Hyperion’s Romantic Piano Concerto series stands as one of the most ambitious and comprehensive recording projects in the history of classical music. Launched in 1991 with the aim of reviving forgotten works, it developed into an encyclopedic exploration of the genre. Now, Hyperion has gathered the first era of this project into a single 50-CD box set, The Romantic Piano Concerto 1991-2007 Edition.
The sheer scale of this collection is impressive: 130 works by 59 composers, performed by 19 pianists, 21 conductors, and 14 orchestras. It is a testament to musical curiosity, shedding light on repertoire that once engaged 19th-century audiences before fading into obscurity.
Let us be honest: not every concerto in this box is a lost masterpiece of profound emotional depth. Many of these composers were touring virtuosos writing vehicles for their own techniques, and as such, some pieces prioritize keyboard pyrotechnics over structural integrity or memorable melodic invention. Yet, there is value in this documentation. Hearing these less-than-ideal compositions provides a vital historical context, illuminating exactly why the concertos of Schumann, Brahms, Tchaikovsky, Chopin, and Rachmaninov endured (Grieg’s famous A minor concerto is still absent from the series). Furthermore, the appeal of a well-executed virtuoso display should not be underestimated. When performed with the level of commitment evident on these discs, even superficial showpieces yield genuine enjoyment.
The stylistic scope across the collection is naturally broad. Listeners are taken on a chronological and geographical journey, from the elegant early-Romantic salon charm of Henri Herz, Friedrich Kalkbrenner, and Ignaz Moscheles, to the passionate Russian nationalist style of Alexander Glazunov, Sergei Bortkiewicz, and Anton Arensky. The collection even stretches the boundaries of the “Romantic” label, venturing into the complex, monumental textures of Ferruccio Busoni’s Piano Concerto, complete with its unexpected male chorus finale.
While it is impossible to list every highlight, certain performances have rightfully attained reference status. Chief among them is Stephen Hough’s pairing of Xaver Scharwenka’s Piano Concerto No. 4 with Emil von Sauer’s No. 1. This album, which received major critical acclaim and awards in 1996, is a masterclass in bravura. The pianist dispatches Scharwenka’s difficult octave leaps and arpeggios with remarkable technical command. Hough’s now famous complete cycle of the five Saint-Saëns concertos is similarly strong, offering a fine balance of elegance, wit, and technique.
Other notable moments include Nikolai Demidenko’s idiomatic accounts of Medtner’s Second and Third Concertos, and Marc-André Hamelin’s authoritative navigation of the aforementioned Busoni, as well as the technically demanding works of Henselt and Alkan. Howard Shelley deserves mention for his substantial contribution to the early Romantic repertoire; conducting from the keyboard, he brings characteristic grace, crystalline articulation, and classical poise to composers like Moscheles and Herz. Piers Lane, whose 1991 recording of Moszkowski and Paderewski launched the series, remains a reliable guide through many of these rarities, including a dedicated volume of Delius and Ireland.
One must also acknowledge the vital contribution of the orchestras and conductors. The BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, predominantly under the baton of Martyn Brabbins, features on a significant number of these recordings. Their ability to sight-read and bring shape and style to completely unfamiliar scores is consistently excellent.
The presentation of this 50-CD set is practical and well-executed. Each disc is housed in a cardboard wallet reproducing the original cover art. The booklet features informative essays by series producer Andrew Keener and project mastermind Mike Spring, alongside introductory notes from Stephen Hough and Piers Lane. Comprehensive indexes by composer and pianist make navigating the vast collection straightforward. The recording engineering across the set is also consistently of demonstration quality.
For the serious piano aficionado, this box set is a valuable collection. The set offers a comprehensive overview of the virtuoso tradition, documenting the historical repertoire of an instrument that continues to reign supreme in the concert hall today.
Album Details |
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|---|---|
| Album name | The Romantic Piano Concerto 1991-2007 Edition |
| Label | Hyperion |
| Catalogue No. | CDS44701/50 |
| Artists | Stephen Hough, Marc-André Hamelin, Nikolai Demidenko, Howard Shelley, Piers Lane, Seta Tanyel, Martin Roscoe, Peter Donohoe, Steven Osborne and others |
