Henselt - Piano Concerto Op. 16 (Lewenthal)
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- Опубликовано: 26 июл 2024
- Adolf Henselt (1814-1889), one of the most prolific pianists of the 19th century, composed his majestic Piano Concerto in F minor during the 1840s. Although revered by the likes of Clara Schumann, Liszt, and Rachmaninov, this concerto went all but forgotten in the 20th century. Its decline can almost certainly be attributed to its incredible difficulty - Henselt’s concerto is said to be at least as difficult as the Rach 3 or Brahms 2, while not possessing their overt technical flashiness or otherworldly musical ingenuity.
Nevertheless, the case can be made that this concerto rightfully belongs alongside the entries of Schumann, Grieg, Chopin, and Liszt in terms of musical quality. The lyrical sections are gorgeous and the compositional craft is evident. For example, the Relgioso theme (06:25), which seems to come out of the blue, is just a reworking of secondary theme 1 (a leap from the fifth to the eight scale degree, with a stepwise descent back). A similar connection exists to the theme in the A section of the 2nd movement. We also have some formal innovations like plunging directly from the solo exposition to the development in the first movement without the usual second orchestral ritornello, or making section B instead of A the triumphant return after section C in the rondo finale.
Only three recordings exist of this concerto (Lewenthal, Ponti, and Hamelin). Lewenthal’s is for me the most dramatic and exciting one.
1st Mov
00:00 Ritornello 1
00:00 Primary theme 1, 00:21 Primary theme 2
00:47 Transition
01:09 Secondary theme 1, 01:44 Secondary theme 2
01:50 Transition
02:17 Solo exposition
05:02 Development
09:18 Recapitulation
11:30 Coda
2nd Mov
12:50 Section A
15:21 Section B, with transition (16:54) based on material from A
17:50 Section A’
19:06 Coda
3rd Mov
19:57 Introduction, the material will later be used as link between sections
20:23 Section A, consisting of two primary themes (20:23 and 20:49) and a transition (21:00)
21:35 Section B, consisting of a bunch of secondary themes, the transition returns (23:06)
23:50 Section A, this time without the transitory theme
24:25 Section C, consisting of a development of the primary and transitory themes
25:40 Section B, this time in F major as opposed to Ab major
26:52 Section A arranged in a Coda-fashion based on primary theme 1
Performance: Raymnod Lewenthal (1923-1988), piano London Symphony Orchestra / Charles Mackerras Rec. 1969
A short lecture by Lewenthal on the concerto and it’s similarities to Rachmaninov: • R. Lewenthal lecturing... 
Видеоклипы
"Robert Schumann wrote glowingly about the concerto, and his wife Clara rushed to perform it shortly after its publication. Liszt and Hans von Bülow, too, would play it passionately. [...]
Liszt accomplished the unheard of: to sight-read the F minor concerto in a rehearsal in Leipzig from its manuscript. Henselt proceeded to record this event therein, adding that this feat never was nor ever will be equalled by anyone. Of such difficulty was the concerto that not even the composer felt satisfied with his own rendition and never publicly performed it." [translated from German]
- Marie Lipsius: Musikalische Studienköpfe. Vol 3 Ch. 2.
gutenberg.spiegel.de/buch/musikalische-studienkopfe-dritter-band-jungstvergangenheit-6958/2
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The Schumanns were paying lip service. They knew this was a piece of garbage. How could they not? Every note is contrived and/or stolen. This is an orchestrated harmony exercise, and a lousy one at that.
'Henselt was himself a virtuoso pianist as well as a composer, and Liszt was said to have admired his hands and his divine legato. His fingers had an unusual elasticity that allowed him to achieve a technique most players cannot hope for no matter how much they practise.
So challenging is Henselt’s only piano concerto that only three recordings of it exist, including one by Canadian virtuoso Marc-André Hamelin with the Scottish BBC Orchestra. The other two feature Raymond Lewenthal and Michael Ponti. As quoted in Harold C. Schoberg’s book Great Pianists, Anton Rubinstein himself struggled with the concerto and other Henselt pieces for days, and declared, “It was a waste of time, for they were based on an abnormal formation of the hand. In this respect, Henselt, like Paganini, was a freak.” '
Yes, the extensions in some of Henselt's works are impossible, but I've been able to play a couple of less demanding pieces, even though I have only sparrow's claws compared to Anton Rubinstein's eagle's talons (and of course a birdbrain compared to him as a musician).
Evren Ozel too now
One of the most underrated virtuosi of the romantic era, perhaps even more than Alkan.
Like the feline play on KSS' name.
I've lost count of how many times I have listened to this. I rank it just below Rach 3 in my pantheon of favourite piano concerti. Paul Wee is out with a new recording of this that just dazzles.
Astonishing! 👍
Almost criminal that this piece and its composer are not more popular.
The 'oceanic' theme about 3 minutes into the Busoni Piano Concerto seems to me indebted to material from the first movement of this great concerto ...
This concerto is fantastic ..
A fabulous piece in a fabulous performance.
One movement in, already love this
Semplicemente stupendo.
Grande esecuzione di Lewenthal.
Thanks for posting a sheet music version of this underrated and fantastic concerto!
just now exploring Henselt. WOW!
Rachmaninoff recording of "Where I a bird" Op.2 , Poéme d'Amour Op.3
@@SaintSaens0 Thank you for the suggestions! Rachmaninoff's recording is perfection.
I love the plangent passage that starts at 8:11 with the piano. The orchestral line ends serenely in the previous bar, and the piano picks up from the next like you've just recalled some deep tragedy.
Oh nice, thanks for doing this! :)
It's a beautiful piece, isn't it? Sorry if I beat you to uploading it ^^
No worries fam. :)
You two should kiss
Bravo bravo bravo super super super wow wow wow brilliance fantastic grandiose music concerto
Thank you! Extremely interesting!
Thanks for including fingerings. Makes it so much easier.
Are you practicing it?
😃
HaHa kidding, right?
Alesa, Larry Katz’s face is the best answer - he just kidding
Sure.
What a glorious work. Someone should urge Yunchan Lim to take it up. I can imagine him eating up its prodigious technical difficulty.
Now I know how to do CPR.
Good reference!
Tempestuous and brilliant performance. What a fantastically crafted concerto, bravura-infused and High Romantic in style-though I find it stern and somewhat overbearingly turbulent. Perhaps it is not a progressive piece of work, but it certainly doesn't come of as uninspired. For its time, I'm sure this Henselt work is a sufficiently monumental opus by itself. I'm glad the work is somewhat brought out to the light of day again.
Stunning.
I've noticed a lot of patterns from his etudes showing up here, which is not surprising, but pretty cool.
Those opening octaves got me quaking
Probably one of the hardest openings for a piano concerto, especially since the pianist has to play them completely cold
Alensa I’ll say! And do you know if I can find a video of it live?
@@maleficfig68 There isn't one, since literally no one seems to play this piece nowadays. The thing that comes closest is this video by Grimwood, where he talks about the concerto and plays some of it:
ruclips.net/video/-F32wiGSxNY/видео.html
Funniliy, he also references the beginning. Grimwood played the concerto live on Henselt's 200th birthday in a festival of the composer's hometown.
The most technically accurate pianist alive, MA Hamelin, ought to perform this live more. Personally, the solo part isn’t too difficult for me and something like Liszt’s Totentanz or Sorabji’s piano concertos make this concerto look like an intermediate level one subjectively. However, this is an extraordinarily beautiful work.
For a duck, it would’ve gotten them quacking
Haven’t heard this since college!
12:47 - II. Larghetto
19:57 - III.
It has everything a piano concerto needs, it deserves more Performances. The score looks similarly diffiicult as the Saint Saens concertos with all those neverending runs, but those are maybe more spectacular than the one by Henselt.
Agreed, the Saint-Saëns runs are very epic
Scheduled to perform this piece in February wish me luck friends~ 🎹
Good luck! You got it 😉
Are you performing it with The Orchestra Now by any chance? Came across your comment on this video while trying to write program notes for this piece for the concert :)
How did the concert go?
@@erika6651 He probably lied
@@MrFartyman44 possibly. Folks do love to storytell.
Wow! Great piece... and it really explains where Rachmaninoff learned to write for the piano.
Wow, Rachmaninoff German then! He was taught by Taneyev and Arensky in Russia. Henselt was living in Poland at this time. Still, I'm pleased you appreciate this masterpiece.
@@DavidA-ps1qr he meant the pianism has obviously influenced rachmaninoff. Something everybody on the planet said including rach himself. What next? You're going to say that Rach's moment musicaux 4 isn't very very heavily "inspired" by Henselt's Etude 1? Don't know why you're being so obtuse.
@@bitchslappedme Thank you for this, I have learnt something. Having researched further you are absolutely correct. I have to admit I'm very surprised, but having read a thesis written by a Dr. of Musical Arts at the University of Texas in 2020, I am completely wrong. Thank you again for correcting me. David A.
@@DavidA-ps1qr Just to add another example. The opening the Rachmaninoff's Prelude in C-sharp minor is very clearly taken from the bars on minute 15:49 . There's alot of heavy heavy "inspiration" of Henselt on Rach's early works.
Cheers
@@bitchslappedme Just listened to it and you're right again. I'm annoyed I haven't spotted this before. I just didn't connect the two. You know your music that's for sure. :-)
3:32-3:36 really reminds me of the transition to the second theme in the first movement of Chopin Concerto 2 (but a Godowsky-ified version lol)
Yes -- great get!! It is very much so.
It would be a memorable night to see Yuja Wang perform this concerto.
Yes a dream come true.
During the last six bars of the first movement the performer plays flourishes where the sheet music says he should be silent. Does anyone know why? Are there several editions of the work?
some passages of the 1st movement remind me of Chopin‘s 2nd piano concerto in Fm
27:10
The additions that Lewenthal makes to the final few bars from 12:29 are hilarious
Thanks for mentioning -- I'm very familiar with this recording and had never realized that the written piano part ends without that!!
@Gavin Yerg It's just Mr. Lewenthal revelling in his own virtuosity. It's not at all serious (and doesn't need to be), and I happen to find it quite funny. It doesn't make me rate the recording any lower.
He's being true to the tradition of concert pianists adding embellishments over the score.
Thanks for noticing that. I hadn't, but I wasn't following the score. Actually, the flourish works & is quite idiomatic. @@vaclavmiller8032
@@ReichthoffActually, you're right!
Did Liszt really sightreaded this?
Yes
Yes to be expected of the best pianist known to man. I think alkan could do it with ease to tho
Of course he did not. Liszt was a formidable virtuso, but let's be serious and realistic: nobody can sightread such a monstrous piece. Liszt's legends are quite exaggerated.
@@p-y8210
The best pianist know to man until the 20th century. Besides, Brahms's pianism was as remarkable as Liszt's.
@@dreamsdreams9493 But actually I've read in an German classical music journal that Brahms wasn't a really big virtuoso. He was ofc very good at the piano but there we're much more better pianist
Do you know where we can find the full sheet music (with orchestra)?
15:49 Rachmaninoff's Prelude in C-sharp minor lol.
Great catch. Also add Rach's moment musicaux 4 and Henselt's Etude 1. And you see that young Rach was a big Henselt fan
@@bitchslappedme there is a very seemed Czerny etude from his etudes caracteristiques
@@bitchslappedmeIn his explication of this concerto on the disc accompanying this Lp, Lewenthal makes the same observation.
7:00
2:27 I guess they didn't feel like playing that chord?
They must have a different score
The upper part of the screen is the piano.
13:38
6:35
Hamelin's recording on Hyperion is soooooo much better.
Sounds like Chopin.
Why did a metronome suddenly turn on? 3:09-3:16
the 4 staffs in the Larghetto seem pretty excessive, i mean he could've easily put everything in 2 staffs and it would have looked fine, likely even better.
@Rónálðór Dáviðson not talking about the composition but the sheet music
Henselt knew better than you
@@therealtruetwelfth798 just an opinion
@@therealtruetwelfth798 Nahhhh henselt just thought it looked cooler (which it does)
2nd mov.
15:22 on - !!!
I wouldn't be surprised if Henselt was the first to use 4-staff writing for the piano like that. At least I don't know of any instances before this.
How do you use this rhythm for CPR? Its all over the place.
What
What is cpr
Cardiopulmonary resuscitation
@@adamhall7227 I thought you might be talking about something else. IDK what you mean the rhythm is straight forward.
Heroically
The Anton Rubinstein 4th Piano Concerto is supposed to be extremely difficult, also but this one sounds worse. However, the Rubinstein is a great piece of music, IMO. This one by Henselt is pretty mediocre musically speaking. Just my opinion, FWIW.
Although I appreciate the technical aspects of this work and it would be fun to play through it a few times this work suffers from a fundamental lack of catchy melodies or themes. I'm not saying it doesn't have moments but generally it's just a lot of arpeggios and octave runs we've all heard an played a thousand times before. Technically brilliant, musically mediocre.
I'm glad somebody pointed that out. It disappeared from the repertoire not just because of its difficulty.
I can't believe people canstill listen to this . Strauss got it right in his Burlesque and yet the late Romantic concerto was already gone . Martucci,Rubinsein Henselt,Arensky just burned into embers .
spot-on
This isn’t late Romantic music. It was written before Liszt even published the 1st of his concerti. What are you on about?
Thanks for uploading, I did not know this composer. The pianist and the Orchestra do a great job. I thought from the description it might be like Chopin, now I think it's more like Liszt. I can listen to Chopin pianoconcerti over and over again, but I will not repeat listening to this. I feel the melodies are no where as good as Chopin's and it has a lot of pompous full ornamentals and unnecessary drama going on without the substance to back it up. Does not surprise me that it did not stand the test of time. Still, it is a monumental composition. But not great.
If you associate this to liszt you certainly need to know more of his lol
Chopin e minor concerto? These guys really were all copying the man
Where is the concerto being referenced exactly?
and Chopin modelled his e minor concerto on parts of Hummel's excellent 2nd Piano Concerto but was able to develop it into something new. Nonetheless, it's worth knowing about some of the concertos which have slipped by the wayside. Eg. Scharwenka's 1st has something (esp. the 2nd Mvt).
@@MorganHayes_Composer.Pianist Chopin modeled his e minor after kalkbrenner concerto 2, some Hummel, but more Kalkbrenner
@@SaintSaens0 a very tangible influence for sure! I wasn’t aware of him. The Hummel is the greater piece I’d say . There’s real substance there .
@@MorganHayes_Composer.Pianist The Kalkbrenner 2 is a very poor concerto. Hummel by far is a better composer and his a minor concerto is really great, especially the end of the third mov.