Scharwenka: Piano Concertos Nos. 1 and 2

Track Listings

1. Piano Concerto No. 1 in B-flat major: Allegro patetico

2. Piano Concerto No. 1 in B-flat major: Scherzo: Allegro assai

3. Piano Concerto No. 1 in B-flat major: Allegro non tanto

4. Piano Concerto No. 2 in C minor: Allegro

5. Piano Concerto No. 2 in C minor: Adagio

6. Piano Concerto No. 2 in C minor: Allegro non troppo

Tracks:

Piano Concerto No. 1 in B-flat major: Allegro patetico
Piano Concerto No. 1 in B-flat major: Scherzo: Allegro assai
Piano Concerto No. 1 in B-flat major: Allegro non tanto
Piano Concerto No. 2 in C minor: Allegro
Piano Concerto No. 2 in C minor: Adagio
Piano Concerto No. 2 in C minor: Allegro non troppo

Customer Reviews:

Joyful concertos.......2005-09-30

Scharwenka's Piano Concerto No 1 in B-flat minor begins boisterously like the arrival of friends already in party mood and continues in sometimes quiet but always cheerful spirit. Scherzo introduces a giggling theme that becomes a dance with a catchy tune that bounces round your head for days. Serious drama arrives in the final movement gradually resolving into joyful song.
Concerto No 2 in C Minor has rhapsodic opening and closing movements separated by a gentle adagio. The closing section shows Sharwenka at his showy and rambunctious best. Splendid piano playing is supported by enthusiastic, committed and muscular orchestral sound. These are zesty and enjoyable performances that endear themselves with repeated playing.

Recording Good, but no match for the Competition.......2005-06-05

I bought this recording hoping for the best. I have Wild and Tanyel for the first concerto plus Tanyel for Concerto No.2 and of course, Raymond Lewenthal for the last movement of the 2nd. My love for Tanyel's recording of the 2nd concerto will last forever-one of her best recordings. This recording is ok, but I miss the viruosity and muscularity of Tanyel's readings. I prefer Wild in the 1st concerto to either. Tanyel's first is hard to come by since Collins classics became defunct-hopefully Hyperion will rerelease it. I would try this one before you buy like I did.

Excellent performances of the earliest Scharwenka concertos.......2003-11-17

Where until recently we had to make do with only one recorded Scharwenka piano concerto, and his least one at that (Earl Wild's version of No. 1 together with Erich Leinsdorf's Bostonians), recent years have seen a relative flood of recordings (note the word 'relative').
Next to this recording there is Tanyel's combination of concertos 2&3 (originally a Collins recording) and Stephen Hough's fourth concerto, both on Hyperion. Whereas I consider the Hough disc still the finest Scharwenka on the market, both in terms of musical content and playing, this comes a very close second indeed.
A minor detraction is that the first concerto is not quite up to the standard of the other three. Although filled with enough musical showmanship, it is a bit too ramboisterous and therefore may come across as somewhat vulgar. The second concerto, although no less a vehicle for displaying the soloists' talents, is an infinitely superior piece, more mature both in development of its material as in playing out its structure. Contrary to its predecessor, it never comes across as over-indulgent, and Scharwenka's sense of melody is amply demonstrated throughout the piece.
Jeanningros' playing is immaculate, resticted when it needs to be but quite capable of producing the thunderous effects that this music sometimes requires. Paul Freeman's Czechs (a very good orchestra indeed) do an admirable job in accompaying her. I would prefer this version over that by Tanyel (Hyperion), who admittedly has the advantage of a more attractive coupling (2&3). Heck, why not get both? The music won't make you regret it.

NEW AND EXCITING!!!.......2001-09-15

IN EXPLORING I FOUND AND HEARD SAMPLES OF THESE CONCERTOS AND WASBLOWN AWAY.IF YOU'RE LOOKING FOR VIRTUOSITY AND WONDERFUL MELODIESINSTEAD OF THE "USUAL"CONCERTOSTHIS IS THE ALBUM FOR YOU.

NEW AND EXCITING!!!.......2001-09-15

IN EXPLORING I FOUND AND HEARD SAMPLES OF THESE CONCERTOS AND WASBLOWN AWAY.IF YOU'RE LOOKING FOR VIRTUOSITY AND WONDERFUL MELODIESINSTEAD OF THE "USUAL"CONCERTOSTHIS IS THE ALBUM FOR YOU.

Track Listings:

Track Listings

track listings

Track Listings

High Road To China (1983 Film) [Import] [Soundtrack]

Mauricio Kagel: Sankt-Bach-Passion

Josh at Midnight: Sings Ballads & Blues

Clair de Lune [Live]

It Was 30 Years Ago [Import]

I Will Survive

Moon River [Import]

Ka & Ttai: Suites for Piano

Hymn for a Glad Tomorrow

Jaws

Minimum-Maximum [Live]

Latin Passion [Import]

Exitos De Oro [Import]

Masters of Metal: Crankin' up 1970-1980

For the Love of Harry: Everybody Sings Nilsson

1. Piano Concerto No. 1 in B-flat major: Allegro patetico
2. Piano Concerto No. 1 in B-flat major: Scherzo: Allegro assai
3. Piano Concerto No. 1 in B-flat major: Allegro non tanto
4. Piano Concerto No. 2 in C minor: Allegro
5. Piano Concerto No. 2 in C minor: Adagio
6. Piano Concerto No. 2 in C minor: Allegro non troppo