Taneyev - Piano Concerto in E-flat major- II Andante funebre

Second "Andante funebre" movement from the unfinished Piano Concerto in E-flat major (1876)

Sergei Taneyev (1856-1915) was one of the most influential teachers Russia ever produced. Not yet twenty-two years old, he succeeded Tchaikovsky's professorship at the Moscow Conservatory. Some of his most notable students included Rachmaninov, Medtner, Scriabin, Goldenweiser, and Gliere. Although he disliked The Five, he was widely respected by Russian academic and nationalist composers as a great pianist and contrapuntal theoretician. Taneyev left a modest compositional output, but few of his works are heard anymore. Pianists occasionaly program his Prelude and Fugue, but none of his chamber or orchestral music survives in today's concert halls.

After premiering Tchaikovsky's Piano Concerto in B-flat minor in Moscow, Taneyev set to work on his own concerto in 1876. He completed two movements, which may have been harshly critiqued by Tchaikovsky, the Rubinsteins, and Rimsky-Korsakov; he ultimately abandoned work on the last movement. The first movement is indebted to Tchaikovsky, but the second is quite original and exhibits a stunning depth of maturity for a nineteen-year-old. If anyone has heard a more dark and somber movement from a 19th-century piano concerto, I would like to know what it is.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• tchaikovsky
• rachmaninov
• mussorgsky
• medtner

[kasyapa]

thank you for this ... i'm intensely curious about all these guys from that russian circle - what an amazing culture, and this is really extraordinary - especially given the composer's age! reminds me in daring of alkan.

[Geisterschiff]

What a shame it was left unfinished!!!!!!!!!!! Thank you so much for posting. Taneyev deserves so much more recognition....

ps your postings are wonderful!

[paulinaluc]

It's so brutal that it's unfinished:(

[Cantormatis]

What an interesting piece!

[davidrocha0588]

@callasnuts The solist is Joseph Banowetz, I've got the CD (Taneyev Piano Music, Toccata Classics) in my collection.

[chiarasany]

I love your channel, an affetionate Chi.-

[callasnuts]

Who´s the soloist?

[comedyfan48]

Wonderful! I know and love his 4th Symphony but this is new to me. Thanks!

[CARLOSGONCALVES1954]

WELL, I DO NOT NOW THIS COMPOSER; AND YOU MAKE THAT I, WITH OBSESSION, EAR, AND EAR, AND EAR, THIS MUSIC. I AM PORTUGUESE: EAR JOLY BRAGA SANTOS, SINFONIA N.º 4. THANKS!

[miniq2004]

thank you for posting this - this is such a dark piece! I've recently discovered Taneyev through looking for a suitable audition piece for an ensemble music module for next year (I'm a music student) finding his piano trio D major - what a find thank you so much for posting this!

[fyrexia]

@KeithWhalen11 Damn you are right :D

[mehandas]

If this was played by Horowitz?!