Piano Quintets

[0spinboson]

Interesting username noobie!

Thanks, and thanks snyprrr for your dedicated reporting. Found a few new works to try out.

[Opus106]

Interesting username noobie!

He simply wants to avoid the media attention.

[The new erato]

He simply wants to avoid the media attention.

you are boson buddies?

[Opus106]

you are boson buddies?

There's nothing that entangles us.

[The new erato]

There's nothing that entangles us.

So it's not a strange, quarky relationship then.

[Opus106]

So it's not a strange, quarky relationship then.

Neither is it beautiful or charming. And that's the top and bottom of it.

[The new erato]

Neither is it beautiful or charming. And that's the top and bottom of it.

OK; enough of the nerdy stuff! My head's in a spin.

[Drasko]

I have been slowly absorbing this ever growing, throbbing pile of PQs that have most certainly enriched my listening world. I am convinced that the PQ IS the best expression of UltraLate Romaticism.

Nothing quite captures that rapturous Orphean? swooning like, for example, the PQs by Witkowski, Biarent, LeFlem, Hure, DuPont, Ysaye, and Schmitt. All of these are massive, weaving stories of 'back-of-the-hand-on-the-forehead' stormy seas. And, the Golden Age of PQs must be 1898-1914/19, with a few straggling Masterpieces in the mid-20s ...

Snyprrr, that's very nice string of posts over the years!

I've been listening lately to Faure, Franck, Vierne and Martinu's Piano Quintets, and have to say that flurry of French turn of the century stuff you've been listening looks awfully tempting.

I found Cras and Hure's quintets on youtube and both are quite good, and very much to my taste more importantly.

Which other would you recommend? And which recordings? Most seem to be on rather obscure and pretty full priced French labels (did you go for mp3s?).

Dupont, Schmitt, Pierne, Le Flem, Hure, Cras, D'Indy - Timpani seem to be the best option
Biarent - Cypres
Castillon - Ligia
Witkowski - Arion

Have I missed any? And to repeat your question from the beginning: Which are more Franckian, and which are more Debussyian? I'd be more interested in latter.

[kyjo]

Biarent - Cypres

The Biarent PQ is a masterpiece. A stormily passionate work modeled on Franck (a composer who I actually prefer Biarent to). Get ahold of that Timpani disc (which includes the equally masterful Cello Sonata) while you can!

[Oldnslow]

I have been listening to a great many piano quintets lately, as I enjoy this wonderful combination of instruments that provide almost an orchestral sound in a chamber ensemble.  While the romantic warhorses of Brahms, Schumann, and Dvorak are all superb, I have been most impressed with two little known 20th century masterpieces---the Piano Quintet of the American composer  Vittorio Giannini (MSR) and the piano quintet of French composer Louis Vierne (Hyperion, with Piers Lane). These two works, along with the first Block piano quintet (Kocian Quartet of Praga) are simply fantastic, and all three pieces deserve greater exposure, both in concert and on record.   

[DavidW]

Don't forget Schubert and Hummel!

[bhodges]

It's been mentioned elsewhere a lot, but you might investigate Schnittke's Piano Quintet, one of his most celebrated pieces. There are many excellent recordings - some of my faves are below. He wrote it following the death of his mother, and it's quite an intense experience.

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--Bruce

[mjwal]

Then there are the remarkable piano quintets by Ernest Bloch and Amy Beach, both conveniently united on EDA played by the Pihtipudas Kvintetti. Mrs Beach's Adagio espressivo is a late-romantic wallow to die for.

[Drasko]

Here is another larger thread on Piano Quintets;

http://www.good-music-guide.com/community/index.php/topic,12256.0.html

and to quote myself from wyalt few days ago:

...


On the other hand Louis Vierne's Piano Quintet is awesome. Could be my favorite late romantic PQ (definitely prefer it to Franck). Dark, chromatic, emotional yet melodically catchy and memorable. Why it isn't better known is beyond me.

Hahn's PQ that fills out the disc is somewhat different in style and mood, later and lighter but superbly enjoyable as well.

Whole disc big win.

[Daverz]

Taneyev
Bacewicz 1
Shostakovich
Mieczyslaw Weinberg

[Sergeant Rock]

Then there are the remarkable piano quintets by Ernest Bloch and Amy Beach, both conveniently united on EDA played by the Pihtipudas Kvintetti. Mrs Beach's Adagio espressivo is a late-romantic wallow to die for.

Sounds interesting. I ordered a copy.

Sarge

[snyprrr]

I see J in the house. Ah, those were nice PQ days there...

[San Antone]

Just listened to Weinberg's Piano Quintet. Really haunting slow movement dividing strings against piano for the most part, and a finale with a lot of really surprising influences - I could hear jazz here and there, and even what seemed to be a Celtic folk tune paid a brief visit!

The Weinberg quintet is fantastic.  I don't listen to much beyond his quartets but that work will get repeated plays.

[SergeCpp]

Louise Farrenc (1804—1875) Piano Quintets — The Schubert Ensemble

Louise Farrenc (31 May 1804 – 15 September 1875) was a French composer, virtuoso pianist and teacher.

Two superb works that will hook you straight away. These quintets have quickly become favourites of mine, the Vivace from the second quintet in particular is hard to get out of my head! The playing of the Schubert Ensemble is faultless as the piano weaves its way around and between the strings. Until quite recently Louise Farrenc was a forgotten composer: now her compositions are gaining some deserved recognition. If you're not convinced then look her up on YouTube...

Nigel Clough (Amazon)

...brilliant rendition of one of my favorite pieces of chamber music. both quintets are so enormously rich and beautiful! and you play this so very well: perfect balance, flawless intonation, full of power and joy, the piano like a sparkling creek flowing in-between!

Chris Ingres (YouTube)

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