Busoni Piano Concerto in C Major, Opus 39 (1904)

The Busoni Piano Concerto is a monumental work for large orchestra and men's chorus of over one hour in length.  Though it is in five movements, Busoni's wish was that it should be performed as an uninterrupted work.  The movements are

I. Prologo e Introito: Allegro, dolce e solenne  -  II. Pezzo giocoso  -  III. Pezzo serioso: Introductio: Andante sostenutoPrima pars: Andante, quasi adagioAltera pars: SommessamenteUltima pars: a tempo  -  IV. All'Italiana: Tarantella: Vivace; In un tempo  -  V. Cantico: Largamente (with chorus)

The Busoni Piano Concerto is not often performed.  The demands on the soloist are considerable, combining an incredibly difficult solo part without the rewards offered by displays of virtuosity typically a major attraction of the romantic concerto.  Initially, the concerto was dismissed as being a symphony with piano obbligato.  And it requires massive orchestral forces and a chorus.  But when it is performed, it is quite something to behold, as you will hear below.

Egon Petri, Busoni's pupil and disciple, was the first to record the fourth movement of the concerto in 1932.  The first complete recording of the work was made by Noel Mewton-Wood in 1948.  My own discovery of this extraordinary piece I owe to John Ogden's recording, made when I was a music student in the late 1960s.

The real surprises here are the recordings by David Lively and Peter Donohoe which breathe life and delicacy, drama and subtlety in this behemoth of a concerto, and seem to have achieved Busoni's vision to perfection.

Egon Petri (1881-1962)
German-born Dutch Pianist
Hans Rosbaud conducting the Frankfurt Radio Symphony Orchestra
Recorded in 1932

iv All'italiana (Tarantella) - Vivace