Piano Concerto in G minor Duisburg Philharmonic Orchestra & Boris Bloch

• 1 Allegro agitato 20:05
• 2 Andante sostenuto 09:28
• 3 Finale: Allegro con fuoco 11:20
• 4 Impromptu Nr. 1 As-Dur 04:33
• 5 Impromptu Nr. 2 Fis-Dur 05:59
• 6 Impromptu Nr. 3 Ges-Dur 05:25
• 7 Fantaisie-Impromptu Nr. 4 cis-Moll 05:23
• 8 Doumka - c-Moll - Ukrainische Dorfszene 09:38
• 9 Nathalie-Walzer 03:10
• 10 Nocturne aus der Schauspielmusik zu - Das Schneeflöckchen op. 12 04:50
• Total Runtime 01:19:51

Info for Piano Concerto in G minor

The search for ”the” solo instrument of the 19th century leads inevitably to the piano. It has its place in the public concert hall as well as in the private salon, and not a few composers have emerged as successful pianists.

Antonín Dvoøák composed concertos for various solo instruments with orchestra, though an early cello concerto (1865) is considered of no importance in the repertoire. Best known is the B minor cello concerto op. 104, composed during the composer’s stay in America in 1894/95. At the time of its composition, Dvoøák was considered one of the most distinguished composers of his time. More than 15 years earlier, in the summer of 1879, when he wrote his violin concerto in A minor op. 53, he was already a European celebrity, while the piano concerto in G minor op. 33 was written before his international breakthrough. It is characteristic of these compositions that Dvoøák never advocates the brilliant virtuoso concerto, but each time integrates the solo instrument into the symphonically conceived orchestral parts in a new way.

Like the other concertos for solo instrument and orchestra by Antonín Dvoøák, the piano concerto is in a minor key and has three movements with the typical sequence fastslow-fast. The first movement is broad in its dimensions. In the lengthy orchestral introduction the main theme, characterized by the Dvoøák expert Otakar Šourek as one of ”heroic dignity”, is at first presented alone. The actual exposition does not begin until the solo piano alone finally takes up this theme. Thereafter a gentle, Bohemian-coloured side theme and the concluding theme that begins in a hymnlike fashion are introduced. The development section is one of the very longest Dvoøák ever wrote. The composer had, after all, already written five symphonies and was now profiting from the experience he had gained from them. Incidentally, only the piano concerto has a cadenza for the soloist at the end of the first movement. After the lively and energetic first movement, the slow middle movement is like an oasis of peace. It is one of Dvoøák’s loveliest lyrical inspirations. The peaceful, song-like theme is introduced by the horn, then is taken up the piano and is kept quiet and gentle. The few energetic contrasts, for example in the middle section, remain episodic and do not offer any 15 further threat to the general atmosphere. The third movement, on the other hand, has the temperamental character of a capriccio. If the first two themes create the impression of lighthearted humour, the third theme is a complete contrast with its nostalgic cantabile elements. It plays no part in the development, and so the piano concerto can come to a joyful conclusion.

BORIS BLOCH, piano


Duisburger Philharmoniker (Duisburg Philharmonic Orchestra)


Jonathan Darlington

Boris Bloch, Klavier
Duisburger Philharmoniker (Duisburg Philharmonic Orchestra)

Jonathan Darlington

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