Romantic Rarities
Ian Holtham is a distinguished Melbourne pianist with a long discography of Classical and Romantic repertoire, especially Chopin. On his first Tall Poppies release he turns to relatively rare works from the piano literature.
Brahms’s Theme and Variations in D minor, drawn from the slow movement of his String Sextet Op. 18, was a birthday gift for Clara Schumann. Schubert’s unfinished Sonata in F minor, DV 625, appears here with Holtham’s completions of the outer movements, recorded for the first time. Chopin’s early Rondo à la Mazurka and Schumann’s full Davidsbündlertänze, Op. 6, round out a programme of genuine rarities.
Recorded at Melba Hall, University of Melbourne, with Thomas Grubb as producer and engineer.
The repertoire chosen for the CD is a compilation unique in piano discography and in the history of piano performance. The version of the Schubert unfinished Sonata DV 625 contains completions of the outer movements in which I have had a creative hand and which have never been recorded or performed before. My own interest in commemorative repertoire is enriched through the inclusion of Brahms’ own transcription of the second movement of the string sextet Op. 18, which was a birthday present to Clara Schumann who had expressed fond admiration for the movement in its original string format. The score of this work was only discovered well into the twentieth century. Chopin’s Rondo à la Mazurka would be the least known of all this composer’s major piano output and similarly Schumann’s Davidsbündlertänze, Op. 6 is the most significant of all his major piano cycles, but it is also by far the least performed.
Reviews
Out on the Tall Poppies label is a collection of relatively unknown works by Brahms, Schubert, Chopin and Schumann performed by respected Australian pianist Ian Holtham on his first album for the label.
Holtham has had some creative input into one of the works, an unfinished sonata by Schubert, which has never been recorded before. The album opens with Brahms’s transcription of the second movement of his string sextet Op 18, made for his great love Clara Schumann.
Robert Schumann’s Davidsbündlertänze closes the recording. This work has had to live in the shadow of his more popular piano cycles Kinderszenen and Albumblätter.
The program is rounded off by Chopin’s Rondo a la Mazurka. Romantic Rarities (TP219) is a valuable addition to any record collection.
The title Romantic Rarities is an understatement, for these works will surely have never been heard by the vast majority of concertgoers. Despite their exhumation from the musical graveyard, they are full of life and energy with not a whiff of decay.
Ian Holtham has resurrected for us Brahms’s Theme and Variations in D Minor from 1860, crafted from the slow movement of the composer’s String Sextet Op 18. He transcribed this as a birthday present for Clara Schumann, who features as muse elsewhere in this anthology. These are beautiful and expressive variations, and Ian Holtham on his Steinway gives them rapt expression. A rather more ambitious undertaking is his performance of Schubert’s Unfinished Sonata in F Minor. He follows the completion of the outer movements done more than half a century ago for a Universal Edition of Schubert’s works, while making certain alterations of his own where needed. The result is seamless, and this completed version is heard here for the first time.
Chopin’s Rondo à la Mazurka of 1826 is perhaps so rarely heard only because of his extreme youth when he composed it, but the 16-year-old shows an assured hand, an already evident imagination and pure charm.
But of all the pieces on disc, it is the Schumann Davidsbündlertänze Op 6 (Dances of the League of David) which most deserve being brought back to the light. This work is romantic, joyful and dramatic in turn, charged with light and shade, and Holtham’s assured pianism is compelling. The recording serves these rare pieces well and the Melba Hall venue in Melbourne lends pellucid clarity to the performance.
Artist
Ian Holtham
Professor Ian Holtham is one of Australia’s most distinguished and highly regarded pianists and pedagogues. His performances of the great Classical and Romantic repertoire have drawn packed houses and strong critical acclaim for many years.
Tracks
- String Sextet, Op. 18 Theme and Variations in D Minor Johannes Brahms 9:05
- i. Allegro 7:41
- ii. Andante 4:23
- iii. Allegro 4:08
- Rondo à la Mazurka Frédéric Chopin 9:18
- i. Lebhaft 1:37
- ii. Innig 1:29
- iii. Mit Humor 1:21
- iv. Ungeduldig :39
- v. Einfach 2:08
- vi. Sehr rasch 1:41
- vii. Nicht schnell 3:55
- viii. Frisch :56
- ix. Lebhaft 1:24
- x. Balladenmäßig. Sehr rasch 1:09
- xi. Einfach 1:52
- xii. Mit Humor :35
- xiii. Wild und Lustig 3:15
- xiv. Zart und singend 2:01
- xv. Frisch 1:53
- xvi. Mit gutem Humor 1:37
- xvii. Wie aus der Ferne 3:34
- xviii. Nicht schnell 1:47
Unfinished Sonata in F Minor, DV 625 Franz Schubert
Davidsbündlertänze, Op. 6 Robert Schumann
Performers
- Ian Holtham · piano
Composers
Johannes Brahms
Johannes Brahms (1833–1897) was a German composer and pianist of the Romantic period. His music for piano, chamber ensemble, orchestra, and voice remains central to the concert repertoire.
Frédéric Chopin
Frédéric Chopin (1810–1849) was a Polish composer and virtuoso pianist of the early Romantic period. He wrote almost exclusively for the piano and remains one of its defining poetic voices.
Franz Schubert
Franz Schubert (1797–1828) was an Austrian composer of the late Classical and early Romantic eras. In only thirty-one years he left a vast body of work, including over six hundred Lieder, and remains among the most frequently performed composers.
Robert Schumann
Robert Schumann (1810–1856) was a German composer and music critic of the early Romantic era. His piano works and songs remain among the most enduring of the period.
Contributors
Liner Notes
Ian Holtham
Professor Ian Holtham is one of Australia’s most distinguished and highly regarded pianists and pedagogues. His performances of the great Classical and Romantic repertoire have drawn packed houses and strong critical acclaim for many years.
Where to listen
Romantic Rarities is available for streaming through Apple Music. It can also be purchased through the iTunes Music Store.
Romantic Rarities is available as a CD. It can be purchased online through Buywell Music or the Australian Music Centre which both offer online ordering.
Product details
- Catalogue number
- TP219
- Total playing time
- 67 minutes 28 seconds
- Contributor
- Belinda Webster
Vladimir Chishkovsky - Producer
- Thomas Grubb
- Recording Engineer
- Thomas Grubb
- Venue
- Melba Hall
- Credit
- Ian Holtham
- Release date
- 11 Jan 2011
- Label
- Tall Poppies
- Musical work
copyright - © 2011 Tall Poppies Records
- Sound recording
copyright - ℗ 2011 Tall Poppies Records
- Category
- Great Classics
- Genre
- Romantic & Impressionist
- Barcode
- EAN 9399001002191
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