The Romantic Piano Concerto, Vol. 85: Reinecke

by Simon Callaghan, Modestas Pitrenas, Sinfonieorchester St. Gallen

Overview

Carl Reinecke was born in 1824 and lived long enough to make a recording; he was the first composer to record his own music and among the first pianists to record at all. In his own time, he was spoken of in the same breath as Brahms, but nowadays, except for a few incidental pieces, he is largely forgotten. Hearing this recording of three of Reinecke's four piano concertos in the hands of Simon Callaghan and the Sinfonieorchester St. Gallen, it is hard to understand the neglect. Was he Brahms? No, Brahms is a lifetime rabbit hole, but neither is he derivative of anyone else. There are surely elements of Brahms in this music and of Mendelssohn, but many of Reinecke's ideas are his own. The slow movements are lovely; that of the Piano Concerto No. 4 in B minor, Op. 254, is like an operatic scene without words. Reinecke was a touring pianist, and the outer movements effectively merge virtuosity with complex sonata forms. Sample the first movement of the Piano Concerto No. 1 in F sharp minor, Op. 72, where the piano solos have an attractive and dramatic quasi-improvisatory quality, drawing on the harmonic structure but not so much the melodic material of the tutti. This concerto is probably the strongest of the three and could be added profitably to any symphonic concert, but nothing here could be called dull; the performances are clean, and the sound environment of St. Gallen's symphony hall ideal. ~ James Manheim

Product Details

Release Date:	01/06/2023
Label:	Hyperion
UPC:	0034571283395
Rank:	77602

Tracks

1. Piano Concerto No. 1 in F sharp minor Op. 72~Allegro
2. Piano Concerto No. 1 in F sharp minor Op. 72~Adagio ma non troppo
3. Piano Concerto No. 1 in F sharp minor Op. 72~Allegro con brio
4. Piano Concerto No. 2 in E minor Op. 120~Allegro
5. Piano Concerto No. 2 in E minor Op. 120~Andantino quasi allegretto
6. Piano Concerto No. 2 in E minor Op. 120~Allegro brillante
7. Piano Concerto No. 4 in B minor Op. 254~Allegro
8. Piano Concerto No. 4 in B minor Op. 254~Adagio ma non troppo
9. Piano Concerto No. 4 in B minor Op. 254~Allegretto

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Simon Callaghan   Primary Artist,Piano
Modestas Pitrenas   Primary Artist,Conductor
Sinfonieorchester St. Gallen   Primary Artist,Orchestra

Technical Credits

Ben Connellan   Engineer
Carl Reinecke   Composer
Simon Perry   Executive Producer
Annabel Connellan   Recording Producer
Marie-Stella Paris   Liner Note Translation
Kaupo Kikkas   Photography
Igor Keller   Leader
Todd Harris   Booklet Editor
Marianne Schmid   Piano Technician
Viola Scheffel   Liner Note Translation
Jeremy Nicholas   Liner Notes