Who is the composer of this piano piece?

[gprengel]

I have this question for you: who is the composer of this piano piece or even, what a piece is this? Any guess? It beginns with slow arpeggios and then turns to a great Allegro. Especially I love the theme at 2:13 and the Coda:

--> www.gerdprengel.de/klavierstueck.mp3

Gerd

[Megan]

I have this question for you: who is the composer of this piano piece or even, what a piece is this? Any guess? It beginns with slow arpeggios and then turns to a great Allegro. Especially I love the theme at 2:13 and the Coda:

--> www.gerdprengel.de/klavierstueck.mp3

Gerd

I'll go for Franz Liszt.
If it's wrong, I'll say my husband guessed it.

[Peter]

I'd say it was Mendelssohn.

[Bonn1827]

Gerd, thank you for this challenge - let's have more of them, please!!

I think it could be Carl Maria von Weber: a stand-alone piece such as a Konzertstucke, or similar. It sounds a bit like Schubert and Beethoven, but I go for Weber.

[gprengel]

One of you, indeed, named already the correkt composer (I don't tell you yet, who it is). Congratulation! But you are not so sure? Here another piece of the same composer? Will this make it more sure?

www.gerdprengel.de/piece.mp3 Is this not awesome??

Have fun in guessing ...

Gerd

[Bonn1827]

I don't need any more "guesses" as I've already said Carl Maria von Weber and I stand by that. Please give us a new piece and another guessing competition! This time 20th century.

[Hofrat]

I will second Mendelssohn.

[gprengel]

The answer is, Peter and Hofrat, you are right! It can be only Mendelssohn, especially after I presented to you also the second piece. Could this really be from Weber?
The pieces:
1. Caprice #1 in a-minor op. 33
2. Etude in Bb-minor op. 104

Any comments? What do you think about these so unknown pieces?

Gerd

[Michael]

I give up!

(Oh, didn't spot the answer above! )

[Peter]

The answer is, Peter and Hofrat, you are right! It can be only Mendelssohn, especially after I presented to you also the second piece. Could this really be from Weber?
The pieces:
1. Caprice #1 in a-minor op. 33
2. Etude in Bb-minor op. 104

Any comments? What do you think about these so unknown pieces?

Gerd

I'm relieved to hear it! I think both pieces are very fine and I'll certainly make more of an effort to investigate Mendelssohn's piano music beyond the Songs without words! Actually I'm working on the Andante, Rondo and Capriccioso at the moment so it would be good to add a few unknowns to the repertoire. The prelude and Fugue in E minor is another very fine piece.

[Megan]

Well done, Peter and Hofrat!
I guess I don't listen to enough of Mendelssohn.

Hope we can have more quizzes though.

[gprengel]

... I'll certainly make more of an effort to investigate Mendelssohn's piano music beyond the Songs without words! ...

If you do this, then I heartily recommend to you this CD:

http://www.amazon.com/Mendelssohn-Pi...d_bxgy_m_img_b

It contains the best non-standard Piano Music I know with some awesome Fugues!

[gprengel]

... and apart from the CD I just mentioned above listen to this (only the first 4:50 minutes):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=786RV...eature=related
(this is on the level of Beethoven with an heartbreaking main theme!)

and

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rSytp...eature=related

Gerd

[Bonn1827]

Well, a surprise!! I actually thought the first piece very fine and the second very average, with the first showing clear references to Beethoven and Schubert. Perhaps this is why is isn't recorded so much?

[gprengel]

new guess competetion

Some of you found pleasure in my Mendelssohn guessing. So I will continue:

Bonn1827 was asking for 20th century pieces. Well, there are only very few pieces I love in the post Mahler-time, but here are 2 pieces, one instrumental and one opera which I adore very, very much!!

www.gerdprengel.de/guess1.mp3

www.gerdprengel.de/duetto.mp3 (the ending is just overwhelming in beauty!)

And here one wonderful piece from the 19th century (wonderful especially second half):

www.gerdprengel.de/guess2.mp3

Have fun in guessing again ..
Gerd