LYAPUNOV : Piano Concerto No 1, Op 4 • Piano Concerto No 2, Op 38 • Rhapsody On Ukrainian Themes, Op 28 (Martyn Brabbins · BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra · Hamish Milne) (2002)The Romantic Piano Concerto – 30 | FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

Over the ten years that the Romantic Piano Concerto has been running one of the projects most often requested by the many fans of the series has been a recording of the complete Lyapunov works for piano and orchestra. Well finally here it is!

These three works, all written in the ten years either side of 1900, are typical of the Russian nationalist school (Lyapunov was a pupil and disciple of Balakirev) with their colourful orchestration and often folk-inspired melodies. The other great hero in Lyapunov's life was Liszt and both the concertos are in a single multisectional movement as pioneered by the Hungarian. Their virtuosity too is Lisztian and there are many cadenza-like passages akin to those found in that master's concertos.

This is the premiere recording of the first concerto.

Who better to play these pieces than Hamish Milne, who has made a speciality of Russian music (he has made many Medtner recordings and his Hyperion recording of Alexandrov has just been exceptionally well received), and the ever excellent BBCSSO consducted by Martyn Brabbins (who also has impeccable Russian credentials—he studied conducting in Leningrad!). Hyperion

Sergei Mikhailovich Lyapunov (1859-1924)
                        
Piano Concerto No 1 in E flat minor Op 4 [22'21]
                    
Rhapsody on Ukrainian Themes Op 28 [17'02]

Piano Concerto No 2 in E major Op 38[19'20]

Credits :
Conductor – Martyn Brabbins
Leader [Orchestra] – Bernhard Docherty
Orchestra – BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra
Piano – Hamish Milne

PIERNÉ : The Complete Works For Piano And Orchestra (Stephen Coombs · BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra · Ronald Corp) (2003) Serie The Romantic Piano Concerto – 34 | FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

There are three premiere recordings on this charming disc of the complete music for piano and orchestra by the unaccountably neglected Gabriel Pierné.

In his time Pierné was hugely successful as composer, conductor and organist—a sort of latter-day Saint-Saëns, and indeed his music is very reminiscent of that composer. The earliest three works on this CD were all written between 1885 and 1890 and could easily be mistaken for the older composer, the piano concerto even follows the unusual layout of Saint-Saëns' 2nd piano concerto in having a scherzo but no slow movement. The Poëme symphonique of 1903 is harmonically more daring and reminiscent of Franck. This work is a true orchestral symphonic poem with the piano fully integrated into the musical argument, it is also perhaps the most impressive work on this disc and its obscurity is inexplicable.
A disc full of surprises, all of them pleasant!  Hyperion

Gabriel Pierné (1863-1937)
Piano Concerto In C Minor Op 12     (19:41)

Poëme Symphonique In D Minor Op 37     13:02

Fantaisie-Ballet In B Flat Major Op 6     11:21

Scherzo-Caprice In D Major     8:08

Credits :
Conductor – Ronald Corp
Leader [Orchestra] – Bernard Docherty
Orchestra – BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra
Piano, Liner Notes – Stephen Coombs