Addinsell' Warsaw Concerto

[smitty1931]

This minature concerto remains popular after 65 years. According to wikipedia they wanted Rachmaninoff to write it but he refused. I wonder why Addinsell did not write a full piano concerto, since he had a melodic gift similar to Rachmaninoff?

[THEHORN]

I don't know any other music by Adinsell, but the Warsaw Concerto has always sounded like a pretty pale and cheesy imitation of Rachmaninov to me. It's pure schlock.
If you're looking for piano concertos somewhat similar to Rachmaninov but with an individual voice and grnuine substance, try the three by Nikolai Medtner, who was a good friend of Rachmaninov and a great pianist in his own wright.
I have the two disc Chandos set of them with Australian pianist Geoffrey Tozer and Neeme Jarvi and the LPO.
If you don't know these, they're well-worth hearing. And it would be great if more of our leading pianists and conductors would do these at concerts instead of the same old Rachmaninov and Tchaikovsky opiano concertos.

[diegobueno]

This minature concerto remains popular after 65 years. According to wikipedia they wanted Rachmaninoff to write it but he refused. I wonder why Addinsell did not write a full piano concerto, since he had a melodic gift similar to Rachmaninoff?

No doubt the director of the film Dangerous Moonlight didn't want to interrupt the story for 40 minutes in order to accomodate a full-length piano concerto. Only a few minutes of music were needed and that's what Addinsell gave him.

[maestrob]

This minature concerto remains popular after 65 years. According to wikipedia they wanted Rachmaninoff to write it but he refused. I wonder why Addinsell did not write a full piano concerto, since he had a melodic gift similar to Rachmaninoff?

No doubt the director of the film Dangerous Moonlight didn't want to interrupt the story for 40 minutes in order to accomodate a full-length piano concerto. Only a few minutes of music were needed and that's what Addinsell gave him.

Then there was the film that used Rach II concerto as a musical soundtrack.....and very successfully!

[Lance]

The "Warsaw Concerto" may be perceived as schlock, but it's retained its popularity because of its content and public appeal. Like the "Spellbound Concerto" of Miklos Rosza, it is fine film music. Addinsell wrote other material. Those interested may like to know about a British CD [ASV 2108] that contains, not only the "Warsaw Concerto," but other Addinsell works entitled "Sea Devils," and "Invocation." The disc features pianists Martin Jones and P. Lawson. Karl Alwyn is the conductor.

My copies of the "Warsaw Concerto" appear on several CDs (some on LP, too):

•ASV 2108 w/Martin Jones
•Analekta 9814 w/Alain Lefevre
•EMI 52392 w/Daniel Adni
•EMI 63661 w/Leonard Pennario
•Kleos 5124 w/Joshua Pierce
•Naxos 8.554232 w/Philip Fowke

On LP, I also have the following:
•Philips 411.123 w/Mischa Dichter [also on CD]
•Columbia P2S-5092 w/Malcolm Binns
•10" Columbia ML-2092 w/? can't recall the pianist but Muir Mathieson conducts the LSO.

If I added one more "Warsaw Concerto," it would probably be the one with Jean-Yves Thibaudet on Decca [460 503], but I'm in no hurry to get it. Presently there are about 23 recordings available of the "Warsaw Concerto."

I was thinking, can you imagine what this might be in the hands of a Rubinstein, Richter or Gilels? José Iturbi might have done a fine job with it, but the ones with Pennario, Jones, and Adni strike me as being the best of the lot of the ones I've heard.

[Febnyc]

I LOVE the Warsaw Concerto!

And Moonlight on the Cliffs - (by Leonard Pennario)
And The Dream of Olwen
And Cornish Rhapsody
And Spellbound Concerto

They're all great - call 'em schlock, call 'em schmaltz, call 'em what you will - I never tire of listening.

[smitty1931]

Thank ypu for backing me up! My original post was asking if Addinsell had compsed a piano conserto for concert performmance. Does anyone know the answer? Smitty

[Febnyc]

Smitty - sorry for prolonging the off-topic conversation. As far as I have been able to discern - and I am a fan of Addinsell's music - he never wrote a piano concerto designed specifically for concert performance. My information indicates that Addinsell wrote exclusively for film (although one of his orchestral works became a TV theme, I recall).

[Heck148]

This minature concerto remains popular after 65 years. According to wikipedia they wanted Rachmaninoff to write it but he refused. I wonder why Addinsell did not write a full piano concerto, since he had a melodic gift similar to Rachmaninoff?

It's way shorter than rachmaninoff's!!

[Lance]

If you like the Warsaw Concerto of Addinsell, do listeners also enjoy Rozsa's Spellbound Concerto equally?

[Jack Kelso]

I don't know any other music by Adinsell, but the Warsaw Concerto has always sounded like a pretty pale and cheesy imitation of Rachmaninov to me. It's pure schlock.
If you're looking for piano concertos somewhat similar to Rachmaninov but with an individual voice and grnuine substance, try the three by Nikolai Medtner, who was a good friend of Rachmaninov and a great pianist in his own wright.
I have the two disc Chandos set of them with Australian pianist Geoffrey Tozer and Neeme Jarvi and the LPO.
If you don't know these, they're well-worth hearing. And it would be great if more of our leading pianists and conductors would do these at concerts instead of the same old Rachmaninov and Tchaikovsky opiano concertos.

Another very melodically fine piano concerto in this style is Kabalevsky's Third, rather short---3 movements just over 20 minutes.

Tschüß!
Jack

[Auntie Lynn]

I played it in high school - for free (which was probably the last thing I did for free; I'm not free but I'm reasonable...)

[andrevazpereira]

Lance,

You forgot my recording! LOL

Well i got to record the Warsaw Concert Last year (January) and the recording is on sale since August. The recording is the concertband version of Willy Hauvast but the piano part is the Hard vesion (since this is a very popular peace, there are many easy or medium dificulty versions).

The CD is in this site and you can ear a preview:

http://www.afinaudio.net/index.php?act= ... ductId=617

I also have this video on youtube but the studio recording is far better!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_bOD0Qt1FXM

Greetings from Portugal!!

[Lance]

My dear André:

I don't know this recording. I've tried searching for it - would love to hear it in the concert band version. Your recording must certainly be the first with band. I watched the YouTube version, however, and compliment you on your pianism!

Lance,

You forgot my recording! LOL

Well i got to record the Warsaw Concert Last year (January) and the recording is on sale since August. The recording is the concertband version of Willy Hauvast but the piano part is the Hard vesion (since this is a very popular peace, there are many easy or medium dificulty versions).

The CD is in this site and you can ear a preview:

http://www.afinaudio.net/index.php?act= ... ductId=617

I also have this video on youtube but the studio recording is far better!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_bOD0Qt1FXM

Greetings from Portugal!!

[Chalkperson]

If you like the Warsaw Concerto of Addinsell, do listeners also enjoy Rozsa's Spellbound Concerto equally?

I love the version by Theremin player Lydia Kavina and the Ensemble Sospeso on her CD of the same name...

[Lance]

This one I don't know either. I love the theremin, however. I have recordings by Clara Rockmore with her sister pianist, Nadia Reisenberg. Both stunning artists!

If you like the Warsaw Concerto of Addinsell, do listeners also enjoy Rozsa's Spellbound Concerto equally?

I love the version by Theremin player Lydia Kavina and the Ensemble Sospeso on her CD of the same name...

[Chalkperson]

This one I don't know either. I love the theremin, however. I have recordings by Clara Rockmore with his sister pianist, Nadia Reisenberg. Both stunning artists!

Yes, I have those discs too, both of the sisters, Nadia's Haydn is excellent...

http://www.arkivmusic.com/classical/alb ... _id=198479

[Muniini K. Mulera]

I quite enjoy listening to the Warsaw Concerto, especially when I am in the mood for a pleasurable piece that does not tax my concentration. I also play it for friends whom I am secretly hoping to attract towards classical music.

I have the Jean-Yves Thibaudet/BBC Symphony/Wolff version on DECCA 460 503-2, recorded in 1998. Beautifully played; frustratingly short as usual; partnered very well with other romantic classics from the silver screen by Rachmaninov, Gershwin & Shostakovich. Very good sound too.

Muniini

[Auntie Lynn]

Alors, mes amis, there's also that Swedish Rhapsody by Charles Wildman, not to be confused with Alfven's Midsommarvaka - kind of the same genre as Mr. Berglas' intuitive reflections...

[andrevazpereira]

Lance

Of course you don`t have to remember my recording! LOL. In fact is very different in caracter than the youtube version, and the band is better tuned... even so i only got 40 minutes to record 8 minutes of this wild and very technical demanding concerto (i never dremed that those 7th arpegios played in a 6th interval at a rocket speed could give to so much nightmares!).

Even so i belive there is another recording with band previouse to mine (studio recording). I have also a great live recording with the Italian Police Band (i don`t know the pianist), and is a great live recording!!

Greetings from Portugal

[ch1525]

I'm listening to Patrik Jablonski's recording of the Warsaw Concerto right now, and I've got to say, for being film music, Addinsell did a pretty great job with this piece.

[nut-job]

I don't know any other music by Adinsell, but the Warsaw Concerto has always sounded like a pretty pale and cheesy imitation of Rachmaninov to me. It's pure schlock.
If you're looking for piano concertos somewhat similar to Rachmaninov but with an individual voice and grnuine substance, try the three by Nikolai Medtner, who was a good friend of Rachmaninov and a great pianist in his own wright.

I really enjoyed Medtner's "Skaski" but was left cold by the Piano Concerti. I think Medtner is a brilliant creator of miniatures, but I don't find coherence in his longer compositions like the concerti. Perhaps I will be enlightened in the future, but after listening to each of them several times I was left entirely unconvinced.