Godard, B.: Romantic Concerto 61

   in Piano International (Sep, 2014)
What links Benjamin Godard (1849-1895) to Louis-Claude Daquin, Henry Litolff, Christian Sinding and Richard Addinsell? Just this: though all prolific composers, they are each known these days by just one work (Le coucou, the Scherzo from Concerto Symphonique No 4, Rustle of Spring and the Warsaw Concerto, respectively – and in Godard’s case, the Berceuse from the opera Jocelyn). Better regarded in his lifetime than now, Godard was awarded the Légion d’Honneur at the age of 40. This new Hyperion CD lets us see why.

The main influence is Saint-Saëns, and through him, Mendelssohn and Schumann, though the solo part approaches those of Liszt and Rachmaninov in technique. Like Saint-Saëns, …