Today episode 95
WHAT?? IS THIS REALLY CZERNY??? Part I
Carl Czerny (1791-1857), student and friend of Beethoven’s, teacher of Liszt, has been shamefully neglected by both audience and musicology. It was partially his own fault, though. He has composed an awful lot in all kinds of genres but earned his money giving piano lessons and writing hundreds of effective but usually very dry etudes. So if anyone knew his name in the first place, he would link it to the endless studying of etudes that were dry as dust. Plus, Czerny was afraid that – were he to miserably fail with a symphony or string quartet, he would damage his reputation as a decent piano teacher. That’s why, for example, about forty string quartets remained shelved. ‘High time to do something about that’, the Sheridan Ensemble thought, and they recorded a double CD with four beautiful string quartets. An utter surprise which triggered programme maker/host Thijs Bonger to make a few programmes about mr. Czerny. An attempt at rehabilitation.
1. Czerny: op. 740/5,
Fred Oldenburg, piano
2. Czerny: Sonata no 1 in A flat major, op.7, part 2,
Anton Kuerti, piano
3. Czerny: Sonata no.2 in A minor, op.13, part 4,
Martin Jones, piano
4. Czerny: String quartet in E minor,
Sheridan Ensemble
5. Czerny: Concerto for piano 4 mains in C major, op. 153,
Yaara Tal and Andreas Groethuysen, piano 4 mains Münchner Rundfunkorchester conducted by Bruno Weil.
