Reinecke & Sauer: Piano Concertos (Remastered) Simon Callaghan, Sinfonieorchester St. Gallen & Modestas Pitrėnas

• Carl Reinecke (1824 - 1910): Piano Concerto No. 3 in C Major, Op. 144:
• 1 Reinecke: Piano Concerto No. 3 in C Major, Op. 144: I. Allegro 16:03
• 2 Reinecke: Piano Concerto No. 3 in C Major, Op. 144: II. Largo 08:29
• 3 Reinecke: Piano Concerto No. 3 in C Major, Op. 144: III. Finale. Allegro vivace e grazioso 10:43
• Konzertstück, Op. 33:
• 4 Reinecke: Konzertstück, Op. 33: I. Allegro – 05:54
• 5 Reinecke: Konzertstück, Op. 33: II. Lento ma non troppo – 05:55
• 6 Reinecke: Konzertstück, Op. 33: III. Allegro 05:06
• Emil von Sauer (1862 - 1942): Piano Concerto No. 2 in C Minor:
• 7 Sauer: Piano Concerto No. 2 in C Minor: I. Moderato lamentoso – Allegro moderato assai 08:51
• 8 Sauer: Piano Concerto No. 2 in C Minor: II. Energico un poco pesante – Vivacissimo – 06:49
• 9 Sauer: Piano Concerto No. 2 in C Minor: III. Andante 08:02
• 10 Sauer: Piano Concerto No. 2 in C Minor: IV. Allegro deciso, assai moderato 06:36
• Carl Reinecke: Piano Concerto No. 3 in C Major, Op. 144:
• 11 Reinecke: Piano Concerto No. 3 in C Major, Op. 144: I. Allegro (With Alternative Ending) 15:59
• Total Runtime 01:38:27

Info for Reinecke & Sauer: Piano Concertos (Remastered)

This is the fourth Romantic Piano Concerto album from Simon Callaghan, and that combination of talents which made his first three so successful—not least a flair for exploring the neglected byways of the Romantic repertoire, and the technique and musicianship to do them justice—proves just as compelling here.

Considering how infrequently his name appears on concert programmes today, it is worth remembering just how revered and influential Carl Heinrich Carsten Reinecke was during his long life. Pianist, violinist, conductor, composer, arranger and teacher, Reinecke was nothing if not prolific: his high-quality output runs to 288 opus numbers in all genres except ballet. Schubert and Beethoven were still active when he was born; Mendelssohn and Schumann encouraged him in his early career; Olivier Messiaen and Elliott Carter (who survived until 2012) were infants when he died.

In 1860 Reinecke was appointed conductor of the prestigious Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra, a post he would hold for thirty-five years. At the renowned Leipzig Conservatory his pupils included Grieg, Sinding, Svendsen, Sullivan, Stanford, Albéniz, Bruch and a host of others who went on to enjoy significant careers as instrumentalists, composers and conductors. One Viennese critic wrote in the late 1870s:

Reinecke’s industry in composition is great, his best works, as might be expected, being those for piano … His style is refined, his mastery over counterpoint and form is absolute, and he writes with peculiar clearness and correctness. His position at Leipzig speaks for his ability as a conductor; as an accompanist he is first-rate; and as an arranger for the pianoforte he is recognized as one of the first of the day. ...

Simon Callaghan, piano
Sinfonieorchester St. Gallen
Modestas Pitrėnas, conductor

No biography found.

Booklet for Reinecke & Sauer: Piano Concertos (Remastered)