The Romantic Piano Concerto, Vol. 86: Tellefsen, Kalkbrenner

by Howard Shelley, Nuremberg Symphony Orchestra

Overview

Hyperion's "Romantic Piano Concerto" series rolls on with this release, issued in 2024. This is the 86th volume; perhaps volumes in the series appear a little less frequently than previously, but there is no sign that Hyperion is running out of worthwhile concertos to include. This album features pianist Howard Shelley, a versatile player with a knack for finding the distinctiveness in each work, with the Nuremberg Symphony Orchestra; the music was well-recorded in that orchestra's hall. Shelley's versatility is necessary here, for the two works are entirely different in character. Annotator Jeremy Nicholas points out, however, that the two composers were linked as members of Chopin's orbit; Chopin, approaching death, entrusted his teaching business and an unfinished piano method to Thomas Tellefsen. Tellefsen is perhaps the bigger find here, for he was not attempting to be a virtuoso in his work and took much from Chopin's lyricism even if he did not have the same kind of harmonic ingenuity. Sample the slow movements of either concerto here, but Kalkbrenner's episodic single-movement piece, with its embedded thunderstorm, is highly entertaining and enjoyable as well. There is nothing academic or dutiful about any of these works, which present slices of the 19th century out of which the music of Chopin and Liszt emerged, and, in these performances, they are worth any listener's time. ~ James Manheim

Product Details

Release Date:	01/12/2024
Label:	Hyperion
UPC:	0034571283456
Rank:	5678

Tracks

1. Piano Concerto No. 1 in G minor Op. 8~Allegro moderato
2. Piano Concerto No. 1 in G minor Op. 8~Andante -
3. Piano Concerto No. 1 in G minor Op. 8~Allegro
4. Piano Concerto No. 2 in F minor Op. 15~Allegro moderato
5. Piano Concerto No. 2 in F minor Op. 15~Adagio -
6. Piano Concerto No. 2 in F minor Op. 15~Movimento di tarantella: Allegro
7. Grande Marche interrompue par Un Orage et suivie d'une Polonaise Op. 93

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Howard Shelley   Primary Artist,Conductor,Piano
Nuremberg Symphony Orchestra   Primary Artist,Orchestra

Technical Credits

Simon Perry   Executive Producer
Theo Kretzschmar   Piano Technician
Jeremy Nicholas   Liner Notes
Viola Scheffel   Liner Note Translation
Ben Connellan   Engineer
Eric Richmond   Photography
Frederic Kalkbrenner   Composer
Annabel Connellan   Recording Producer
Thomas D.A. Tellefsen   Composer
Marie-Stella Paris   Liner Note Translation
Todd Harris   Booklet Editor
Henri Grevedon   Portraits
Anna Reszniak   Leader