Repertoire: The BEST Busoni Piano Concerto (and Some Near Misses)

[@mkeysou812]

Thank you for this great video Dave. It's a truly bizarre piece at times, a schizophrenic mish-mash of themes pasted one after another, all very serious yet the effect is slightly comical. Despite this, it somehow works and is definitely one of my favourite concertos. I had the pleasure of watching the live Hamelin version with my dad not long before he died, he sat in awe of what the pianist was expected (and managed!) to accomplish. An 11/10 on the difficulty scale for sure!

[@calebhu6383]

Thank you for this. I have adored the Busoni concerto for quite some time despite how bizarre and bloated it is. Please do us all a favor and review some recordings of Wim Winters next-and by review I mean tear them to shreds.

[@yat_ii]

wim winters is good at the clavichord

[@paulvandenberg9588]

If you insist 😂 4:23 ​@@yat_ii

[@johnmarchington3146]

Amazingly, a local online record store was recently having a sale and amongst the offerings was the Gerstein/Oramo of this concerto. There was the usual spiel about how good the performance was and so I decided to buy it, even though I already own the Ogdon/Revenaugh and the Hamelin/Elder recordings. WOW!! WHAT A PERFORMANCE. It's electrifying, yet it also has extraordinary sensitivity in the quieter moments, with magnificent playing from both the soloist and the Boston Symphony and superb singing from the men of the Tanglewood Festival Chorus. Marvellous conducting from Oramo, too. From the moment I first heard the Ogdon recording, I fell in love with the work. Incidentally the Hamelin could have been released as an SACD (it was recorded in the days when Hyperion was making and releasing them) but unfortunately something happened during the recording and the rear channels were lost. I wrote to Tony Faulkner about it and he told me he tried to resurrect those lost channels and spent three weeks on it but was ultimately unsuccessful, so it was decided to release the recording as a standard CD only. I have to admit I was very disappointed. The hi-res version might have provided more spaciousness to the orchestral sound, as I totally agree it is not up to Hyperion's usual high standard. However, there are some fine moments in the performance.

[@johnmontanari6857]

In addition to downloading the Gerstein, I've been sampling a '56 concert performance by Busoni's "grandpupil" Gunnar Johansen, whom I corresponded with and met when I invited him to represent his label at a radio conference in '85 or so. Remember Artist-Direct, on which he released his performances of Bach, Busoni, Liszt and his own voluminous output? The playing was formidable, the sonics miserable. But he was quite the polymath and gentleman, a true keeper of the Busoni flame -- he was very pleased when I sent him cassette dubs of long unavailable Bach-Busoni albums by his teacher, Egon Petri. OK, back to the Busoni...

[@pianomaly9]

I have that recording too. I was fortunate enough to talk to Johanssen on the phone in 1980 when I was doing some research into d'Albert. No Dorothy in front of the Wizard of Oz stuff..........he talked to me, a nobody out of the blue, like I was an old colleague. He sent me a couple of his scores, too. (In his own hand, hard to read). I had a number of the LP's and casettes also. His recorded material SO needs to be preserved........every note of it. Wish I had the $ to get somebody to do it. Unfortunately his own home-baked recordings sound like they were recorded in a concrete shoebox or a missle silo.

[@Jack-dt9nu]

Had only heard of this piece until yesterday when I heard it for the very time, live at the Proms. A blistering performance from Ben Grosvenor with London Phil under Ed Gardner. I hope there's some kind of CD release of it. Looking forward to exploring the Ohlsson and Gerstein recordings!

[@dqvissmyph2968]

Takes you into another world!

[@HankDrake]

Great presentation. I was fortunate to hear Ohlsson play the Busoni twice. First in Boston in 1989 which on tour with the Cleveland Orchestra under Dohnanyi. Second time in 2019 at Severance Hall with the orchestra under Alan Gilbert. I found the later performance every livelier and more decisive than the earlier one.

[@driemaaldrommels]

Great review of one of my favourite concertos! New to your channel...subscribed!

[@DavesClassicalGuide]

Thanks for the sub!

[@TheCastlepoet]

A number of years ago I purchased the Ohlsson/Dohnanyi recording from Berkshire just to fill out an order, and because I figured it was time to expand my limited horizons and see what the fuss re. Busoni was all about. Alas, I just couldn't stick with the piece (i.e., didn't give it enough time to grow on me), and soon sold the CD. Another case of seller's remorse?

[@murraylow4523]

Thanks Dave for this. I’m not a Busoni cultist, I find myself really loving some things and more indifferent to others. However he’s definitely a composer I want to like, because of his integrity and desire to create his own individual modern style. I mean who couldn’t love his violin concerto or the remarkable excerpts (Sarabande and Cortège ) from Doktor Faust - these always send shivers down my spine. Ditto the marvellous opening, at least, of this piano concerto, although it is difficult to stay the course with it when listening on cd at home. I’ll definitely consider getting hold of the Gerstein.

[@122112guru]

totally agree.He was the most original on the Great "Pianist" Composers(note Pianist first),and i admire him greatly,and even love some of his pieces,the Sarabande und Cortège from Dr Faust,the Tocatta,,2nd Violin Sonata,Elegies,Indian Fantasy...etc...but i pass on the concerto...in a word Boring...no A#1 tunes..and way too long self important and performance impractical...and yes i own the score...will check out the new recording.

[@ThreadBomb]

Yes, the concerto is like Gliere's 3rd symphony in that respect.

[@hwelf11]

I had the privilege of hearing Ohlsson perform this work with the National Symphony in 2014. Hearing it live helped me feel as though I had a much better handle on the piece (detailed notes were provided in the program brochure, which was a great help). I have the Ogdon and Hamelin recordings, but had never felt I was really "getting" the piece before. Ohlsson was formidable - he performed the entire thing from memory, seeming completely assured throughout. He is a large man, with a huge sound, and there was never a problem with the solo part being overshadowed by the orchestra. Re your comment on this concerto being Busoni's masterpiece, I'd vote for Doktor Faust, despite its unfinished and uneven state - I think the old Leitner recording, even with the cuts, and a weak Duchess, makes a better case for the opera than the Nagano recording. Thanks for all your postings - I've been greatly enjoying them.

[@dorfmanjones]

When I heard Ohlsson and Donanhyi do it thirty odd years ago in Carnegie Hall, Ohlsson used the (oversized) score.

[@hwelf11]

@@dorfmanjones Evidently he had done it enough in the intervening 30 yrs to develop the confidence to perform it without the score.

[@jppitman1]

I was trying to remember who played it with the NSO. My wife and I went, as well. I enjoyed it, but my wife got rather tired of all of the appreciating for more than an hour. I get that, but it is what it is.

[@johnpolhamus9041]

You are spot on about lightness of touch and brightness of sparkle being integral to the successful presentation of the ideas in this piece. My first exposure to this concerto was the Horenstein (whom I otherwise love and revere) recording while driving, and I hated it so much I HAD to keep listening to see how bad it would get. Sampling other performances though, it is easy to see that the application of a little of what is usually referred to as "good taste" in phrasing and textural variety, "musicianship" by any other name, enhances the procedings CONSIDERABLY!!

[@MrInterestingthings]

hORENSTEIN? With who?

[@aaronziegel]

Interesting, I think, that the Aladdin source of Busoni’s text is also the Aladdin to which Nielsen provided incidental music. I wonder if either composer ever encountered their counterpart’s related work? Infectious enthusiasm for this “dark horse” of a concerto-thanks!

[@VTownGregory]

Brand new to your channel, Dave and subscribed. I'm a pianist and love playing Busoni's Bach transcriptions (or rather playing *at* them). I bought the first Dr. Faust when it came out while I was in college and always enjoyed the mysticism of it. I'm seeing Garrick Ohlsson in recital in Napa, CA next week. I was put off by your stumbling over the pronunciation of the German name. It made me think "this guy's not very serious," though I do enjoy your joking. Looking forward to seeing your other reviews!

[@DavesClassicalGuide]

God forbid I should be serious. Screw that, and the BS about proper pronunciation.

[@pianomaly9]

Yes, I had the Ohlsson years ago. I've heard Scarpini, Johanssen and Ogdon too. Not a Busoni cultist (they actually exist, I knew one) but an admirer. I can't make up my mind whether in the opening solo with the ascending and descending chords on the piano if he's parodying "Romantic" concerto style or not.

[@Richard-hv5hh]

David Enjoyed your review although a year later! Just am anecdote I thought you might find interesting regarding John Ogdon. My brother in law conducted his first big comeback performance after his breakdown. It was at the Festival Hall and Beethovens Emperor and the Royal Philharmonic. I flew over from the US with my family and my most vivid memory was the worry that he would in fact get through it safely! As a neurotic this was clearly me projecting but it's my chief memory! He was a great pianist and very brave man.

[@MiguelCampinho]

I would like to know your opinion on the two earlier recordings mentioned already: Noel Mewton-Wood with Thomas Beecham and Gunnar Johansen with Hans Schmidt-Isserstedt.

[@DavesClassicalGuide]

They both sound bad, however good the pianists may be, and since I'm not a piano maven I wouldn't exaggerate their wonderfulness.

[@driemaaldrommels]

The Mewton- Wood recording is by far the best (in my humble opinion)

[@dorfmanjones]

@@driemaaldrommels Beecham was a marvel in this score and the chorus was rapt.

[@brennykins8823]

What fun! Thank you, Mr Hurwitz. You think the concerto "hideously" long!? When a lad, I played it at 16rpm, I wanted it to last for ever.

[@DavesClassicalGuide]

I'm glad you grew up!

[@mrmrosullivan]

I really, really wish an orchestra in Australia would take a punt on doing this. HOWEVER, I have the Donohoe / BBCSO / Elder recording of this, which I really liked for its special event status, even if the sound of the Albert Hall is a drawback. The energy was great from Donohoe, and I still like it. The Gerstein / Oramo performance arrived on our doorstep today, and yep, you're right again, it is spectacular, especially the last third. The sonics are much cleaner, the orchestra is great, and Gerstein keeps the energy going. The audience could have been more electrified, though.

[@DavesClassicalGuide]

Well, it's not a concerto for audience and orchestra... Glad you enjoyed it more!

[@dorfmanjones]

There's also Pietro Scarpini with Kubelik and the Bavarian Radio Orchestra. It was live. The label seems to be BR Classic, (bavarian radio?) The recorded sound was quite good for the time and it's beautifully done. (Scarpini also played it with Szell and the Cleveland that year.) Also I'll stick up for the Ogdon recording. It's still competitive and preferable to the Hamelin which was sunk by the indifferent sound engineering. I'd take the Donahoe over that. The best orchestral accompaniment IMHO was Thomas Beecham's when he performed it with his orchestra and Noel Mewton-Wood back in the 1940's. In spite of the bad sound the majesty of the score is really brought out, and the chorus (in english) is really fervent! It used to be available. Right now though, I agree with you. The Gerstein Oramo is top rung. All in all, live performance usually wins out.

[@MrInterestingthings]

I can't believe THBeecham bothered tolearn this huge thing.Poor Mewton-Wood what induced him tolearn this Wow!

[@oliverbostridge8370]

I was due to see Levit perform this at the Southbank this March. Circumstances sadly intervened...

[@edfromlongisland2623]

Mr. Hurwitz, do you have any thoughts about the Busoni Piano Concerto recording on BR Klassik, with Pietro Scarpini, Piano, Rafael Kubelik, Conductor, with the Bavarian Radio Choir and Symphony Orchestra?

[@DavesClassicalGuide]

I haven't heard it.

[@edfromlongisland2623]

@DavesClassicalGuide I believe it was re-issued a few years ago and Gramophone made it an "Editor's Choice" so I bought it. It's a "live" recording from 1966 so an odd choice for a re-issue. I have to listen to it again; however, I'm sure it will pale in comparison to the Gerstein/Oramo! Your video on the Busoni Piano Concerto was both informative and hysterically funny. Caressing the score to calm the Busoni cult members was hilarious. Thanks for responding!

[@edfromlongisland2623]

I'm spinning the Kubelik/Scarpini perf of the Busoni Piano Concerto now and it's a gem (I'm not a critic, however, lol!). BTW, Classics Today rates the recording 10/8. Again, thanks for your thoughtful review of the discography. I almost forgot this work! I will search out the von Dohnanyi recording as well! I discovered von Dohnanyi largely through your talks. I'll love von Dohnanyi's recording of the Mendelssohn Symphonies 1-5 with the VPO, btw.

[@ThreadBomb]

Busoni wrote a version of the finale (BV247a) that omitted the choral part, and it's never been recorded! Apparently it was in the hands of Revenaugh for some time, but that's not the version he recorded with Ogdon. Apparently Busoni eventually disowned this version, but would be interesting to hear at least once, and I'm surprised there is no recording of it. If Busoni had been a better writer for winds, it might even have worked... Anyway, there are a couple of collections of Busoni's miscellaneous orchestral works, and I'd be interested to hear what you think of what's available. I believe it chiefly boils down to Neeme Jarvi versus Albrecht, but I might be wrong!

[@christophvonmuellern6893]

How dare you throw the scared score around like this ;-) Great review, love the Busoni concerto and have some nostalgic feelings about the Hamelin recording as it is the first one I heard. But I agree that the new Gerstein/Oramo one is magnificent! You should also have mentioned the dullest one - Postnikova/Roshdestve sky which lasts around 90min(!)...

[@michaelhartman8724]

nice Freudian slip on "scared score" rather than "sacred." ha, ha!

[@etucker82]

There are some live recordings that really are magnificent. I'm sure you know the Szell and Kubelik, but are you familiar with the Thiollier/Schonwandt or Hamelin/Vanska? Both are on youtube. I think the Hamelin/Vanska live broadcast is an extraordinary performance, maybe even preferable to Ohlsson/Dohnanyi. I still haven't heard Gerstein the whole way through, though he's practically a once-in-a-generation pianist, but I'm kicking myself because I had a chance to make the trek up to Boston from Baltimore for the live performance but I couldn't move some things around. But Thiollier/Schonwandt is also magnificent on a slightly smaller scale, just incredibly good musical sense that minimizes the bravura to emphasize the color, which, as you note, can be rather monochrome in this piece.

[@DavesClassicalGuide]

Hamelin/Vänskä I know, Thiollier/Schonwandt not. I'll have to check it out when I get a chance. Thanks for the mention.

[@lilivonshtupp1527]

Thanks David, I was wondering if my Dohnanyi recording needed a refresh, but it seems I am still in good hands, although the Oramo piques my interest. My wallet, however, is less interested.

[@pandude53]

totally agree about the Ohlsson/Dohnanyi performance OUTSTANDING

[@joenthesaorgian]

Donohoe/Elder is Proms live and quite ecstatic, very good, better than say Ogdon, IMHO.

[@williamwhittle216]

An Amazon reviewer points out that Olsson uses a Bösdorfer piano, which I find Intriguing. The review is worth reading.

[@rogergersbach3300]

I also love Busoni's Indianische Fantasie, Op. 44. I can only find two recordings, one on Music and Arts Carlo Grante (piano) Pomeriggi Musicali, I/ Marco Zuccarini and the other on Chandos Nelson Goerner (piano)/Neeme Jarvi which will probably be the one I'll get. I will get the Piano Concerto eventually as it has a Tam Tam!

[@dorfmanjones]

Egon Petri plays the Indian Fantasy with Mitropoulos (Live) on Music and Arts, (Szigeti plays the Busoni Violin Concerto on the same di.) Fiorentino did it. And you can actually watch Carlo Grante play it on KZbin. As you might expect, the Petri is by far the most involving, but the sound is raw, as is the orchestra.

[@johnburlinson6697]

Have you heard the version by Viktoria Postnikova and hubby Gennady Rozhdestvensky with the Orchestre National de France? A good solid 89 minutes!

[@DavesClassicalGuide]

Yes I have. Scarifying!

[@barrygray8903]

Another excellent discussion. I’ve had the Ogden/Revenaugh recording for years and it’s very good but the recording is a little dim to my ears. After reading reviews of a few modern recordings and the Scarpini performance, I was about to grab the Ohlsson/Dohnanyi when the Gerstein/Oramo appeared. With a consensus recommendation from you and your colleague Jed Distler, I will be listening to that in the next few days. Thanks for the insights.

[@violadamore2-bu2ch]

I like it. Though I don't play the piano, I can hardly believe it's playable.

[@williamwhittle216]

Listened to my Ogden recording to reacquaint myself with the piece and checks the Sonics. First, I forgot what an impressive piece it is. Second, i zi found the Sonics somewhat muddy. So, the Myrios is on the way! 🎹

[@michaelhartman8724]

I'd like you to comment some time in the future about the Hyperion "Romantic piano concerto" series. I have maybe 35 of the 90 or so releases in the set. The music certainly hasn't been recorded much for the most part, and some of the soloists certainly have top notch credentials (some of the orchestras maybe less so). I must admit though that when I actually listen to some of it I get pretty bored pretty quickly. Maybe a lot of this is pretty second rate music, or maybe the performances are off (like the Hamelin Busoni) (which he probably needs to record again with somebody else).

[@DavesClassicalGuide]

The series is too large to talk about in bulk, but I would be happy to talk about individual releases. It's a great series, but there's a reason most of the music is obscure--it deserves it!

[@michaelhartman8724]

Yeh, you confirm my impression--sort of like having an old time encyclopedia on your self for reference.@@DavesClassicalGuide

[@michaelhartman8724]

oop--"shelf," not "self"

[@joewebb1983]

There have been some real gems in it though (but some of these have been recorded in the past prior to the Hyperion series): Paderewski (Piers Lane) - Earl Wild did a fantastic recording of this! Scharwenka 4 and Sauer (Stephen Hough) - brilliant disc Alkan and Henselt (Marc Andre Hamelin) - lovely pieces and Hamelin plays them superbly Then there are the Saint Saens and Tchaikovsky sets by Hough, both recorded many many time but absolutely superb. Hyperion are very lucky to have such great pianists on their books!

[@keeshond8]

@@joewebb1983The Hyperion series of piano concertos contain many beautiful, and in some cases unfairly overlooked, gems - beautifully played and recorded.

[@allthisuselessbeauty-kr7]

Well to be honest I have never really got the piece - it just seemed so structurally sprawling and unweildy, it immediately turned me off it. I also have never bought into the hagiography that some ascribe it. I have Ohlsson's version and that's obviously is more than enough for the occasional listen - I will try again! What about his Turandot Suite, Berceuseélégiaque and the Sarabande und Cortège? There's an interesting recording on Naxos, if I remember it correctly.

[@DavesClassicalGuide]

Turandot is fun, especially the bit that incorporates "Greensleeves," which Busoni may have believed was a "Chinese" tune.

[@allthisuselessbeauty-kr7]

@@DavesClassicalGuide yeah Turandot is a wacky, fun piece particularly the obscure 'Greensleeves' reference. I believe there are also certain striking similarities to it and Hindemith's much later Symphonic Metamorphosis of Themes by Carl Maria von Weber, which itself used material Weber composed for a version of Turandot. It's not thematically linked but orchestration wise they breathe the same air.

[@davidhickey1182]

One commenter mentioned Reger: now that we have your marvelous review of Busoni's Piano Concerto is there any chance to hear your take on the almost as notorious Reger Piano Concerto?

[@DavesClassicalGuide]

Well, not really--at least not yet. There is one truly great recording--Serkin's. We need more first rate versions to have a sensible chat.

[@davidhickey1182]

@@DavesClassicalGuide I agree on the Serkin recording

[@franksmith541]

@@DavesClassicalGuide Hamelin's recording.

[@franksmith541]

Dave went on to call it "horrible." I disagree - it is a work for pianophiles like me who enjoy epic piano writing.

[@AlexMadorsky]

Such a bizarre piece. I’ll admit (a) I don’t have the score, (b) I’ve only listened to it once and (c), I only listened to it the once because I read it was the longest piano concerto ever written. The Kirill Gerstein/Boston Symphony version I heard is pretty good because the recording accurately reflects the composer’s markings for good and for ill. Now I’m off to write a concerto for actual invisible men.

[@AlexMadorsky]

A humble request from your loyal viewer; now that you've tackled the longest piano concerto, time to take on the longest cello concerto (Sir Donald Tovey) and the longest violin concerto (Max Reger by most reckonings). I don't want to know what the longest wind concerto is - that just seems cruel. I'd be interested in the longest timpani and/or percussion concerto provided I'm allowed to wear my lawn mowing ear muffs.

[@DavesClassicalGuide]

The Tovey is soooooooo dull!

[@AlexMadorsky]

David Hurwitz don’t I know it! The first movement is somewhat pretty if boring, and one is ready to quit the piece at the :14 mark, let alone the :54 (oy vey!) minute mark.

[@perry1559]

I believe Egon Petri recorded it earliest. Who BTW was a student of Busoni’s. Hamelin’s first recording is marred by a weak orchestra. I’m looking forward to hearing Igor Levit’s recording.

[@mariosefardi-casella2730]

Thanks Dave! I had until recently Bruno Canino/La Vecchia, dull&confusing - could not care less

[@mariosefardi-casella2730]

Oops.my mistake, it was Roberto Cappello on piano of course, whoever he is, it is weird I was sure of that for all that time

[@RollaArtis]

Rubinstein regarded Rachmaninov as a better pianist than composer, and I think the same is true for Busoni. All the same its very impressive and very period - a kind of post Lisztian tribute to the Faust symphony.

[@leo32190]

I never knew Busoni wrote a piano concerto, is that embarrassing?

[@DavesClassicalGuide]

Of course not. Now you know. That's why I'm here.

[@leo32190]

David Hurwitz Thank you. I am so grateful for finding these videos.

[@Zezahn]

I happen to love this piece, it’s a masterwork and not that daunting if you just lean into it and a abandon yourself to the hyper-intelligent craze. Gerstein and Oramo are just marvelous. Spot on!

[@ThreadBomb]

We are all born ignorant, and none of us is ever completely cured.

[@Fafner888]

Dave, I'm afraid that the worst piano concerto in existence is not the Djabadary, but this one. It's just torture to sit through this whole thing (I listened to the Ohlsson recording). There's barely enough worthy material in it to justify even a half hour piece, let alone a 70 minutes opera (and that chorus at the end is completely pointless).

[@AlexMadorsky]

I would actually like the piece much better without the chorus. Somebody should record a performance without it. I like Svetlanov’s Myaskovsky Symphony 6 precisely because the last movement chorus is cut.

[@michaelhartman8724]

@@AlexMadorsky Interesting you bring this up, because Liszt ditched the chorus at the end of the Faust Symphony in a different version, and Wagner apparently liked it a lot better as a result.

[@philscott6085]

I usually switch off after the Tarantella.

[@remusplaten1979]

@@AlexMadorsky The chorus is the best part of it :-)

[@ThreadBomb]

Busoni did write a version of the finale without chorus! It was in the hands of Revenaugh at one point, but he only recorded the standard version. You'd think that, with umpteen recordings of Bruckner's off-cuts and dead ends, we could get at least just one recording of Busoni's alternative ending. And it would be cheaper to do, because you wouldn't have a choir!