Gabriel Pierné - Piano Concerto in C minor Op. 12

Henri Constant Gabriel Pierné

Henri Constant Gabriel Pierné (16 August 1863 – 17 July 1937) was a French composer,

conductor, and organist.

Piano Concerto in C minor, Op. 12

The Piano Concerto in C minor, Op. 12, is a three-movement composition for piano and orchestra by French composer Gabriel Pierné. The piece was completed in early 1887, shortly after Pierné returned to Paris from a three year stay in Rome.

Lasting roughly twenty minutes in performance, the concerto is composed in three movements: Allegro, Scherzando, and Final.

The opening movement resembles a classical first movement form - though Pierné extends the usual exposition section to create a three-part structure preceded by an imposing maestoso introduction, dominated by the piano. The brief development section and heavily truncated recapitulation suggest that Pierné felt happier working within his own structural frameworks. As in many of Pierné's works these structures rely less on classical models than on the repeated use of motifs which lend the works an almost cyclical character.

The scherzando middle movement is most reminiscent of Saint-Saëns and strongly suggests a conscious imitation on the part of Pierné.

The impressive final movement is a brilliant rondo which makes liberal use of previous material, particularly from the first movement, to create a sense of unity.

Pierné chose to dedicate his piano concerto to a famous female pianist, Maria Roger-Miclos, who later became the dedicatee - and gave the first performance - of Saint-Saëns' fantasia for piano and orchestra, Africa Op 89.

The work is scored for solo piano and an orchestra consisting of two flutes, two oboes, two clarinets, two bassoons, four French horns, two trumpets, three trombones, timpani, tambour, and strings (violins I & II, violas, violoncellos, and double basses).

(Wikipedia, Hyperion)

I. Allegro. Maestoso - Allegro deciso
II. Scherzando. Allegro scherzando
III. Final. Allegro un poco agitato.
Performed by Jean-Efflam Bavouzet (piano) and the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by

Juanjo Mena.