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Stephen Hough accords to these obscure war-horses a seriousness and dedication that transforms the exercise into a really rewarding musical experience. I had higher hopes of the Scharwenka but in fact the Sauer is a sheerly delightful piece with a touch or two of Chopin about it.

The Scharwenka is all stertorous fanfares, thunderous piano entries, Brahmsian élan and galloping figures redolent of Saint-Saëns' Second Piano Concerto. At 1.40 in the finale a stomping rhythmic figures paves the way for a rompety-tomping passage and a whiff or ten of the salon. It was premiered in Berlin on 31 October 1908 reputedly the finest of Scharwenka's four concertos.

The Sauer First Concerto was dedicated to the composer's esteemed master, Nicholas Rubinstein. This concerto is swooningly Tchaikovskian and heaven storming if lighter in the scherzo which resembles the famous Litolff tid-bit. There is a more reserved and rather lovely Cavatina followed by a graceful Rondo devoid of bluster. As a whole the Sauer displays very little that is blatantly barnstorming unlike the Scharwenka.

Typically excellent notes - this time from Steven Heliotes.

Rob Barnett

Hyperion Romantic Piano series

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