Theodor Döhler; Alexander Dreyschock - Piano Concertos (Howard Shelley)

Information

Composer: Theodor Döhler; Alexander Dreyschock

1. Döhler - Piano Concerto in A major, Op. 7: I. Maestoso
2. Döhler - Piano Concerto in A major, Op. 7: II. Adagio
3. Döhler - Piano Concerto in A major, Op. 7: III. Allegretto
4. Dreyschock - Morceau de concert in C minor, Op. 27
5. Dreyschock - Salut à Vienne 'Rondo brillant', Op. 32: I. Introduzione - Tempo di marcia -
6. Dreyschock - Salut à Vienne 'Rondo brillant', Op. 32: II. Rondo: Allegro con moto

Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra
Howard Shelley, piano & conductor

Date: 2013
Label: Hyperion
https://www.hyperion-records.co.uk/dc.asp?dc=D_CDA67950

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Review

Concertos lost to history from Germany and Bohemia

Assiduous followers of Hyperion’s ‘Romantic Piano Concerto’ series may well know the name Alexander Dreyschock (1818-69), as he featured back in Vol 21 (10/99). Should you be unfamiliar, Heinrich Heine’s summation of the playing of this Bohemian whizz (and former child prodigy) goes like this: ‘Go hang yourself, Franz Liszt! You are but an ordinary wind god in comparison with this God of Thunder!’ Dreyschock’s C minor Morceau de concert is as tempestuous as the key might suggest and the solo cello theme (at 3'42"), answered fervently by the piano, is unexpectedly affecting. His Viennese tribute is, by contrast, a frippery, but no less charming for that and with an irritatingly catchy Rondo theme.

Theodor Döhler (1814-56) is still more obscure, long lost in the doldrums of musical history. Was history wrong? Not really. Schumann unsurprisingly hated his A major Concerto: in fact it was works such as this, where the sparkle factor unashamedly outweighs seriousness of intent, that led to his famous 1839 essay on the future of the genre needing to be found – and fast. Stylistically, it is Hummelian in its vivid solo writing but generally without his memorability.

So what’s the point of rescuing such pieces? Well, they offer a fascinating backdrop to the greatest masterpieces of the age. And you couldn’t imagine a finer advocate than Howard Shelley, who is not only palpably committed to the cause (enthusing the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra in the process) but who has both the dexterity and the musicality to make the best possible case for this music. Mention should be made, too, of the entertaining and informative notes by Jeremy Nicholas. If the results are more Babycham than Krug, that is hardly the fault of the performers.

-- Harriet Smith, Gramophone

More reviews:
http://www.musicweb-international.com/classrev/2013/Nov13/Dohler_Dreyschock_CDA67950.htm
https://www.limelightmagazine.com.au/reviews/dohler-dreyschock-piano-concertos-tso-shelley/
https://www.irishtimes.com/culture/music/the-romantic-piano-concerto-vol-61-1.1554044
https://www.allmusic.com/album/the-romantic-piano-concerto-vol-61-d%C3%B6ler-dreyschock-mw0002564403
https://www.amazon.com/Romantic-Piano-Concerto-Vol-61/dp/B00DOVXN1U

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Theodor Döhler (20 April 1814 – 21 February 1856) was a German composer and a notable piano virtuoso of the Romantic period. Döhler was a child prodigy and received his first musical education in Naples from the conductor Julius Benedict. From 1829 to 1834 Döhler lived in Vienna, where he studied piano under Carl Czerny and composition with Simon Sechter. From 1834 until 1845 he toured Europe as a concert pianist, and was considered a very successful and fashionable piano virtuoso. In addition to works for piano, Döhler composed one opera, Tancreda, which was first produced in 1880.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theodor_D%C3%B6hler

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Alexander Dreyschock (October 15, 1818 in Žáky, Bohemia – April 1, 1869 in Venice) was a Czech pianist and composer. He studied piano and composition with Václav Tomášek in Prague. During his touring years, Dreyschock caused a sensation with prodigious execution of thirds, sixths, and octaves, plus other tricks. Dreyschock's left-hand was renowned, and his most famous technical stunt was to play the left-hand arpeggios of Chopin's Revolutionary Étude in octaves. In 1862, Dreyschock became a staff member at the newly founded St. Petersburg Conservatory at Anton Rubinstein's invitation.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexander_Dreyschock

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Howard Shelley (born 9 March 1950) is a British pianist and conductor. He was educated at Highgate School and the Royal College of Music. As pianist he has performed, broadcast and recorded around the world with leading orchestras and conductors. He made many recordings for Chandos, Hyperion and EMI, including Rachmaninov's complete piano music and concertos. As a conductor, he has held positions of Associate and Principal Guest Conductor with the London Mozart Players in a close relationship of over twenty years. He has appeared regularly on television and on the soundtrack of several films.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Howard_Shelley

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