Moritz Moszkowski ‒ Piano Concerto in E major, Op 59

Moritz Moszkowski (1854 - 1925), Piano Concerto, (1898) Performed by Markus Pawlik, piano, Polish National Radio Symphony Orchestra, Antoni Wit cond. 00:00 - No. 1 Moderato 13:00 - No. 2 Andante 21:52 - No. 3 Scherzo 29:09 - No. 4 Allegro deciso Moritz Moszkowski’s Piano Concerto in E major, Opus 59 is one of the extraordinary examples of romantic works in this genre. According to the critic Edward Lippman, “this is the work of a man who not only was familiar with innumerable concerti written over a period of more than a century, but also was in command of every trick of the trade“. Moszkowski completed the concerto in 1898, dedicating it “à Monsieur Josef Casimir Hofmann“, a player who was to become one of the greatest piano virtuosi of all time. The concerto is scored for the usual woodwind, brass, and strings, but in addition, it makes occasional use of a triangle and a harp. Somewhat unusual for a piano concerto is the key of E major, and the fact that there are four movements instead of three. At the beginning of this century, the Moszkowski concerto was very popular, appearing frequently in the orchestral programmes of all the major orchestras of the world, and championed by most of the major piano virtuosos of the time. When another famous piano virtuoso, Fannie Bloomfield-Zeisler, toured the United States during the 1906-7 season performing the concerto, Hobbard William Harris provided the following musical analysis of the work (which became the standard analysis for this work, reprinted in concert programmes for the next several decades): “The first movement is a brilliant composition, opening with what may he taken as its principal theme, inasmuch as it furnishes most of the material for the development, and also reappears in the last movement as a climax to the whole work. The announcement of this resolute subject (by the flutes and oboes accompanied lightly by other woodwind, and deeper strings) is followed by a short solo cadenza, after which the unfolding of the musical picture begins. As this proceeds several subsidiary melodies come to notice, prominent among them being one which (while hinted at before) does not assume its formal shape until given out, grazioso, by the pianoforte alone following a short upward chromatic scale passage. This graceful subject aslo figure, conspicuously in the development, which after passing through a succession of interesting stages, culminates finally in a rousing climax. The second movement is an eloquent, nocturne-like effusion, of which the principal thematic element is the expressive subject given out softly at the commencement by the clarinet, and bassoons, staccato, and the strings, pizzicato - this being taken up shortly and carried on by the solo instrument. An agreeably contrasting intermediary section follows, after which the expressive first theme returns - now in the harp and strings against flowing figurations in the solo instrument. Lastly a short free conclusion passage leads us into the third movement. The Vivace is a lively, sparkling composition in Moszkowski’s characteristically brilliant manner, and commences with the statement of a nimble running theme by the solo instrument. After this vivacious subject and its derivatives have been worked over briefly another buoyant theme comes to notice in the flutes and clarinets, over a strumming guitar-like accompaniment in the pianoforte. The development from here runs mainly on this theme, leading finally to a short cantabile passage for the solo instrument (unaccompanied), following which the movement proceeds quickly to a dashing conclusion. The fourth and last movement opens with a short flourishing introductory passage which leads to the statement of a resolute theme by the solo instrument. After this has been developed at considerable length the pianoforte introduces a contrasting theme of flowing character, to which the clarinet attaches itself shortly. Presently the development of the resolute opening theme is resumed, leading to the entrance of still another subject, given out softy but decidedly by the clarinet and the violas, and worked up forthwith in alternation and combination with the resolute opening theme. The flowing second theme returns, the movement mounting thence to a climax, at the pinnacle of which the resolute opening theme of the first movement reappears in enlarged rhythm.“