Thaikovsky PC2

[BoliverAllmon]

why isn't this concerto played more often?


boliver allmon III

[rhapsody7900]

I am a big fan of this piece - I remember having a hard time finding recordings of this (besides the Pletnev and Glemser...)  The only thing I know about why it's so rarely performed is due to the extraordinary length of the work. 

(Or maybe Pletnev's is too hard to top...)

[thierry13]

Are there any free records over the net? And how long is it?

[apion]

Honestly, I don't care for Tchaikovsky's piano concertos.   

[musik_man]

I just finished listening to it for the first time, and I honestly can't figure out why the First is more played.  The only thing the first has on the second is that opening.  After that the first just stumbles around for 15 minutes.  I much prefer the second.

[BoliverAllmon]

Are there any free records over the net? And how long is it?

www.karadar.it

[aajjmb]

this is one of my favorite pieces too!!  The middle gets pretty intense.... a bit long though consider the 1st mov is 22 mins, the 2nd being 17 and the 3rd being a respectibly 8 (im listening to it right now.... around 6 min mark its pretty insane!)

[klavierkonzerte]

i like it, it's fine but not great and i think it's better than his first

[fred smalls]

Wow!  Just listened to it!  An amazing piece!  Although the first does have a better intro!  Very intense too!  No clue why this isn't overplayed, yet alone not even played often!

Peace
Fred Smalls

[thalbergmad]

I have never understood why it is not played more often. Many great concerto's are strangely neglected. Henselt, Bortkiewicz, Sauer & Arensky to name but a few.

[aajjmb]

I have never understood why it is not played more often. Many great concerto's are strangely neglected. Henselt, Bortkiewicz, Sauer & Arensky to name but a few.

and by u mean their concertos are negletec i think their names are too (nver even heard of ythose dudes)

[musicsdarkangel]

I am a big fan of this piece - I remember having a hard time finding recordings of this (besides the Pletnev and Glemser...)  The only thing I know about why it's so rarely performed is due to the extraordinary length of the work. 

(Or maybe Pletnev's is too hard to top...)

no way, it's only like...33 min or something....

I agree BTW, this concerto is wonderful, you got me to dig out the recording once again.

So beautiful.

[Ziggy]

Eh, that site doesn't work for me - I can't get a download to start. what's with that cofee thing?

[rohansahai]

Agreed, its a marvellous work ( i simply love the last movement !).  And have no idea why its not played often...maybe tchaikovsky's piano music in general is pretty much neglected and so, this piece suffers too.

Eh, that site doesn't work for me - I can't get a download to start. what's with that cofee thing?

Aah, after a lott of experimentation, frustration and perspiration, I managed to find out how to download from this site.
1. Open the site.
2. On the home page, scroll down and open the Cocoa site (in a new window).
3. Create your account on cocoa.
4. On the original home page (karadar), click on mp3 archive (do not click on search).
5. Now enter just Tchaikovsky's name in the composer field.
6. Scroll down to the format of the results' page and choose: High details ordered by author and any number of results/page you want.
7. Now on the results page, see the piece you want to download. It will have the performer/orchestra also, so make up your mind which one you want.
8. Switch to Cocoa site and search putting artist "tchaikovsky" and title "concerto".
9. You will get results though without the names of the performer/orchestra.
10. Match the timings of the piece from the karadar search with the ones on cocoa. The one having the same (total) time is the one you selected.
11. Click on "add all" next to the title. You will find the different movements added on the right part of your screen.
12. Click on "edit" on the top of this collection.
13. Just enter a title to this compilation (it can be anything other than the default one). Click confirm.
14. Now you will have the original page again, with the movements on the right with your entered title on top of it. Click on 'download' below the set of movements.
15. Now it will ask you to confirm the list. Click confirm
16. A new window will open asking you some really stupid classical music question, in which the answer will be just a matter of common sense. Answer it.
17. Now, FINALLY you will have the separate movements on this page, with the 'download' link in front of each. Go ahead and download it.

They really make you sweat hard in order to download (maybe to prevent automated downloads or to save bandwith). It will d'load pretty slowly, so you have to be patient. This is pretty much it...great site with great collection but extremely poor design and cumbersome download process. But, its still worth it. Enjoy,
Best wishes,
Rohan.

[BoliverAllmon]

Agreed, its a marvellous work ( i simply love the last movement !).  And have no idea why its not played often...maybe tchaikovsky's piano music in general is pretty much neglected and so, this piece suffers too.Aah, after a lott of experimentation, frustration and perspiration, I managed to find out how to download from this site.
1. Open the site.
2. On the home page, scroll down and open the Cocoa site (in a new window).
3. Create your account on cocoa.
4. On the original home page (karadar), click on mp3 archive (do not click on search).
5. Now enter just Tchaikovsky's name in the composer field.
6. Scroll down to the format of the results' page and choose: High details ordered by author and any number of results/page you want.
7. Now on the results page, see the piece you want to download. It will have the performer/orchestra also, so make up your mind which one you want.
8. Switch to Cocoa site and search putting artist "tchaikovsky" and title "concerto".
9. You will get results though without the names of the performer/orchestra.
10. Match the timings of the piece from the karadar search with the ones on cocoa. The one having the same (total) time is the one you selected.
11. Click on "add all" next to the title. You will find the different movements added on the right part of your screen.
12. Click on "edit" on the top of this collection.
13. Just enter a title to this compilation (it can be anything other than the default one). Click confirm.
14. Now you will have the original page again, with the movements on the right with your entered title on top of it. Click on 'download' below the set of movements.
15. Now it will ask you to confirm the list. Click confirm
16. A new window will open asking you some really stupid classical music question, in which the answer will be just a matter of common sense. Answer it.
17. Now, FINALLY you will have the separate movements on this page, with the 'download' link in front of each. Go ahead and download it.

They really make you sweat hard in order to download (maybe to prevent automated downloads or to save bandwith). It will d'load pretty slowly, so you have to be patient. This is pretty much it...great site with great collection but extremely poor design and cumbersome download process. But, its still worth it. Enjoy,
Best wishes,
Rohan.

very worth it.

[Ziggy]

thanks!

[stebroccm]

Both are very difficult, and very cheesy, but the first is played more for 2 reasons:

1) It's easier, but sounds more impressive
2) It has bigger climaxes

[frederic]

I am currently studying Tchaikovsky's second piano concerto and i can tell you why it's not played often. And it's definitly not because of it's length. Look at the two Brahms Concertos. They are both just as long, even slightly longer, than the Tchaik, but they are standard concerto repertoire. The reason is, Tchaikovsky's second is more a less a "bad" composition. Sure, it has charm, dazzling display, but if you dig deeper, there's really not much there. The thing that really bothers me in the 1st movement (and many musicologists, even tchaikovsky himself had doubts) is the structure of the piece. The recap for me has been TIRESOME to practice since it is an exact repeat of the exposition except in a different key. You can also tell Tchaikovsky gets stuck and the end of the 1st and 2nd movements, not knowing how to end! It may sound awsome to the audience who know little about it (which i certainly hope is the case because i will be performing it this year) but being the intepreter, it's a completely different story. As for difficulty wise, I didn't have much problems with it, easier than the Chopin concertos!
Any other pianists here learning this piece? I'll like to hear some comments, would be great. cheers
 

[frederic]

Both are very difficult, and very cheesy, but the first is played more for 2 reasons:

1) It's easier, but sounds more impressive
2) It has bigger climaxes

But the 1st is cheesier. 2nd movement, no? 

[superstition2]

why isn't this concerto played more often?

Because it's rubbish.

[mike_lang]

I am currently studying Tchaikovsky's second piano concerto and i can tell you why it's not played often. And it's definitly not because of it's length. Look at the two Brahms Concertos. They are both just as long, even slightly longer, than the Tchaik, but they are standard concerto repertoire. The reason is, Tchaikovsky's second is more a less a "bad" composition. Sure, it has charm, dazzling display, but if you dig deeper, there's really not much there. The thing that really bothers me in the 1st movement (and many musicologists, even tchaikovsky himself had doubts) is the structure of the piece. The recap for me has been TIRESOME to practice since it is an exact repeat of the exposition except in a different key. You can also tell Tchaikovsky gets stuck and the end of the 1st and 2nd movements, not knowing how to end! It may sound awsome to the audience who know little about it (which i certainly hope is the case because i will be performing it this year) but being the intepreter, it's a completely different story. As for difficulty wise, I didn't have much problems with it, easier than the Chopin concertos!
Any other pianists here learning this piece? I'll like to hear some comments, would be great. cheers
 

Yeah - my teacher was telling me when I started the first that people call it The Tchaikovsky Concerto because the second one is trash.

[punch]

I tried it and, while it's better than the 1st, it's nowhere near par with, say,  the violin concerto.  I thought it still somewhat substandard Tchaik but that was only on one listen and I did burn it so I'll give it another few tries.  Come to think of it, he didn't do a whole lot of writing for piano did he?....

[superstition2]

I tried it and, while it's better than the 1st, it's nowhere near par with, say,  the violin concerto.  I thought it still somewhat substandard Tchaik but that was only on one listen and I did burn it so I'll give it another few tries.  Come to think of it, he didn't do a whole lot of writing for piano did he?....

I know he wrote a sonata (bad... student work), a great number of shorter pieces, and three piano concertos.

[sergei r]

Sure his second piano concerto might be lacking in form, but so is the first - just look at the first movement of it. If the second isn't performed as often because of its poor form, then why is the first performed so often?

[frederic]

Both are very difficult, and very cheesy, but the first is played more for 2 reasons:

1) It's easier, but sounds more impressive
2) It has bigger climaxes

and i'll like to add it has better themes.