Cipriani Potter - Symphony No. 1; Introduzione & Rondo (Howard Griffiths; Claire Huangci)

Information

Composer: Cipriani Potter

• Symphony No. 1 in G Minor
• Introduction & Rondo in E-Flat Major "Alla militaire"
• Cymbeline

Claire Huangci, piano

BBC National Orchestra of Wales

Howard Griffiths, conductor

Date: 2021

Label: cpo

https://www.jpc.de/jpcng/cpo/detail/-/art/cipriani-potter-symphonien-nr-1-2/hnum/8992773

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Review

Cipriani Potter these days is just a name in dusty history books recounting Britain’s heyday as ‘Das Land ohne Musik’. There’s far more to him to be discovered, of course: he was a grand-student (via Thomas Attwood) of Mozart and his talent was appreciated by Beethoven. A virtuoso pianist, he studied in Vienna and Italy before returning to his native London to join the staff of the (now Royal) Academy of Music. He composed fairly prodigiously, mainly in instrumental forms, until 1837, when he virtually abandoned composition for the life of a performer, teacher and editor, most notably of Mozart’s complete piano music.

Potter’s First Symphony (of nine) shows what he had learnt on the Continent. Themes are well-wrought and distinctive; counterpoint is deftly employed; orchestration is thoughtful, with characteristic, exposed writing for woodwinds and, especially in the rather catchy Minuet, horns. Influences from the 18th-century symphonists are evident, as well as from Beethoven, whose Eighth Symphony shared the bill at the premiere on May 29, 1826. Resurrecting the forgotten music of second-tier composers such as Potter is very much Howard Griffiths’s shtick, and he draws shapely playing from the BBC Welsh orchestra, who sound as if Potter had been in their rep for years.

The same is true of Claire Huangci’s performance of a (rather pompous) Introduction and (more playful) Rondo from 1827, and a concert overture depicting scenes from the tangled plot of Shakespeare’s Cymbeline, its dramatic tempo fluctuations exploited to the full. ‘Forgotten’ music such as this rarely receives such fine and committed championing as Potter does here.

-- David Threasher, Gramophone

More reviews:
http://www.musicweb-international.com/classrev/2021/May/Potter-sy1-5552742.htm

http://www.musicweb-international.com/classrev/2021/Jul/Potter-sy1-5552742.htm

https://www.classicalmusicdaily.com/2021/05/potter.htm

https://www.amazon.com/Symphony-1-Cipriani-Potter/dp/B0915V5NNB

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Cipriani Potter (3 October 1792 – 26 September 1871) was an English composer, pianist, conductor and teacher. He was born in London and made his debut as a pianist in 1816. In 1817, Potter travelled to Vienna, where he met Beethoven, before moving on to other cities in Austria, Germany and Italy. Returning to England in 1819, he became a central figure in London concert life as both a pianist and conductor. In 1822 Potter began teaching at the Royal Academy of Music in London, and later became its principal from 1832 to 1859. His compositions include 9 survived symphonies, as well as concertante, chamber, solo piano and vocal music.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cipriani_Potter

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Howard Griffiths (born 24 February 1950 in Hastings) is a British conductor. Griffiths studied music at the Royal College of Music, London, and has lived in Switzerland since 1981. He was Artistic Director and Principal Conductor of the Zurich Chamber Orchestra from 1996 to 2006. Since the season 2007/08, he is General Music Director of the Brandenburgisches Staatsorchester, and has also appeared as a guest conductor with many leading orchestras all over the world. Griffiths has a broad repertoire, with about 100 CD recordings with various labels (including Warner, Universal, cpo, Sony and Koch).
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Howard_Griffiths_(conductor)

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Claire Huangci (born March 22, 1990 in Rochester, New York) is an American classical pianist. Having completed her study at The Curtis Institute of Music from 2003 to 2007, she continued her musical education at the Hochschule für Musik, Theater und Medien Hannover from 2007 to 2016. Huangci won the Second Prize at the 2011 ARD International Music Competition as its youngest participant, as well as the Concours Geza Anda in Zurich in 2018. She has appeared as a soloist performing with well-known orchestras in Europe, North America and China. Her solo debut recording was published in 2013.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Claire_Huangci
https://clairehuangci.com/en/

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