Obscure pieces that should be heard

[superstition2]

A) Solo short pieces:
B) Solo (medium or long) non-sonata pieces:
C) Solo sonatas:
D) Solo piano with orchestra:
E) One piano chamber:
F) Two or more pianos:
G) Misc:

[phil13]

C) Solo sonatas: Sibelius Op.12 in F. Most definitely too neglected, and it's so beautiful- especially the 1st mvt.

Phil

[jre58591]

A) Solo short pieces: any medtner fairy tales, any kapustin etude

B) Solo (medium or long) non-sonata pieces: kapustin op 41 variations, liebermann gargoyles

C) Solo sonatas: alkan grande sonata, kapustin 2nd sonata

D) Solo piano with orchestra: bortkiewicz 1st concerto, dohnányi 2nd concerto

E) One piano chamber: kapustin piano quintet op 89, medtner piano quintet

F) Two or more pianos: medtner knight errant, lutosławski paganini variations

two entries per category just doesnt cut it. i could go on for days in each category, literally. and this list changes hourly.

[superstition2]

You're right. Forget the limit. Please edit your post to add the other pieces. Thanks.


A)

Godowsky, Study on Chopin's Etudes, Op. 10 No. 1 in C
(Any) Ornstein, particularly Suicide on an Airplane
(Any) Roslavets, particularly the Three Compositions
Scriabin, Op. 71 Preludes
Scriabin, Op. 74 Preludes
Rachmaninov, Melody in E Op. 3, No. 3
Satie, Ogive #1
Prokofiev, Etude Op. 52
Scriabin, posthumous Valses in G# minor and Db
Scriabin, posthumous canon in D minor

B)

(Any) Roslavets, especially the Three Etudes
(Any) Ornstein, especially a Morning in the Woods and A Long Remembered Sorrow
Satie, Gnossienne #7

C)

Myaskovsky, sonata 3
Myaskovsky, sonata 2
Allen Sapp, sonata 3
Roslavets, any sonata, especially 5
Ornstein, any sonata, especially 7
Prokofiev, sonata 9
Scriabin, sonata #8 and posthumous G# minor fantasy
Raff, Eb minor and D minor fantasy

D)

Tcherepnin, concerto 5
Tcherepnin, concerto 4?
Tcherepnin, concerto 3?
Tveitt, concerto 1
Tveitt, concerto 5
Tchaikovsky, concerto 1

E) ?
F) ?
G) ?

[thalbergmad]

A. Any of Thalbergs Op70
B. Tausig - The Ghostship, Kalkbrenner - Effusio Musica, Thalberg - Rossini - Seriminade
C. Paderewski, Rubinstein, Hummell
D. Henselt, Bortkiewicz, Massenet, Stavenhagen, Herz 3, D'Albert 2, Dohnanyi.
E. Not interested in Chamber Music.
F. Dunno
G. Blank

[superstition2]

surely there are more... ?

[jre58591]

there are tons more. this is just stuff off the top of my head.

A) Solo short pieces: gnattali negaceando, vaidosa no 1, manhosamente, canhoto, york bowen toccata op 155

B) Solo (medium or long) non-sonata pieces: moniuszko-tausig halka fantasie, vladigerov sonatina concertante

C) Solo sonatas: both rautavaara sonatas, almost all medtner sonatas

D) Solo piano with orchestra: tviett piano concerto no 4, all scharwenka piano concertos

E) One piano chamber: alkan cello sonata, kapustin nearly waltz

F) Two or more pianos: wagner ride of the valkyries for 8 pianos, rimsky-korsakov flight of the bumblebee for 8 pianos

G) Misc: messiaen turangalîla symphonie, des canyons aux étoiles, oiseaux exotiques

[gymnopedist]

D) debussy, fantaisie for piano and orchestra
E) Arensky Piano trio
F) Ravel, Entre cloches from sites auriculaires, frontispice

[mephisto]

Ornstein`s music in general.

[ronde_des_sylphes]

a)  Cziffra's arrangement of Khatchaturian Sabre Dance
     Liszt Le rossignol
     Liapunov Ronde des sylphes ( heh  )
     Alkan Les diablotins

b)  Tausig Ungarische Zigeunerwiesen
     Thalberg Fantasy on Rossini's "Moses in Egypt"
     Liapunov Elegie en mermoire de Francois Liszt
     Rosenthal Blue Danube Paraphrase
     Godowsky Symphonic Metamorphosis on Johann Strauss jr.'s Kunstlerleben
     Martucci Concert Fantasy on Verdi's "Force of Destiny"
     Pabst Paraphrase on Eugene Onegin
     Busoni Elegies

c)  Alkan Grande Sonate "Les Quatre Ages" (I guess the Symphony and Concerto are no 
     longer "obscure")
     Reubke Sonata

d)  Liapunov first piano concerto; Fantasy on Ukranian themes
     Henselt piano concerto
     von Sauer piano concerto

e)  Alkan's chamber music

f)   Liszt Symphonic poems arranged for two pianos
     Lutoslawski Paganini variations
     Ravel La valse

g)  Szymanowski  3rd Symphony
     Martucci Canzonetta op. 55 no 1

I could go on and on...

[ahinton]

a)  Cziffra's arrangement of Khatchaturian Sabre Dance
     Liszt Le rossignol
     Liapunov Ronde des sylphes ( heh  )
     Alkan Les diablotins

b)  Tausig Ungarische Zigeunerwiesen
     Thalberg Fantasy on Rossini's "Moses in Egypt"
     Liapunov Elegie en mermoire de Francois Liszt
     Rosenthal Blue Danube Paraphrase
     Godowsky Symphonic Metamorphosis on Johann Strauss jr.'s Kunstlerleben
     Martucci Concert Fantasy on Verdi's "Force of Destiny"
     Pabst Paraphrase on Eugene Onegin
     Busoni Elegies

c)  Alkan Grande Sonate "Les Quatre Ages" (I guess the Symphony and Concerto are no 
     longer "obscure")
     Reubke Sonata

d)  Liapunov first piano concerto; Fantasy on Ukranian themes
     Henselt piano concerto
     von Sauer piano concerto

e)  Alkan's chamber music

f)   Liszt Symphonic poems arranged for two pianos
     Lutoslawski Paganini variations
     Ravel La valse

g)  Szymanowski  3rd Symphony
     Martucci Canzonetta op. 55 no 1

I could go on and on...

Ravel's La Valse? Really? Of course it should be heard - but it is - very, very frequently! - in its original form and, to a lesser extent, in the version for two pianos. Hard to disagree with much of the remainder of your suggestions, however...

Best,

Alistair

[ronde_des_sylphes]

I suppose the two-piano version of La valse isn't that obscure..

Oh well, you quoted my post just before I got to modifying it to add the Berwald 3rd Symphony, Liszt La lugubre gondola (piano and cello version) and the von Bronsart piano concerto.

[invictious]

John Cage - 4'33''

Try 'hearing' it

[shasta]

A) Solo short pieces:
-Godowsky's transcription of Schubert's 'The Trout'
-Turina's 'Sacromonte'

B) Solo (medium or long) non-sonata pieces:
-Fanny Hensel's 'Das Jahr' cycle
-Clara Schumann's 'Variations on a Theme by Robert Schumann'
-Soler's 'Fandango'

C) Solo sonatas:
-Albeniz sonata in F
-Clara Schumann's sonata in G minor

D) Solo piano with orchestra:
-Lecuona's 'Rhapsodia Negra'

E) One piano chamber:
-Cooke's 'Songs of Innocence' - for soprano, clarinet, and piano
-Schubert's 'Shepherd on the Rock' - for soprano, clarinet, and piano

F) Two or more pianos:
-Mendelssohn's 2-piano concerto in E
-Mendelssohn's 2-piano concerto in A-flat

G) Misc:
-Godowsky's Java Suite
-Volodos' transcription of Rach's Cello Sonata
-Heller's transcription of Mendelssohn's Hebrides Overture

[gymnopedist]

John Cage - 4'33''

Try 'hearing' it

You are so funny!

B) Solo (medium or long) non-sonata pieces:
- Debussy, Images Oubliées

C) Solo sonatas:
- Dukas Eb minor

D) Solo piano with orchestra:
- Korngold, Piano Concerto in C sharp

E) One piano chamber:
- Piazzolla 'Four seasons' piano trio
- Debussy Nocturne et Scherzo for cello and piano

[thalbergmad]

b)  Tausig Ungarische Zigeunerwiesen
     Thalberg Fantasy on Rossini's "Moses in Egypt"
     Liapunov Elegie en mermoire de Francois Liszt
     Rosenthal Blue Danube Paraphrase
     Godowsky Symphonic Metamorphosis on Johann Strauss jr.'s Kunstlerleben
     Martucci Concert Fantasy on Verdi's "Force of Destiny"
     Pabst Paraphrase on Eugene Onegin
     Busoni Elegies
I could go on and on...

Massive respect for that Liszt.

Thal

[desordre]

Please, let me enter a five-composer list:
Henry Cowell
Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco
Federico Mompou
Richard Rodney Bennett
Anton Webern

There are a lot more. The XXth century was very prolific (as much as the XIXth), but the pianists (and musicians in general) seems to be still attached to the Romantic Era. I know that the public mostly prefer hearing the Great B's (Bach-Beethoven-Brahms) to the music post-Debussy, but we shall not be 100% comercial. Maybe 90%...oh well...

Best wishes.

[jre58591]

thats reminds me. ill add ligeti to the list (desordre's username reminded me, haha). his etudes and piano concerto should go on the list.

[pianote]

John Cage - 4'33''

Try 'hearing' it

getting old...

[da jake]

Balakirev Scherzo
Balakirev Sonata (that starts with a fugue)

Seriously good pieces.

[burstroman]

Amy Beach:  Piano Concerto
Shostakovich : Sonata # 1
Chavez: Sonata #2
Prokofiev: Piano Concert #5
Louise Talma: Toccata in the form of an
Alleluia

[jre58591]

anything by bortkiewicz, scharwenka, or medtner would fit nicely into this list.

[mephisto]

I notice that Feinberg`s wonderfull piano sonatas(I don`t like the first one).
No 4,5,6, and 9 are especially good. All are masterpieces.

[arbisley]

I couldn't mention any since I don't know enough music (unfortunately!).

John Cage - 4'33''

Try 'hearing' it

actually, we were going to "perform" it at my school in a modern music concert, including prepared piano pieces etc. but it never came off! what a pity....

[desordre]

(...)
Chavez: Sonata #2
(...)

Chavez is a great composer. And you make me remember two more composers: Ernst Krenek and Frank Martin. Very few performed, and with very interesting pieces that "should be heard".

[jre58591]

throw in antheil's jazz sonata and his ballet méchanique. both are very unique and the 1st is a favorite of hamelin's.

[thorn]

under the misc. section...

assuming under this section you can include non-piano pieces, you should definately listen to Mouquet's La Flute de Pan... particularly the middle movement.

[superstition2]

Amy Beach:  Piano Concerto

Really? Is there a better performance than the Naxos disc I have?

[superstition2]

Anton Webern

Webern's Variations have been recorded a number of times. I have two discs with them. I think Berg's sonata, which is also on both discs, is better.

Dukas Eb minor sonata

There must be a better recording than the Naxos one I have, then. It's atrocious.

[desordre]

 Mr(s) Supertition2, let me argue with your opinion:

Webern's Variations have been recorded a number of times. I have two discs with them. I think Berg's sonata, which is also on both discs, is better.(...)

This is Webern's most famous solo piano composition. However, it's very little played, and if you think what kind of musical monument it is, we have a problem of piano repertory now-a-days. Imagine a world where pianists cease to play Beethoven's Hammerklavier, for instance. Anyhow, I have to agree with you, because this particular one is not really an "obscure" piece, but his output,  although very brief (as usual), is larger than it:
   Satz (1906)
   Sonatensatz (aka Rondo; 1906)
   Kinderstück
   Klavierstück (1925)
   Variations
 So, may I ask you how many times did you hear any of these pieces played (or recorded) in the last years?
 Last but not least: why Berg's Sonata is related to this question? I actually like a lot this piece, but do you will say something like: why playing Schumann if Chopin is better? The fact that two composers have some relation (and I think that Berg and Webern are very far from each other) doesn't mean that one can "replace" another.
 Anyway, let me present all my respect for you and excuse me for this harsh controversy.
 Best wishes!

[jre58591]

Really? Is there a better performance than the Naxos disc I have?

'amy beach's piano concerto is one of the few obscure piano concertos i actually dislike.

[JCarey]

A) Solo short pieces: Bowen Toccata

B) Solo (medium or long) non-sonata pieces: Sorabji Solo Concerto, Alkan Solo Concerto

C) Solo sonatas: Godowsky Sonata

D) Solo piano with orchestra: Busoni Concerto in C Major

E) One piano chamber: Kapustin Piano Quintet

Among many, many others.