The Piano Concerto No. 8 in A-flat major, Op. 151 "Gruss an den Rhein" (French: "Salut au Rhein") (English: "Greetings to the Rhein"), by Ferdinand Ries was composed around 1826 and published in 1829 by Simrock.[1][2] While still showing the structural influence of Beethoven's piano concertos, the writing for the piano is more akin to that of later composers such as Chopin, Mendelssohn & Schumann.[3]
Composition history
Ries composed this work in 1826, some two years after his return from England and approximately two years after the publication of the last of his early piano concerti (Opp. 123 & 132). Allan Badley comments that this would most likely make it the seventh of Ries's eight piano concertos to be written.[lower-alpha 1] [4] As he was no longer an active concert pianist publication by N. Simrock, bearing a dedication to Godefroi Weber followed within a year.[1]
Structure
The concerto follows the traditional three-movement structure:
- Allegro con moto
- Larghetto con moto
- Rondo: Allegro molto
A typical performance of the work lasts around 28 to 30 minutes.
Recordings
Notable recordings of this composition include:
| Pianist | Conductor | Orchestra | Record Company | Year of Recording | Format |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Christopher Hinterhuber | Uwe Grodd | New Zealand Symphony Orchestra | Naxos | 2005 | CD |
| Piers Lane | Leon Botstein | The Orchestra Now | Hyperion | 2018 | CD |
References
- Notes
- ↑ Concerto no. 8 refers to the order of publication, not composition, and likewise for all of Ries's concertos.
- 1 2 McGorray 2015, p. 58
- ↑ Wigmore 2018, p. 5
- ↑ Bradley 2005
- ↑ McGorray 2015, pp. 59 & 60
- Sources
- Badley, Allan (2005). Ries, F.: Piano Concertos, Vol. 1 - Piano Concertos, Opp. 123 and 151 (CD). Naxos Records. 8.557844.
- Clarke, Colin (2006). "Review: Reis Piano Concertos Vol. 1 (8.557638)". Musicweb International. Retrieved 2018-02-24.
- Hill, Cecil (1977). Ferdinand Ries: A Thematic Catalogue. Armidale, NSW: University of New England. ISBN 0-85834-156-5.
- Hill, Cecil (1982). "Ferdinand Ries. A Study and Addenda". Occasional Paper. Armidale, NSW: University of New England. ISSN 0314-5999.
- Hurwitz, David (2006). "Review: Ries, Piano Concertos Vol. 1". Classical.net. Retrieved 2018-02-24.
- Pursglove, Glynn (2006). "Review: Ries Piano Concertos Vol. 1". Musicweb International. Retrieved 2018-02-24.
- McGorray, Ian (2015-07-21). Ferdinand Ries and the Piano Concerto: Beethoven's Shadow and the Early Romantic Concerto (M.M.). University of Cincinnati.
- Nicholas, Jeremy (2006). "Review: Ries, Piano Concertos in C, Op. 123; In A flat, Op. 151 'Gruss an den Rhein'" (PDF). Gramaphone Magazine. Retrieved 2018-02-24.
- Wigmore, Richard (2018). Ries: Piano Concertos Nºs 8 & 9 (PDF) (CD). Hyperion Records. CDA68217.