Ries, Ferdinand (1784-1838)

The fourteen works for piano and orchestra of Ferdinand Ries stand alongside those of Hummel as the most important of their kind from the early decades of the 19th Century. Intensely lyrical and yet displaying at times a rugged Beethovenian grandeur, Ries’s concertos are works of impressive musical stature. The Concerto in Eb, Op.42, the first of Ries’s published piano concertos, is a work of great flair and ingenuity and its scintillating finale is noteworthy for its striking incorporation of a Russian theme. Written over twenty years later, the G minor Concerto is a pianistic tour de force and Ries’ orchestration is at times exquisite. In the Introduction et Rondeau brilliant, Op.144 Ries demonstrates yet again his ability to write attractive, entertaining works that are as sophisticated in their musical structures as his finest concertos. All three works are also available in study editions for two pianos. Allan Badley