Xaver Scharwenka - Piano Concerto No. 2 in C minor

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- 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
When he returned to the genre in 1881, with the Second Piano Concerto in C minor, Scharwenka seemed stylistically to be taking a step back. The concerto has less rhetorical and lyrical sweep than its predecessor and more of a conservative hue.
- The figure of Brahms looms large, not only in the scale of the first movement - at almost twenty minutes, it constitutes half of the concerto - but also in the greater muscularity of the solo part and the more conventional interchanges between soloist and orchestra. The piano writing is more challenging too, made weightier by the doubling of its lines in sixths, another Brahmsian trait.
- Yet Chopin is never far away. After the muted strings have opened the central Adagio, the piano embarks on a Chopinesque nocturne, marked dolce. Its tranquillity, despite occasional forthright moments, is a perfect foil not only for the grandness of the opening Allegro but also for the sparkling folk dance that infuses the finale. This movement may draw comparison with the finale of Brahms’s Second Piano Concerto, also completed in 1881, but here the 2/4 metre evidently looks towards Scharwenka’s native Poland.
- Although the finale lacks the prominent characteristic of the krakowiak - a syncopated emphasis on the second note - the rising melodic line and ornamental turns and trills are very much a part of that duple-metre Polish dance. The vivacious main idea is interspersed with quieter moments, and towards the end Scharwenka softens the folk rhythms with triplets. As the music in the closing stages heads through tonal peregrinations that are startling even for him, Scharwenka cannot resist a brief backward glance, in the major key, to the concerto’s opening idea.

Пікірлер: 83

  • @Amourtendresse
    @Amourtendresse3 ай бұрын

    Le paroxysme de la passion dès l'intro, waouh ! Quel compositeur, il est fantastique ❤️ J'adore tous ses concertos, on ne peut pas s'ennuyer et 👏 au pianiste virtuose ainsi qu'à l'orchestre. 🎶❤️❤️❤️🎶

  • @utsteinproductions
    @utsteinproductions3 жыл бұрын

    Both Xaver and Philip Scharwenka have produced wonderful pieces. I highly recommend listening to them.

  • @marcalexandrefontenay9801
    @marcalexandrefontenay98012 жыл бұрын

    Entre Brahms et Rachmaninoff ce 2 e de Scharwenka est brillant et fougueux merveilleusement emmené par M Ponti dans les années 70 !

  • @emilyhutjes
    @emilyhutjes7 ай бұрын

    Another wonderful piano concerto by Scharwenka ! Thank you so much ! 🌷🌷🌷(Netherlands)

  • @robertcohn8858
    @robertcohn88583 жыл бұрын

    There is a universe of superb exciting piano concertos, such as this one by Scharwenka, that we might never hear if it were not for olla-vogala. Thank you so much for posting.

  • @marichristian1072
    @marichristian10728 жыл бұрын

    I wonder why Scharwenka isn't better known? A magnificent piano concerto. Yes, I certainly hear Brahms and Chopin. An admirable performance. My thanks Olla-Vogala.

  • @olla-vogala4090

    @olla-vogala4090

    8 жыл бұрын

    +Mari Christian Thank you, Mari. I guess Scharwenka fell into obscurity when modernity in music became popular, and pieces like this were suddenly considered old-fashioned... with only a few war-horses remaining in the standard piano literature, like Tchaikovsky's 1st PC. The Scharwenka 1st piano concerto has enjoyed about 3-4 recordings over the past decades, so he is becoming popular again, luckily. Be prepared for his 3rd and 4th PC tomorrow! :)

  • @marichristian1072

    @marichristian1072

    8 жыл бұрын

    I'm glad to hear because I think his work is anything but"old fashioned". The third movement is glorious with Mazurka- like touches.

  • @harryandruschak2843

    @harryandruschak2843

    8 жыл бұрын

    +Mari Christian Lack of time, and caution. Orchestras can only play a certain amount of hours per year, and play safe with the warhorses. Classical Music radio stations also tend to be conservative. My own opinion (not endorsed by my three cats >^..^

  • @marichristian1072

    @marichristian1072

    8 жыл бұрын

    + Harry Andruschak: As an old lady myself, I agree with all of your points. Sometimes I long to attend an opera but never quite make it. Yes KZread is a treasure--and my cat agrees!

  • @Verokitty1979

    @Verokitty1979

    7 жыл бұрын

    Cats are wise!!

  • @nickh1933
    @nickh1933 Жыл бұрын

    Glorious!!

  • @richardharting2490
    @richardharting249010 ай бұрын

    A fabulous technique and a great performance.

  • @fulviopolce9785
    @fulviopolce97853 жыл бұрын

    Un'altra grande concerto di Scharwenka, affascinante per ricchezza tecnica ,melodica e virtuosismo.Ottima l'esecuzione di Ponti. Complimenti per questo inserimento,anche per le note sinottiche a corredo.

  • @owengette8089
    @owengette80892 жыл бұрын

    26:09 is so joyfully catchy

  • @DdavidoffC
    @DdavidoffC5 жыл бұрын

    Stellar performance from Ponti. There's some real brutal stuff in here...Scharwenka sure enjoyed throwing double-note figures into already lightning-quick passages, huh?

  • @gregorypalmer5403

    @gregorypalmer5403

    2 жыл бұрын

    Ponti got sort of a bad rap for flashy fingers but really a lot of that had to be the derision with which Scharwenka, Henselt and the other " High Romantics" were judged when Ponti was active. Even Raymond Lewenthal, who had enough clout to get a small " Romantic Revival" series at Columbia , late 1960s, just recorded the third movement. Stereo Review and High Fidelity, the two most popular classical magazines of the era, could be a bit snide at times about Rachmaninoff back then, into the mid-late 1970s. Times have changed and for the better in this instance! I well remember when it was announced that the full Ponti #2 would be coming out on Vox's " Candide" label. We fans of Romantic music, particularly those of us who sought esoterica, were so excited. I don't think there was a complete #2 on the market. If Vox's were $3.99 then Candide was $4.99. Big money ! Still, it was a budget price to Columbia/RCA's $5.99, and DG's $6.99, back then. Here's to Michael Ponti, fine pianist ahead of his time, and to good old Xaver as well !

  • @bugatti103
    @bugatti10311 ай бұрын

    nice late classical work - bravo!

  • @bowerdw
    @bowerdw3 жыл бұрын

    Another great work, lost in an ocean or great works.

  • @ralfsteinhage1310
    @ralfsteinhage13104 жыл бұрын

    Bravo !!!!!!

  • @larrykolber7877
    @larrykolber78773 жыл бұрын

    Brilliant with beautiful parts. Nobody ever wrote a perfect concerto. But can we just sit back and enjoy the piece. I have performed several and I know more than 100. Many underperformed concerti

  • @SaintSaens0

    @SaintSaens0

    3 жыл бұрын

    Joachim Raff piano concerto is the only perfect piano concerto. This one is stunning but the Raff concerto is the most genius concerto ever written.

  • @larrykolber7877

    @larrykolber7877

    3 жыл бұрын

    @@SaintSaens0 a great concerto agree. O understand he helped Liszt in orchestration of some Liszt compositions

  • @ciararespect4296

    @ciararespect4296

    29 күн бұрын

    I've performed all four of his.

  • @pierreparadis2469
    @pierreparadis2469 Жыл бұрын

    Œuvre sublime où l'on perçoit par instant l'ombre de Chopin ici aussi dans le caractère le plus noble du vrai Romantisme.tout aussi sublime la merveilleuse interprétation dont on voudrait souligner la magnifique Hauteur de vue dans ce qu'elle révèle de sensibilité dotée d'une imparable technique permettant la structuration des plans de l'œuvre comprise en son essence même à la fois riche et complet tel un miroir mystérieux qui nous ramène au monde merveilleux de notre enfance. Bien respectueusement et humblement. Bravo

  • @eva4adam451
    @eva4adam451 Жыл бұрын

    Fantastic music. Should be known.

  • @JouniSomeroMusic
    @JouniSomeroMusic2 жыл бұрын

    Ponti!!!

  • @ytyt3922
    @ytyt39225 жыл бұрын

    Whereas most people cite the 3rd or 4th concerti are their favourite, I’ve always preferred this one. Not sure why.

  • @Carmaiqel

    @Carmaiqel

    5 жыл бұрын

    This is my favourite one also. Can't help get back to this always. :)

  • @ziegunerweiser
    @ziegunerweiser8 жыл бұрын

    When I hear the name I immediately think of Moszkowski who was a fellow student of his, that and Earl Wild recorded some of his music, who I am a huge fan of.

  • @olla-vogala4090

    @olla-vogala4090

    8 жыл бұрын

    +scottbos68 Yes Wild made a fantastic recording of Scharwenka's 1st PC, which I wasn't able to use unfortunately (blocked by copyright in all countries...)

  • @ziegunerweiser

    @ziegunerweiser

    8 жыл бұрын

    I meant to say that the process of following Wild'recordings is how became introduced to these great masters. I may be wrong but I think Wild was the first to record any of his music.

  • @olla-vogala4090

    @olla-vogala4090

    8 жыл бұрын

    scottbos68 Yes Wild was at least the first to record Scharwenka's 1st PC.

  • @JAMESLEVEE

    @JAMESLEVEE

    7 жыл бұрын

    There were slight cuts taken in the finale of the Wild performance.

  • @gregorypalmer5403

    @gregorypalmer5403

    4 жыл бұрын

    Raymond Lewenthal around then , too. What is so interesting , sitting here in 2020 , is that when I got to know this fine concerto in the early 1970s, it and alot of the other Romantic Revival compositions were still widely derided as cheap flashy fluffy. And Ponti himself came in for a lot of flak. A lot of mean reviews. He was supposedly " superficial", and so on. I remember the Life magazine (!) classical guy, writing of a Ponti recital or concert, something along the lines of " By the end of the afternoon one just wanted to put their head down and listen to ' Fur Elise'" . Even Rachmaninoff was still being labeled " saccharine", and " maudlin" , through the 1970s. But this recording ( originally on " Candide" - Moss Music Group imprint) has held up well. What a nice concerto, after all. And turns out Ponti had a ton of talent. So glad to listen to this today; Thank you for posting it.

  • @larrykolber7877
    @larrykolber78773 жыл бұрын

    Great orchestration

  • @Mazurking
    @Mazurking3 ай бұрын

    incredibly beautiful second movement. wow!

  • @JJC333
    @JJC333 Жыл бұрын

    I think this piece sounds like Chopin would live longer about 71 years old to compose a concerto.

  • @TGMGame
    @TGMGame Жыл бұрын

    This reminds me of mid-classical to early-romantic

  • @leonmulder4988
    @leonmulder49885 жыл бұрын

    Ponti!!

  • @ivan_topor
    @ivan_topor2 жыл бұрын

    Концерт, кстати, шикарный. Мне прямо очень понравилось)

  • @bugatti103

    @bugatti103

    11 ай бұрын

    шикарный 🙏

  • @zeynepyorulmaz7084
    @zeynepyorulmaz70843 жыл бұрын

    A starring role which lets the supporting roles play.

  • @KyokoUchinoko
    @KyokoUchinoko5 жыл бұрын

    It was an unknown song, what a wonderful song! Have you ever listened to such a good music?

  • @PETERJOHN101
    @PETERJOHN1017 ай бұрын

    Brahmsian in flavor, my lips are still smacking 😊

  • @mbrough2799
    @mbrough279911 ай бұрын

    Oddly, there never seems to have been a published 2-piano score of this concerto.

  • @ProsperClips
    @ProsperClips2 жыл бұрын

    Where might one find, the orchestral score of this concerto (mvm 1)

  • @larrykolber7877
    @larrykolber78773 жыл бұрын

    A look back at Chopin and a forward look to Rachmaninoff

  • @rogernortman9219
    @rogernortman92193 жыл бұрын

    All 4 Scharwenka concerti are well written. The difference is that the first 2 are full of healthy emotions while the 3rd and 4th are full of sick emotions!

  • @knownfact4905

    @knownfact4905

    3 жыл бұрын

    "Sick," huh? Now I can't wait to hear them again!

  • @gregorypalmer5403

    @gregorypalmer5403

    2 жыл бұрын

    Well, more minor key, darker, more dramatic, maybe ?? I think all 4 are excellent in their own way.

  • @adrianobersano7466
    @adrianobersano74668 ай бұрын

    3:19

  • @kubacho_
    @kubacho_ Жыл бұрын

    25:53 27:39

  • @rogernortman9219
    @rogernortman92195 жыл бұрын

    I like the 1st Conc., love this 2nd, but the 3rd and 4th leave enthusiasm to be desired.

  • @gregorypalmer5403

    @gregorypalmer5403

    2 жыл бұрын

    Stick with 'em. You won't regret it .

  • @user-LeeSuhyeon
    @user-LeeSuhyeon10 ай бұрын

    6:03

  • @rogernortman9219
    @rogernortman92192 жыл бұрын

    This is the greatest concerto Beethoven could have written, but DIDN'T !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  • @ciararespect4296
    @ciararespect429629 күн бұрын

    I played this with my school orchestra. Sight read it 😂 A lot us just filler and fluff thirds sixth octaves etc standard technical fare but hardly musical or interesting

  • @nannerbenahs
    @nannerbenahs6 жыл бұрын

    I admire this composer's technical proficiency, but the music for me is ''soulless'', meandering without any spiritual purpose, without ''heart''. The technical flourishes are impressive but artificial, somehow lacking 'meaning'. There are moments of inspired sensitivity, but they are just ''moments''.. If all ''great'' composers composed like this..classical music would already be totally dead. It's because the greats have greater 'depth' and 'mystery' that they can enchant the minds and souls of both musical savants and people totally new to classical music.

  • @vesteel

    @vesteel

    6 жыл бұрын

    Sometimes the recording is the problem. Some people play like robots, some play with emotions.

  • @jamesmclaughlin7729

    @jamesmclaughlin7729

    6 жыл бұрын

    Most "great" composers (to me) are overrated, and composers like Scharwenka are just underexposed and of the same capacity. Just look at Liszt, expressive melodies but he's nothing but a showman on the piano and I couldn't care much for his music. I don't know how much you study these concertos, they are very technically demanding and have beautiful, lyrical, contrasting themes to all the technical stuff. Look at the Lento of the 4th concerto, soulless? I think not, it's not the music itself that is somewhat "soulless", it's the performance, as this performance is sub par... Overall though, Scharwenka is the most ideal mix of Romantic virtuosity and expression I have ever encountered, he even beats Chopin (only in virtuosity though).

  • @alexgarrard472

    @alexgarrard472

    6 жыл бұрын

    Eh, I think this is pretty good music.

  • @kellikim3850

    @kellikim3850

    6 жыл бұрын

    @james mcimlaughingatyou, if you think liszt is a show off sucky composer you should get off of "liebestraum no 3 2 hour version." have you listened to late liszt? his pieces are probably more forward looking and expressive than Scharwenka's. and what about liszt's great b minor sonata. probably the most popular example of liszt not composing hard stuff for the sake of being hard. "Overall though, Scharwenka is the most ideal mix of Romantic virtuosity and expression I have ever encountered, he even beats Chopin (only in virtuosity though)." i couldn't help but laugh at that statement. chopin's sonata no 3 is harder than this. (both musically and technically.) i'd wager that his sonata no 2 is harder than this.

  • @anakrousis

    @anakrousis

    6 жыл бұрын

    James Mclaughlin, there is a great deal more to Liszt than you seem to imagine. He is a character of great depth, and even basic familiarity with his biography and late output would prove that.

  • @marksmith3947
    @marksmith3947 Жыл бұрын

    Sorry, I'm not feeling it. Nothing stands out pianistically in the writing. The harmonies are conventional. I feel that the compositional line is always sagging. I don't care for his octave writing. It's not electric. Those are the minuses. It's definitely quite listenable, with a rich sound. However, I believe this piece deserves its obscurity

  • @Chorizo727

    @Chorizo727

    Жыл бұрын

    Poor you

  • @bananarepublic3440

    @bananarepublic3440

    Жыл бұрын

    And you have which level of education in music theory exactly?

  • @Pablo-gl9dj

    @Pablo-gl9dj

    Жыл бұрын

    Agree, between the soaring high points and some wonderful melodies there is too much uninspired filler. But I do enjoy listening to this concerto

  • @karlpoppins

    @karlpoppins

    Ай бұрын

    That's the reason a lot of these composers fell to obscurity after their deaths. I mean, this piece was written in 1881? It sounds like it was written easily 30-40 years prior, since it's so Chopinesque. How progressive/innovative a composer is for their time period is one of the main factors that propel their posthumous fame; if Mozart had written his symphonies in 1920 he'd be a nobody.

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