Stanford's Piano Concerto No. 2: best British piano concerto of all?

[Nick Armstrong]

OK ... 'cat among the pigeons' time.

The question in the heading is a genuine one.

There is no piano concerto by a Brit (I know CVS was Irish, but Ireland was part of GB when he was born) that I have enjoyed anything like as much as Stanford's Piano Concerto No. 2 in C minor, Op. 126.

Britten and Elgar (sort of), Howells and Parry, Ireland and... whoever - none of them.

Their piano concerti wouldn't be counted by many (if any) as their greatest works (maybe Ireland's). Why aren't the Brits that good at this form?

But in any event, the Stanford No 2 seems to me to be a truly great piece, with a spark of felicitous invention in each movement, and a coherence, that I don't hear in others "from these shores".

And talking of shores, I was put on to it originally by an enthusiastic analysis of it on.... France-Musique, some time ago - Philippe Cassard discussed and illustrated it with Irish pianist Finghin Collins. (Fwiw, I listen to the performance by Margaret Fingerhut and the Ulster Orchestra under Vernon Handley. I need to get that Collins performance).

Thoughts?

.

PS It's the best piece by Stanford I know, too....

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Tippett.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

The Stanford PnoConc#2 is here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nBnzxcwlNsE

(I preferred Le Pere de mes Enfants )

[BBMmk2]

Sir Arthur Bliss, an absolute monster of a work but truly quite brilliant!

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

The Stanford has a lovely "second subject" in the First Movement (from about 6mins 30secs in the youTube recording) - and the last five or six minutes are pretty good, too (that "rumbustious Brahms"-like Waltz tune). I'd rather hear it again than either of the Liszt or the last two Tchaikovskys - but too many "Piano Concertoisms" for me to share Cali's enthusiasm. I think Stanford's talents are much better demonstrated in his Clarinet Concerto and the "Irish" Symphony - and Brit Piano Concertos better represented by Tippett , Britten, and Birtwistle.

[Richard Barrett]

I haven't heard a piano concerto by a British composer that I preferred to Birtwistle's Antiphonies or those of Michael Finnissy's piano concertos that aren't just for solo piano, particularly nos. 2 and 3. I've heard the Tippett concerto a few times but it hasn't left much of an impression.

[Alison]

No votes for Dominic Muldowney?!

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

No votes for Dominic Muldowney?!

None from me (though Tippett thought highly of it).

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

I'd go for John Ireland, but maybe that's because I don't know the Stanford.

I have the Elgar/Walker, but that seems to me to be very poor in comparison with the Elgar/Payne symphony.

[EdgeleyRob]

I'd sooner listen to so many British piano concertos than the usual suspects (yer Griegs,Chopins,Liszts et)but then I often seem to be out of sync with the musical tastes of many forumites.
I love the Stanford,Parry ,Howells and so on.
Another vote here for BBM's monster Bliss concerto.
I think RVW's is very underrated (also in a version for 2 pianos)how anyone can not to be moved by the heart wrenching slow movement is beyond me.
One you may not know is that of Sir Donald Francis Tovey (available on Hyperion).
A fine and memorable piece IMO.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Just a word, Edgey - you're not "out of sync" with many other Forumistas' tastes: you're in sync with your own - which is far more important.

[Richard Barrett]

I often seem to be out of sync with the musical tastes of many forumites.

How do you think I feel?

[Stanfordian]

I'd sooner listen to so many British piano concertos than the usual suspects (yer Griegs,Chopins,Liszts et)but then I often seem to be out of sync with the musical tastes of many forumites.
I love the Stanford,Parry ,Howells and so on.
Another vote here for BBM's monster Bliss concerto.
I think RVW's is very underrated (also in a version for 2 pianos)how anyone can not to be moved by the heart wrenching slow movement is beyond me.
One you may not know is that of Sir Donald Francis Tovey (available on Hyperion).
A fine and memorable piece IMO.

Hello EdgeleyRob,

I rather like Bliss's concerto for two pianos.

[Barbirollians]

I like the Howells concertos . Tippett is OK so long as the pianist is really top notch .

How about the Delius ( with Curzon at the piano ) or the Harty ?

[mrbouffant]

I like the Howells concertos . Tippett is OK so long as the pianist is really top notch .

How about the Delius ( with Curzon at the piano ) or the Harty ?

Didn't Harty write more than one? Only the B minor seems to be available on disc (Chandos or Naxos)

Indeed, saying that, what happened to Stanford's no. 1 ?

Another vote here for the Bliss - fondly remembered from a Prom in '91.