INSIGHTS & DETAILS
Let me introduce the composer, Franz Lessel, was born in 1780 into a musical family. He was the son of well-known composer Vincent Lessel. He received his first musical lessons from his father. He intended to study medicine in Vienna but completed a course in civil engineering. At the same time, he studied music with Joseph Haydn, whom considered him as his favourite pupil and successor. During his ten-year-stay at Vienna, Lessel composed a great deal of works, including the three Sonatas op.2, dedicated to Haydn. After Haydn's death, he returned to Poland and died there in 1838. He did not cease to compose after he returned to Poland although most of his masterpieces were composed in Vienna, the most fertile period of his life. Currently, only a few works in extant had been found and were published by Artaria and Breitkopf & Hartel.
The Piano Concerto in C major op.14 is the most important known work by Lessel. Probably composed towards the end of his Viennese period and during the first few years following his return to Poland. It offers a magnificent example of blend between the classical style of Beethoven's time and the budding romantic movement. This new romantic style may be found chiefly in the concerto's third movement (most favourite of mine)which is written in the ternary rhythm used twenty years later by Chopin. This concerto also provides proof of Lessel's very considerable creative gifts. Highly beautiful themes, technical and harmonic discoveries of the greatest interest are found. The current decent version, reconstituted for the instrumentation by well-known Polish composer Casimir Sikorski is published by PWM (well-known Polish music publisher)
Lets make no hesitation to get an insight view of this wonderful piece:
1st movement Allegro brillante
In quadruple time, this piece starts with a tuning melody played by the first violins, the string instruments started the first call of the movement...
It continues when the wind instruments arise (oboes, bassoons and horns)
Prime motive when the melody ends
The supporting violins for the motive
Second melody starts
The second melody fiddled by the first violins again
The prime motive is heard again..
The piano sounds ..
Imitating the first melody of the violins (regarded as prime melody) with minor variations
A minor key blast off by the piano, bringing the piece towards a different mood..
A melody appeared after a long cadenza, which only found in the solo piano part..
con simplicita = playing the melody as simple as possible
Rapid passages...prime motive followed by orchestra
violins imitating the third melody..
Transitional part played by solo piano. Aware of the beauty of flowing sextuplets in the left hand...
A part that I found special especially in the right hand, some Bachian style writing with a strong backup by the left hand.
The opening of the song is heard again
Solo piano playing first melody quickly followed by the third..
No surprise onwards, just a repetition of the first part
Typical Mozartian ending the movement (actually classical ending)
OVERALL COMMENT of the movt.
Melodious movement I can say, some virtuosic passages found in the solo piano part and that's a sign of budding romantic elements (which never can be found in Mozart's PCs). Lack of cadenza compared to most classical concertos.
Opening is melodious (not as grandeur as Beethoven), transitions between melodic elements are rather smooth.
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