Emil von Sauer; Xaver Scharwenka - Piano Concertos (Stephen Hough)

Information

Composer: Emil von Sauer; Xaver Scharwenka

• X. Scharwenka - Piano Concerto No. 4 in F minor, Op. 82
• Sauer - Piano Concerto No. 1 in E minor

Stephen Hough, piano

City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra

Lawrence Foster, conductor

Date: 1995

Label: Hyperion

https://www.hyperion-records.co.uk/dc.asp?dc=D_CDA66790

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Review

Here, surely, is the jewel in the crown in Hyperion's absorbing series, The Romantic Piano Concerto; a flawless marriage of composer, performance, recording and presentation. Scharwenka's Fourth Piano Concerto (his own particular favourite) is a far cry from his early, ubiquitous success, the E flat minor Polish Dance (''that fatal romp'' as he called it). Grand, Lisztian ambitions are fulfilled and embellished in writing of the most ferocious intricacy and the tarantella finale, in particular, throws everything at the pianist, seemingly simultaneously. It is therefore hardly surprising that after early triumphs the Fourth Concerto fell into neglect. At its second performance, given in 1910 with Scharwenka as soloist and Mahler as conductor, it was described as being of a ''truly Dionysian and bewildering brilliancy'', a phrase that, lifted into our own times, encapsulates Stephen Hough's astonishing performance. For here is a scintillating wit and ebullience that will make lesser technicians and stylists weep with envy. As magisterial as it is ear-tickling and affectionate, his playing glows with warmth in the third movement Lento and pulses with the most nonchalant glitter in the finale; one guaranteed to strike down less intrepid and fluent spirits with St Vitus's dance.

Then there is Sauer's First Concerto, its key a warm, over-the-shoulder memory of Chopin's E minor Concerto, yet with a style and content to make even the least susceptible listeners' heads nod and feet tap. The Cavatina is as luscious and enchanting as the finale is teasingly brief and light-hearted. Throughout, haunting melodies are embroidered with the finest pianistic tracery and, once again, the performance is bewitching. In the Cavatina Hough's caressing, fine-spun tone and long-breathed phrasing are a model for singers as well as pianists, and in the finale there is a lightly deployed virtuosity that epitomizes his aristocratic style.

Naturally, the spotlight falls unashamedly on the soloist in such music, but the orchestra have no small part in the proceedings, and Lawrence Foster and the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra are superbly resilient and enthusiastic, with strings that sing their hearts out, notably in the third movement of the Sauer. These are both premiere recordings, and the sound and balance are exemplary. But my final word must go to Stephen Heliotis who first offered these concertos to Hough for his delectation and unremitting toil, and whose accompanying notes deserve separate publication for their wit and perspicacity. A record, then, to rival and, indeed perhaps surpass Stephen Hough's early Gramophone Award-winning disc of Hummel concertos (Chandos, 6/87).

-- Bryce Morrison, GramophoneGramophone

More reviews:
https://www.musicweb-international.com/classrev/2002/Aug02/Scharwenka_Saur.htm

https://www.amazon.com/Scharwenka-Piano-Concerto-Minor-Romantic/dp/B000002ZW1

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Emil von Sauer (8 October 1862 – 27 April 1942) was a notable German composer, pianist, score editor, and music (piano) teacher. He studied with Nikolai Rubinstein at the Moscow Conservatory between 1879 and 1881, then went on to study with Franz Liszt for two years. From 1882, Sauer made frequent and successful tours as a virtuoso pianist; his performing career lasted until 1940. Along with editing the complete piano works of Johannes Brahms and a number of academic works by Pischna, Plaidy and Kullak, Sauer wrote piano concertos, piano sonatas, concert études, piano pieces, and lieder.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emil_von_Sauer

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Xaver Scharwenka (6 January 1850 – 8 December 1924) was a German-Polish pianist, composer and teacher of Bohemian-Polish descent. As a pianist, he was a renowned interpreter of the music of Frédéric Chopin and was praised for the beauty of his tone. Scharwenka's own compositions include an opera (Mataswintha), a symphony, four piano concertos, chamber music (all with piano part) and numerous piano pieces. His piano idiom somewhat resembles Schumann and Rachmaninoff. He was the brother of Philipp Scharwenka (1847–1917), who was also a composer and teacher of music.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xaver_Scharwenka

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Stephen Hough (born 22 November 1961) is a British-born classical pianist, composer and writer. He studied at Chetham's School of Music and the Royal Northern College of Music, and also holds a master's degree from the Juilliard School. A prominent soloist, he is also a composer and transcriber, and often includes his own works in his recitals. Hough has recorded more than 60 albums, and is known for championing lesser-known composers. As a teacher, he is a visiting professor of piano at the Royal Academy of Music, and the International Chair of Piano Studies at the Royal Northern College of Music.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stephen_Hough

https://stephenhough.com/

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