Oleg Marshev - Danish piano concertos, Vol.2: August Winding & Emil Hartmann (2001)

August Winding was the son of a musical clergyman whose great interest was in collecting folk-songs. He was his son's first music teacher. Later, he studied in Hamburg, Vienna and Paris where he became acquainted with Chopin and Kalkbrenner. The composer Carl Reinecke, who was court composer in Copenhagen in 1846-48, also taught Winding. He was very close to Niels W. Gade and also studied with him. He established himself as a formidable pianist especially in the works of Mozart and Beethoven. He taught at the Conservatory in Copenhagen and through his marriage to Clara, the daughter of J.P.E. Hartmann, he became a member of this musical family. In fact, the other composer on this CD, Emil Hartmann was his brother-in-law. Winding was also a close friend of Edvard Grieg who was eight years his junior. As a composer, Winding is almost only remembered for a few hymn tunes. But, his Piano Concerto recorded here, is certainly worth hearing. It was dedicated to Gade and is well-crafted and tuneful. The Concert Allegro is a mini-concerto in one movement. Like his brother-in-law, Emil Hartmann, also studied with his father who taught him theory and the organ. He made his debut in 1858 with a sacred composition. The next year with Winding, he composed a ballet The Mountain Hut which was well received. He also achieved recognition as a conductor, especially in Germany. He was considered one of the leading Danish composers of his time. He composed the first Danish symphonic poem, Harkon Jarl and left seven symphonies and a number of operas. He was also active as a church musician and organist. His style is more like that of Gade than of his father. The Piano Concerto was first performed in Berlin in 1890, where the critic called it "good German music." It was very well received in Copenhagen when Gade included it in a concert he conducted shortly before his death. As with the two pieces by Winding, this Concerto by Emil Hartmann is certainly worthy of performance. Here is a CD, with three premieres which will appeal to anyone who enjoys the Beethoven Piano Concertos.