# What If You Discovered This In Some Dusty Archives...



## DaveM (Jun 29, 2015)

As I continue my discovery of unappreciated/undiscovered works of the 19th century, I occasionally come upon a work or segment of a work that suggests that even composers who never achieved anywhere near the popularity of the masters occasionally had moments of genius that sadly have been forgotten.

So let's say you are in the dusky recesses of an old sheet music store somewhere in Europe and you come upon the score of the opening of this work and begin to hear it playing in your head. Would you be thinking that it might be some lost masterpiece of one of the masters and, if so, which composer might you be thinking of?

(Note: this is only 20% of the movement so I don't think there's a copyright issue presenting this short a segment.)

View attachment Mystery.mp3


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## Woodduck (Mar 17, 2014)

No composer familiar to me. The harmony suggests Beethoven, but it isn't him. It's nice.


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## DaveM (Jun 29, 2015)

Woodduck said:


> No composer familiar to me. The harmony suggests Beethoven, but it isn't him. It's nice.


When I was thinking of which composer first came to mind, it was Beethoven.


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## KenOC (Mar 7, 2011)

Yes, curious. The lack of counterpoint makes me think later 19th century, but the harmonies make me think earlier. Certainly a Beethoven mood, like the slow movement of the Emperor. So -- who is it???


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## Huilunsoittaja (Apr 6, 2010)

Early Romantic, someone the same age as Schumann and the gang is my guess. I'm also guessing you're leaving us hanging with the intent of eventually revealing the identity of the work, no? From the Hyperion Romantic Piano Concerto project, maybe?


One could say that anonymity is a composer's best advantage. The moment a name is given, that very instant labels of all sorts can be strapped upon it. While anonymous, the work has a life of its own, unconnected to any human being, and perhaps the more powerful for that.


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## DaveM (Jun 29, 2015)

KenOC said:


> Yes, curious. The lack of counterpoint makes me think later 19th century, but the harmonies make me think earlier. Certainly a Beethoven mood, like the slow movement of the Emperor. So -- who is it???


Very clever analysis (in line with Wooduck), but I'll wait a little longer to see if anyone else wants to comment. I'm actually not expecting anyone to guess it; I'm more interested in who it reminds people of if (theoretically) it was believed to be a long lost masterpiece.


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## Pugg (Aug 8, 2014)

I would guess : self composed.


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## DaveM (Jun 29, 2015)

Pugg said:


> I would guess : self composed.


I have done a little composing so I know my limitations. If I was ever able to come up with anything as beautiful as that I would quit my day job. (Although, sadly I might not be able to make a living wage writing beautiful 19th century music.)


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## KenOC (Mar 7, 2011)

Well, there's about a jillion "Romantic Piano Concertos" aside from Beethoven -- I have 65 CDs in the Hyperion series! Could be in there somewhere -- I'd never know.

I'm betting -- a 20th century forgery! Hernri Casadesus did that sort of thing well, and my local FM station still routinely mis-identifies "JC Bach's Cello Concerto." And of course a certain musicologist made a good deal of money from "Albinoni's Adagio."


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## Woodduck (Mar 17, 2014)

KenOC said:


> I'm betting -- a 20th century forgery!


That occurred to me too. There's something about the melody...Long, a little meandering at first listen, like someone using Beethoven's chord changes...grrrr! I want to hear what follows.


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## DaveM (Jun 29, 2015)

Almost every poster was not far off the mark. This was the opening of the Adagio from Felix Draeseke's (1835-1913) Piano Concerto in E-flat Op36 composed in 1885-6. Huilunsoittaja and KenOC were both right: It is from the Hyperion Romantic Piano Concerto project, pianist Markus Becker.

Draeseke was a German composer who was influenced by composers such as Beethoven Liszt and Wagner. He composed 4 symphonies, 4 operas and a number of choral works, but only one piano concerto. His music was popular in Germany in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. However, he had a tendency to be confrontational and was, perhaps, even an iconoclast to the extent that some of those who supported him feared that his music would not be accepted by mainstream audiences.

The opening of the Adagio of the piano concerto is among the most beautiful that I have heard from any piano concerto lento/adagio/andante of the 19th century and as others pointed out, reminds one of Beethoven, particularly, as Wooduck mentions, with the chord changes (especially IMO, in the lower register). However, what follows this opening can be somewhat surprising in that the movement is essentially a theme followed by a set of 'Lisztonian' variations. The ending, thankfully, returns to the sublime.

The Hyperion series is an amazing accomplishment and gift to those of us who treasure 19th century classical music. Though it is essentially an indie label, the recordings are excellent in every respect from the artists to the engineering. Some years ago, I spent some time learning to record grand pianos. It is an art unto itself and the Hyperion engineers come close to perfection.

Btw, you don't have to purchase the Hyperion CDs to enjoy music like this. Just go to the Hyperion web site, search on Romantic Piano Concertos and all the CDs are listed. From there you can purchase most of the individual movement tracks for .99 to 1.29 (American) from iTunes. The tracks appear to be 256kbps with VBR (variable bit rate) which gives you reasonably quality sound. Any movement that is longer than about 10 minutes will require you to purchase the whole downloadable album which applied to the Draeseke Adagio since it is over 11 minutes (cost was $10.50 or so).

Note: The Draeseke concerto with other performers is available on YouTube, but IMO it is a terrible recording, especially as far as the piano recording is concerned, but the performance is also substandard. I'd stay away.


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## KenOC (Mar 7, 2011)

Thanks! Vol. 47 in the series, listening to it now. There's a lot of perfectly good music that's been forgotten over the years -- some it quite good indeed. I often think of only lousy music vanishing into oblivion over time, but sadly a lot of good music does as well.


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## clavichorder (May 2, 2011)

It is a good thought Huilu had about it being a sort of Schumann/Mendelssohn/Berlioz generation composer. But there are some interesting partial anachronisms to be found in certain composers of decent stature, like Charles Gounod's symphonies, for example.

Anyways, a name that came to mind as stylistically in the ball park of this fragment, is *Ferdinand Hiller.* He wrote some solo piano music that the intro reminds me of, but the piano concerti I know of are not in C major.

Edit: I had intentionally not read too far into the thread, but now I see it was revealed. I guess Hiller is from the same Romantic Piano project too! But perhaps he has a somewhat lighter style. I had not heard of Draeseke.


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## Woodduck (Mar 17, 2014)

KenOC said:


> Thanks! Vol. 47 in the series, listening to it now. There's a lot of perfectly good music that's been forgotten over the years -- some it quite good indeed. I often think of only lousy music vanishing into oblivion over time, but sadly a lot of good music does as well.


The best is oft the enemy of the good. The best-hyped is oft the enemy of the best. The good but unhyped: Draeseke.


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## Pugg (Aug 8, 2014)

I am so glad this is solved, keeps us awake.


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## Truckload (Feb 15, 2012)

Thanks DaveM that was fun and I learned something.


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## DaveM (Jun 29, 2015)

Truckload said:


> Thanks DaveM that was fun and I learned something.


Appreciate your saying so. It makes the effort worthwhile.


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## DaveM (Jun 29, 2015)

After listening to the Draeseke Adagio for some time, I'm finding the variations on the theme rather impressive. Perhaps a little over the top at times, but impressive nonetheless (probably nothing that Liszt wouldn't have done). Not to mention the skill of the pianist, Markus Bexker in pulling them off. The final few minutes are surreal! Overall, for me, it is another major find after thinking after all these years that there was nothing new to enjoy from that era.


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## Weston (Jul 11, 2008)

My guess was going to be Czerny since it's so Beethovenian and Ries would have been too obvious. But then I guess Czerny is not exactly forgotten.

I've got to look into this whomever's piano concerto project, though I'm not getting any younger. . .

[Edit: Holy matrimony! I never knew about these Hyperion recordings.


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## DaveM (Jun 29, 2015)

Weston said:


> My guess was going to be Czerny since it's so Beethovenian and Ries would have been too obvious. But then I guess Czerny is not exactly forgotten.
> 
> I've got to look into this whomever's piano concerto project, though I'm not getting any younger. . .
> 
> [Edit: Holy matrimony! I never knew about these Hyperion recordings.


Ries would have been a good guess.


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