Alfred Hitchcock describing this piece, which he considered one of his favorites: "It opens like the most grandiose, huge, spectacular movie, probably by DeMille, and then reduces itself to a little twinkling on the piano. It always appealed to my sense of humor."
Simplicity is a goal above all other goals. Childhood times tables are more true than much else in this world. ruclips.net/video/_1ek9nE0trY/видео.html
This is one of the supreme delights of the concerto literature, one affirming the compositional genius of Dohnanyi. I return to it often, and it has remained as fresh and vibrant as when I first heard it. And this is the recording to have, not only for its' historical interest, but also because it is the best performance of it you are ever likely to hear. (I assume it has been transferred to cd; if it hasn't, there's no justice!)
there is als also a recording here on youtube with him playing his 2nd concerto under Adrian Boult. Its is a fantastic piece and Dohnanyi was a formidable pianist, that's for sure!!
Touches of Wagner and Mahler greet us into this whirlwind of delight. Later quotes from Brahms and Tchaikovsky are hilarious; Rachmaninoff and Richard Strauss follow suit. And what a fugue! Thank you for this gem @bvbwv3.
Thoroughly underrated piece. Should be played in the concert halls more often. I love how much he is able to inject into a simple salient melody based on his own ideas or parodies of other composers. Unfortunately, because the work is based on a childhood nursery rhyme or may be more about poking fun, it isn't given the attention it deserves. Greatness can nonetheless follow from fun as much as Carnival of the Animals is great for instance. There are too many good ideas here to be ignored.
I love this work...performed it myself several times in Washington D.C. at the Kennedy CENTER OPERA HOUSE...in 1983. Also performed it many times in Zurich, Switzerland. The ultra bombastic introduction is followed by the nursery song of "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star" ...most amusing.
The frivolity of this whole piece can be summed up by the ending "scatologically-remeniscent" riff played, appropriately enough, by the contrabassoon before the final ending flourish...very clever!
@carlolamberti1. Agreed - about your Dohnanyi Nursery Tune Variations. Listen to other postings of him playing his own works. I'll upload more, soon. I see you have several Hovhaness "Favorites". He was my brother-in-law (during his 5th or 6th marriage!)
That low pitched hum is the vibration speed of the AC electrical current that comes out of your wall. You probably have one of your pieces of equipment into an ungrounded outlet, or you are using one of those adapters that changes a 3 prong plug into a 2 prong plug. It should be very easy to fix. Always use equipment with three prong plugs and plug them into a three prong outlet. Any decent stereo store or even general electronics store can help you if you don't know what I mean. Good luck.
Until a few years ago, I had Dohnanyi's one brilliant performances of the Variations and Concerto with Sir Adrian Boult (can't remember which London orch.). It was an Angel LP. I wonder if this is the same recording. No conductor or orch credits here.
Yes, Ian Sutton, the posted recording is the same as yours. Conductor/orchestra info are given below the picture, above - as well as more info. Click on the "Show More".
Dave - glad you liked the performance. I wish I knew how to choose -- and then use - good equipment. I am worse than a novice. Perhaps one day someone will help me do it better... For certain, this performance deserves the best treatment.
The variation which starts on the bassoon at 10:57... Whose style is he impersonating there? I may be way off beam but Max Reger? Franz Schmidt? Any ideas?
Twinkle twinkle little star? Ba ba black sheep? Ah, vous dirai-je, maman? Erno or Ernst? Lovely piece though. A bit of Debussyish whole-tone scale halfway through too.
In reply to your second question, this from Wikipaedia (which is accurate): Ernő Dohnányi was a Hungarian composer, pianist and conductor. He used a German form of his name, Ernst von Dohnányi, on most of his published compositions. In reply to your first question, the answer is "yes". Added to those 'titles' could also be "Variations on a Nursery Rhyme". The dedication Dohnanyi added to the concerto is "For the pleasure of those with a sense of humour and to the annoyance of others"! And yes, added to what you heard, you can hear reminiscences of Brahms, Dukas, Wagner, Strauss, Mahler, Tchaikovsky, Rachmaninoff...
Marvelous performance. Spoiled for my by the cheap equipment used to put it on RUclips. Dude, you have to properly ground your equipment and get rid of that 60Hz hum.
![Dohnányi - Piano Concerto no. 2, op. 42 in B minor (Audio+Sheet) [Shelley]](/img/1.gif)
Alfred Hitchcock describing this piece, which he considered one of his favorites: "It opens like the most grandiose, huge, spectacular movie, probably by DeMille, and then reduces itself to a little twinkling on the piano. It always appealed to my sense of humor."
Simplicity is a goal above all other goals. Childhood times tables are more true than much else in this world. ruclips.net/video/_1ek9nE0trY/видео.html
This is one of the supreme delights of the concerto literature, one affirming the compositional genius of Dohnanyi. I return to it often, and it has remained as fresh and vibrant as when I first heard it. And this is the recording to have, not only for its' historical interest, but also because it is the best performance of it you are ever likely to hear. (I assume it has been transferred to cd; if it hasn't, there's no justice!)
there is als also a recording here on youtube with him playing his 2nd concerto under Adrian Boult. Its is a fantastic piece and Dohnanyi was a formidable pianist, that's for sure!!
@@PeterLunowPL Yes> I had the original (Angel ) recording with both works. I suspect it was an EMI release in England.
Always loved this work ,but never heard him play himself: wonderfull,witty,joyous,what a treat.
Also the orchestra:beautiful phrasing
What a master pianist... and composer... Dohnanyi was... Liszt was transmuted via Rachmaninov... and then back to Hungary in Dohnanyi.
Touches of Wagner and Mahler greet us into this whirlwind of delight. Later quotes from Brahms and Tchaikovsky are hilarious; Rachmaninoff and Richard Strauss follow suit. And what a fugue!
Thank you for this gem @bvbwv3.
A charming piece and fun to study.
very important piece with with freshness and merry skating music
carlo lamberti
I had this on a LP (remember those? ) and lost it many years ago. Wonderful to hear it again!
lilian kallir
@@paulhersch4787 She recorded this? Would love to hear that!
Thoroughly underrated piece. Should be played in the concert halls more often. I love how much he is able to inject into a simple salient melody based on his own ideas or parodies of other composers. Unfortunately, because the work is based on a childhood nursery rhyme or may be more about poking fun, it isn't given the attention it deserves. Greatness can nonetheless follow from fun as much as Carnival of the Animals is great for instance. There are too many good ideas here to be ignored.
I love this work...performed it myself several times in Washington D.C. at the Kennedy CENTER OPERA HOUSE...in 1983. Also performed it many times in Zurich, Switzerland. The ultra bombastic introduction is followed by the nursery song of "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star" ...most amusing.
The frivolity of this whole piece can be summed up by the ending "scatologically-remeniscent" riff played, appropriately enough, by the contrabassoon before the final ending flourish...very clever!
And if I mistake not, that is a young Balint Vazsonyi beside ED in the picture
You are not mistaken.
@carlolamberti1. Agreed - about your Dohnanyi Nursery Tune Variations. Listen to other postings of him playing his own works. I'll upload more, soon. I see you have several Hovhaness "Favorites". He was my brother-in-law (during his 5th or 6th marriage!)
Crappy comments. Hum did not ruin it for me. Thank you for uploading!
wow -- 1st prize !! D plays D
That low pitched hum is the vibration speed of the AC electrical current that comes out of your wall. You probably have one of your pieces of equipment into an ungrounded outlet, or you are using one of those adapters that changes a 3 prong plug into a 2 prong plug. It should be very easy to fix. Always use equipment with three prong plugs and plug them into a three prong outlet. Any decent stereo store or even general electronics store can help you if you don't know what I mean. Good luck.
but wait,,, I hear it the hum too :) sorry best \u tube comment ever, couldn't resist typing while waiting for the Twinkle tune.
Until a few years ago, I had Dohnanyi's one brilliant performances of the Variations and Concerto with Sir Adrian Boult (can't remember which London orch.). It was an Angel LP. I wonder if this is the same recording. No conductor or orch credits here.
Yes, Ian Sutton, the posted recording is the same as yours. Conductor/orchestra info are given below the picture, above - as well as more info. Click on the "Show More".
Dave - glad you liked the performance. I wish I knew how to choose -- and then use - good equipment. I am worse than a novice. Perhaps one day someone will help me do it better... For certain, this performance deserves the best treatment.
The variation which starts on the bassoon at 10:57... Whose style is he impersonating there? I may be way off beam but Max Reger? Franz Schmidt? Any ideas?
I find it a bit like Mahler e.g. 1 Symph., 1st m. minor key "Frere Jacques" section..
Twinkle twinkle little star? Ba ba black sheep? Ah, vous dirai-je, maman? Erno or Ernst? Lovely piece though. A bit of Debussyish whole-tone scale halfway through too.
In reply to your second question, this from Wikipaedia (which is accurate): Ernő Dohnányi was a Hungarian composer, pianist and conductor. He used a German form of his name, Ernst von Dohnányi, on most of his published compositions. In reply to your first question, the answer is "yes". Added to those 'titles' could also be "Variations on a Nursery Rhyme". The dedication Dohnanyi added to the concerto is "For the pleasure of those with a sense of humour and to the annoyance of others"! And yes, added to what you heard, you can hear reminiscences of Brahms, Dukas, Wagner, Strauss, Mahler, Tchaikovsky, Rachmaninoff...
Marvelous performance. Spoiled for my by the cheap equipment used to put it on RUclips. Dude, you have to properly ground your equipment and get rid of that 60Hz hum.