Starter Packs

Complete your collection with these curated titles, grouped at a special discount.

Shop Now
Schumann, Grieg, Saint-Saëns: Piano Concertos / Shelley, Greed, Opera North Orchestra
Chandos

Schumann, Grieg, Saint-Saëns: Piano Concertos / Shelley, Greed, Opera North Orchestra

$21.99

Details

Composer
SCHUMANN GRIEG SAINT-SAENS
Artist
Shelley
Format
CD
Label
Chandos
Released
Mar 31, 2009
Catalog #
CHAN 10509
UPC
095115150924

About

March's Disc of the Month sees Howard Shelley, recently awarded an OBE for his services to music, conduct the Orchestra of Opera North from the piano. In this his latest recording for Chandos Shelley turns his attention to three popular concertos in the piano repertoire: Robert Schumann's only completed piano concerto, Grieg's single piano concerto and Saint- Saëns Piano Concerto No. 2 in G minor. These authoritative performances shed new light on three wellloved works, brought together on one disc for the first time. Shelley elucidates his revelatory approach to the works: 'Ever since I first fell in love with Schumann's Piano Concerto in my early teens, I have been intrigued and slightly puzzled by the tradition of slowing the fourth bar of the Allegro affettuoso first movement to what is effectively no more than an Andante, even though there is no indication of any tempo shift in the score. A metronome marking of 84 to the minim, taken from Schumann's manuscript, is given in almost all editions of this work, reducing only to 72 to the dotted minim for the central Andante espressivo section. These are extraordinarily fast basic tempos. There are similar issues in the second movement - a surprisingly fast metronome mark, suggesting perhaps a lighter lyricism than we are sometimes used to, especially in the big cello melody - and also in the first movement of Saint-Saëns's Second Concerto, which is often taken at about half its marked speed. As for Grieg's Concerto, we are fortunate to have Percy Grainger's very informative and detailed notes on the piece, as he discussed it with the composer. Elsewhere he points out that Grieg's tempos were generally faster than when others played the piece. These are some of the considerations which have led to the interpretations on this recording. Directing a highly responsive orchestra from the keyboard has also allowed me great freedom in realising my ideas.'

Tracklist 9 tracks

  1. 1 I. Allegro affettuoso 12:57
    Track
    1
    Title
    I. Allegro affettuoso
    Duration
    12:57
    Composer
    Robert Schumann
    Performer
    Howard Shelley
    Ensemble
    Orchestra of Opera North
    Conductor
    Howard Shelley
  2. 2 II. Intermezzo: Andantino grazioso - 04:42
    Track
    2
    Title
    II. Intermezzo: Andantino grazioso -
    Duration
    04:42
    Composer
    Robert Schumann
    Performer
    Howard Shelley
    Ensemble
    Orchestra of Opera North
    Conductor
    Howard Shelley
  3. 3 III. Allegro vivace 10:23
    Track
    3
    Title
    III. Allegro vivace
    Duration
    10:23
    Composer
    Robert Schumann
    Performer
    Howard Shelley
    Ensemble
    Orchestra of Opera North
    Conductor
    Howard Shelley
  4. 4 I. Allegro molto moderato 11:56
    Track
    4
    Title
    I. Allegro molto moderato
    Duration
    11:56
    Composer
    Edvard Grieg
    Performer
    Howard Shelley
    Ensemble
    Orchestra of Opera North
    Conductor
    Howard Shelley
  5. 5 II. Adagio - 06:24
    Track
    5
    Title
    II. Adagio -
    Duration
    06:24
    Composer
    Edvard Grieg
    Performer
    Howard Shelley
    Ensemble
    Orchestra of Opera North
    Conductor
    Howard Shelley
  6. 6 III. Allegro moderato molto e marcato 10:11
    Track
    6
    Title
    III. Allegro moderato molto e marcato
    Duration
    10:11
    Composer
    Edvard Grieg
    Performer
    Howard Shelley
    Ensemble
    Orchestra of Opera North
    Conductor
    Howard Shelley
  7. 7 I. Andante sostenuto 09:59
    Track
    7
    Title
    I. Andante sostenuto
    Duration
    09:59
    Composer
    Camille Saint-Saëns
    Performer
    Howard Shelley
    Ensemble
    Orchestra of Opera North
    Conductor
    Howard Shelley
  8. 8 II. Allegro scherzando 05:48
    Track
    8
    Title
    II. Allegro scherzando
    Duration
    05:48
    Composer
    Camille Saint-Saëns
    Performer
    Howard Shelley
    Ensemble
    Orchestra of Opera North
    Conductor
    Howard Shelley
  9. 9 III. Presto 06:36
    Track
    9
    Title
    III. Presto
    Duration
    06:36
    Composer
    Camille Saint-Saëns
    Performer
    Howard Shelley
    Ensemble
    Orchestra of Opera North
    Conductor
    Howard Shelley