joie de vivre combine (alongside a version of The British Grenadiers) in a work of immediate and lasting appeal.

The fifth concerto is something rather different, its audaciously progressive musical language initially proving something of a turn-off for contemporary audiences expecting ‘more of the same’. However, the work bristles with virtuosic display and strong themes – every bit a tribute to its composer’s idol, Beethoven, whose own C minor concerto provides the opening motif of Moscheles’ closing movement.

Recollections of Ireland is a crowd-pleasing fantasia based on four popular Irish tunes (‘The Groves of Blarney’ being better known today as ‘The Last Rose of Summer’) and provides Moscheles ample scope to indulge his passion for a good tune – and his facility at interweaving several good tunes …

The accompanying booklet gives full details of the works, of course, and also throws down the gauntlet to the interested listener: Hyperion is committed to recording the missing Piano Concerto No 8 – if anyone can shed any light on where the music might be, many years of international searching having so far drawn a blank. Hyperion

Ignaz Moscheles (1794-1870)
                
Piano Concerto No 4 in E major Op 64 [26'01
    
Piano Concerto No 5 in C major Op 87 [30'36]

Recollections of Ireland Op 69 [15'22]

Credits :
Orchestra – Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra
Conductor, Piano – Howard Shelley

HERZ : Piano Concerto No 3, Op 87 • Piano Concerto No 4, Op 131 • Piano Concerto No 5, Op 180 (Howard Shelley • Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra) (2006) Serie The Romantic Piano Concerto – 40 | FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

Of Heinrich "Henri" Herz, English musicologist George Grove once remarked: "Herz found out what the public liked and what would pay, and this he gave to them." In this, the second volume devoted the Herz's piano concertos in Hyperion's apparently endless The Romantic Piano Concerto series, English virtuoso Howard Shelley turns in performances of the Parisian, neé Viennese, composer's Third, Fourth, and Fifth works in the genre. Shelley certainly gives his considerable all to the works, tearing up and down the keyboard in the Allegros with dazzling runs, racing arpeggios, and flashing double octaves and soaring through the Andantes with a melting tone, a smooth legato, and a discreet pedal. Leading from the keyboard, Shelley also elicits first-class playing from the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra, which, with its strong strings, characterful winds, and powerful brass, sounds as fine as the best orchestras from the antipodes. As for the works themselves, imagine Chopin without genius, Liszt without wit, Moscheles without charm, and Thalberg without content and you have a pretty good idea of what to expect. For fans of Hyperion's Romantic Piano Concerto series, Shelley's Herz disc will be another unexpected find. For those whose interest in the genre extends no further than Grieg or Schumann, this disc may be of marginal interest. Hyperion's sound from the Federation Concert Hall in Hobart is not nearly as warm, as full, or as deep as the sound of recordings made in the northern hemisphere. James Leonard  

Henri Herz (1803-1888)

Piano Concerto No 3 In D Minor Op 87    (30:21)

Piano Concerto No 4 In E Major Op 131    (22:40)

Piano Concerto No 5 In F Minor Op 180    (15:59)

Credits :
Orchestra – Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra
Piano, Conductor – Howard Shelley

KALKBRENNER : Piano Concerto No 1, Op 61 • Piano Concerto No 4, Op 127 (Howard Shelley · Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra) (2005) Serie The Romantic Piano Concerto – 41 | FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

 

This release is part of a large series devoted to forgotten concertos of the Romantic era by British pianist Howard Shelley and the unheralded but very strong Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra. Friedrich Kalkbrenner was the top dog among Parisian pianists until Chopin and Liszt came along. He overestimated his own importance in relation to Chopin and Mendelssohn, and as a result he has suffered from a case of bad press in the history books. But Chopin, it should be remembered, continued to admire him, and Shelley makes a good case for his revival here. The chief attraction of the Piano Concerto No. 2, Op. 85 (1826), and Piano Concerto No. 3, Op. 107 (1829), is that they effectively integrate deep virtuosity into a passable early Beethoven concerto structure. They are not like Chopin's concertos where the orchestra serves mostly to lay down a few chords and turn the piano part loose. Perhaps the more successful is the Piano Concerto No. 3, with its ambitious opening movement that sets up the piano exposition with a nifty solo cello melody; distinctly less so is the Adagio and Allegro di bravura, Op. 102, the very essence of empty display. One feels that Shelley, with his seemingly effortless facility, is just the right pianist for this music, which will certainly interest anyone wondering what kind of music Chopin heard when he arrived in Paris. James Manheim

Friedrich Kalkbrenner (1785-1849)

Piano Concerto No 1 In D Minor    (30:39)

Piano Concerto No 4 In A Flat Major Op 127    (28:17)

Credits :
Orchestra – Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra
Piano, Conductor – Howard Shelley