tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18734173.post4985996523906610241..comments2024-03-23T14:36:56.227-04:00Comments on The Collaborative Piano Blog: Open Comment Thread: What Are the Worst Concerto Reductions of All Time?Chris Foleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05248396106719265480noreply@blogger.comBlogger13125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18734173.post-20194610882016976672017-01-14T22:47:02.165-05:002017-01-14T22:47:02.165-05:00Ibert Flute Concerto.Ibert Flute Concerto.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18734173.post-67131121128636835322014-05-23T20:13:51.703-04:002014-05-23T20:13:51.703-04:00I know this blog is years old, but I've got a ...I know this blog is years old, but I've got a new one to add:<br /><br />Christopher Rouse - Flute Concerto<br /><br />3-note chords travelling in semiquavers in both hands, at crotchet=176, among other things. Also goes into 5 staves at some point.<br /><br />Seriously??<br /><br />Regarding the Chausson - grab a Henle part, look at how they work the fast triplet passages, then play off the old normal edition for the rest. The rest of the Henle is over-simplified imo, but has some really good ideas for the hard passages.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18734173.post-78411366907530335562009-06-01T15:08:06.298-04:002009-06-01T15:08:06.298-04:00the Gordon Jacob concerto for horn, 3rd mvt. is un...the Gordon Jacob concerto for horn, 3rd mvt. is unplayable. the 1st and 2 mvts. are fine but the last movement has many stepwise ascending and descending three note chords which are impossible up to tempo. Also investigate Derek Bourgeious Trombone concerto, and Jean Francaix "Flower clock" for Oboe.ron pettinoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18734173.post-79586987651925646352009-02-12T22:54:00.000-05:002009-02-12T22:54:00.000-05:00Three Cheers for Jan!And watch for the official an...Three Cheers for Jan!<BR/><BR/>And watch for the official announcement:<BR/><BR/>Chausson Poème, in a brand new edition with an accurate and pianistic reduction, is about to be released by Encore Publishing. Piano reduction is by Allison Gagnon; violin part is edited by Stephen Shipps. Not to be missed!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18734173.post-86172969024658847772009-02-11T16:16:00.000-05:002009-02-11T16:16:00.000-05:00Thanks for the comments everyone. I think we need ...Thanks for the comments everyone. I think we need to differentiate between concerto reductions that are difficult and require reworking but still mostly playable (such as the Chausson Poeme and Berg Concerto in my opinion) and those that are completely out of control pianistically.<BR/><BR/>And regarding adding voices to reductions, anyone who has tried the new slimmed-down Henle "Urtext" reductions will probably realize that you'll need to consult a recording or score in order to add enough voices to create a genuine orchestral texture.Chris Foleyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05248396106719265480noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18734173.post-14027228282078095322009-02-11T08:44:00.000-05:002009-02-11T08:44:00.000-05:00you all speak of concerto impossibilities... but ...you all speak of concerto impossibilities... but i once played the prologue to lulu on short notice for an audition.... that was equally impossible with most of the things i've seen, and involved my stamping my feet and hitting the piano for various percussion sound effects. <BR/><BR/>for that matter, i can't think of many orchestral reductions i don't modify. even if it's a simple mozart reduction, i usually add a few bass octaves somewhere. we are all talking about taking away, but there are tons of chances to add a little something here and there too.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18734173.post-24424492445362127552009-02-10T19:57:00.000-05:002009-02-10T19:57:00.000-05:00Chausson Poeme, for violin and orch.: the piano re...Chausson Poeme, for violin and orch.: the piano reduction takes the orchestral figuration WAY too literally, making it torture to play with anything like the appropriate character.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14602892153993186160noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18734173.post-48806991332735582132009-02-10T10:10:00.000-05:002009-02-10T10:10:00.000-05:00This is where I gloat that I am happy I deal with ...This is where I gloat that I am happy I deal with mostly strings. The parts are often difficult, but they are nothing like wacky winds can be...<BR/><BR/>I hate the Nielsen clarinet concerto. I haven't looked at it in so long I can't remember if it's actually playable or not. I think that it actually is perfectly playable, and that I just hated it.<BR/><BR/>Prokofiev 3rd piano concerto is actually (eventually) playable, especially if you've done the solo part. It's not the easiest part on the block by any stretch, but everything in it eventually works just fine and actually sounds good. It just takes time!ChiarinaEstrellahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12062821752500426508noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18734173.post-77020476423003688422009-02-10T08:50:00.000-05:002009-02-10T08:50:00.000-05:00Lukas Foss: Renaissance Concerto for Flute. Mostl...Lukas Foss: Renaissance Concerto for Flute. Mostly in the first movement, there are some really impossible passages on three staves. I even wrote out my own reduction for these parts because the original was unreadable. It's a shame, because it's actually a very nice piece!Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14172223313307134456noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18734173.post-24779339644700470282009-02-09T19:31:00.000-05:002009-02-09T19:31:00.000-05:00One more:Paul Creston - Fantasy for Trombone and O...One more:<BR/>Paul Creston - Fantasy for Trombone and Orchestra, Op. 42<BR/><BR/>:)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18734173.post-58373199829928005292009-02-09T19:05:00.000-05:002009-02-09T19:05:00.000-05:00Thanks, Osbert and eusebius. Here are my initial c...Thanks, Osbert and eusebius. Here are my initial candidates:<BR/><BR/>Jolivet Flute Concerto<BR/>Jolivet Bassoon Concerto<BR/><BR/>Fakeable, but to play with the level of intricacy notated in the score at the marked speeds and with the required transparency of texture is frankly impossible.Chris Foleyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05248396106719265480noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18734173.post-70423729902229740452009-02-09T17:38:00.000-05:002009-02-09T17:38:00.000-05:00Prokofiev Piano Concerto #3 - the 2nd piano part i...Prokofiev Piano Concerto #3 - the 2nd piano part is pretty evil. I am guessing that Concerto #2 is even worse! :)eusebiushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17903573062005058706noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18734173.post-63653771656374275442009-02-09T16:37:00.000-05:002009-02-09T16:37:00.000-05:00The worst I've ever seen is the Francaix flute con...The worst I've ever seen is the Francaix flute concerto (Schott), which is written on up to five staves, including C clefs. It doesn't even attempt to be a piano reduction. With a proper reduction this could be a nice addition to the repertory.<BR/><BR/>Also: Morton Gould's <I>Diversions</I> for tenor saxophone and orchestra. Can't remember the publisher. It's playable until you get to the fifth movement, which is completely unmanageable.Osbert Parsleyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11942314635696174528noreply@blogger.com