The Classical Piano Concerto: Johann Baptist Cramer

There will be few pianists who have not encountered Johann Baptist Cramer’s 86 Études for the piano, op.84. Whether they retain the popularity of yesteryear is a matter of debate. What is not in contention is Cramer’s massive contribution to piano technique in the first half of the nineteenth century. These Études were part of that revolution. So much so, that Beethoven himself regarded them as ‘the chief basis of all genuine piano playing.’

My first introduction to Cramer’s Piano Concertos was on an old Vox Box production featuring several ‘early romantic’ concertos. This set included works by Clementi, Field, Ries, Czerny and Hummel. Cramer was represented by his Piano Concerto no. 5 in C minor, op.48. Akiko Sagara was the soloist, with the Luxembourg Radio/Television Symphony Orchestra conducted by Pierre Cao.

In 2002 Chandos began what promised to be series of Cramer’s piano concertos. Nos. 2, 7, and 8 were released on CHAN 10005 (reviewed here). Howard Shelley was the soloist and was accompanied by the London Mozart Players. The CD was praised for its brilliant pianism and attentive and lyrical performances. Unfortunately, the venture collapsed. In 2018, Hyperion assembled the same performers to recommence this scheme. The first volume included the Concerto No.4 in C major, op.38 and No.5 in C minor, op.48 (Hyperion CDA68270). It was reviewed for MusicWeb International by David Barker and Marc Rochester. I have not heard this recording.  Two years later, we have the present CD. The only outstanding work is the Concerto de Camera (1812). This may not ‘count’ in this survey

A few words about the composer may be helpful. Johann Baptist Cramer was born in Mannheim on 24 February 1771. The following year the infant was brought to London by his parents. As a child he studied violin and piano with his father and subsequently had formal musical training with C.F. Abel and Muzio Clementi.  In 1788, Cramer began to tour extensively as a concert pianist. He was acclaimed throughout Europe.  Making his permanent home in London, Cramer shared his time between performance, teaching at the Royal Academy of Music, publishing, and composition. Much of his time was spent in Paris. In 1828, Cramer, Robert Addison, and T. Frederick Beale had set up a music-publishing house, J.B. Cramer & Co.  in London.

It is interesting that Cramer was self-taught as a composer. Despite this lack of training he wrote a vast amount of music, including nine piano concertos, more than a hundred piano sonatas and a small amount of chamber music.  Johann Baptist Cramer died on London on 16 April 1858.

The liner notes provide the context for Cramer’s piano concertos. These were composed between 1792 and 1825 and were devised to showcase his ‘skills in modern piano techniques, notably his prowess for intricate figurations, complex embellishment and legato playing.’ This was hardly an original approach to writing music. Other big names in the piano world did the same thing. For example, John Field, Ignaz Moscheles, Daniel Steibelt, Friedrich Kalkbrenner, and Michael Dussek produced equally attractive and 

demanding concertos. Most of Cramer’s Piano Concertos were premiered at his annual benefit concerts in London.  

I do not wish to provide a detailed discussion of these three concertos. I will give a few general remarks.  All three works lie on the cusp between the ‘classical’ and ‘romantic.’ However, much of the music makes a backward glance to Mozart, especially in the concluding ‘rondos.’ All this music is characterised by ‘grace, elegance and clarity.’ It has been said the Cramer’s music is not as dramatic as Clementi’s, less rich than Dussek’s and less sentimental than Field’s. (Grove’s Dictionary). What Cramer has achieved is a subtle and often sensuous balance between a classical tone and the most advanced techniques of piano playing available at that time. There is little here that anticipates the overblown concertos of the romantic era. It should be noted that the three works on this CD cover a span of some 20 years. It is fair to say that there is not a whole lot of stylistic development. But, to me, that is not a problem: Cramer has created an ideal form and he continued to use it. Just because the music is largely conservative in sound, does not mean that it lacks value, interest, and enjoyment. 

It is redundant to state that the performances by Howard Shelley and the London Mozart Players are superb. Equally superfluous is to note the excellent recording. It is up to Hyperion’s usual high quality.

The extensive liner notes by Professor Jeremy Dibble, make essential reading. They are printed in English, French and German. I guess that I am a little disappointed in the cover design for ‘The Classical Piano Concerto’ series. For me, it presents an image of dullness and pedantry which is the antithesis of these present concertos.

 It is good that the Cramer Piano Concerto project is now completed (the above exception noted) after some 18 years. The listener will enjoy the present CD if they enjoy music that is stylish, melodic, and technically intriguing.  I have always regarded Johann Baptist Cramer as an honorary Englishman. We should be proud of his achievement in all the musical avenues he explored. Yet, he is absent from the concert halls: his name is lacking from the BBC Proms Archive listings.  I would rather hear his music than much of the ‘established repertoire from that era. And that, I dare to say, includes Beethoven. If I want to listen to urbane and sophisticated piano music, I turn to Cramer’s work. Finally, let us hope that one day an enterprising record company will turn its attention to all the piano sonatas.

Track Listing
Johann Baptist CRAMER (1771-1858)
Piano Concerto No.1 in E flat major, op.10 (c.1792)
Piano Concerto No.3 in D major, op.26 (c.1796)
Piano Concerto No.6 in E flat major, op.51 (c.1812/13)
Howard Shelley (piano/conductor), London Mozart Players
Rec. St John the Evangelist, Upper Norwood, London on 16-17 July 2018 (no.6), 5-6 September 2019 (nos.1 & 3)
HYPERION CDA68302
With thanks to MusicWeb International where this review was first published.

Johann Baptist Cramer: Piano Sonatas

I have always regarded Johann Baptist Cramer as an ‘honorary’ British composer. Although born in Mannheim in Germany he was taken to England aged three. He belonged to a distinguished musical family. Much of his musical education was in London, in part with Muzio Clementi.  He made a number of concert appearances beginning in April 1781, in the United Kingdom, but then embarked on a series of continental tours that made him highly regarded as a popular soloist throughout Europe. During this period, he met Beethoven and Haydn. Cramer made his home in London and divided his time between recitals, teaching and publishing. In 1824 he founded what would become J.B. Cramer & Co. in partnership with Robert Addison and T. Frederick Beale. During the years 1832-1845 he had protracted visits to Paris, however he returned to England where he died in 16 April 1858. His output of piano music was huge and included 105 sonatas and nine concertos for the instrument. His best known work at this present time are his books of 84 Études for the piano, op.84. He was a Founder Member and director of the Philharmonic Society.

The CD opens with Air Anglo-Calédonien Varié (An Anglo-Caledonian Air, with Variations for the Pianoforte). This work was first heard in London in 1812. It was dedicated to Miss Baillie of Grosvenor Street. The liner notes explain that this was ‘presumably’ the playwright and poet Joanna Baillie (1762-1851).  The Monthly Magazine (August 1812) notes that the ‘general style of the music of these pages is florid, free, and playful; the most is made of the theme, which, if not strikingly sweet, is considerably attractive, and the aggregate effect is worthy the long-acknowledged talents of the composer.’ I found that this work is a delight: the composer has managed to create an interesting and thoughtful exploration of a charming little tune.

The first of three sonatas presented here is the D major, op.25, no.2. This was composed around 1801 and was dedicated to the Baronne de Kloest, the wife (I think) of the Prussian ambassador to London.  It is written in three movements, all of which are of an untroubled disposition. The final ‘Rondo quasi presto’ is exciting and has considerable ‘dash and ebullience.’

In 1807 Cramer wrote a set of three sonatas, op. 39. The first two were ‘accompanied’ by violin or flute. The third was for solo piano. Interestingly this work opens with a set of variations based on a thoughtful adagio. The middle movement is a short scherzo with a reflective trio section. The finale is a ‘Gigue’, which gives the title to the sonata. It is played presto, and is vivacious.

The Sonata in F minor, op.27, no. was composed around 1802. The liner notes are correct in suggesting that it ‘suggests a new world of music.’ This is music that seems to anticipate Beethoven’s middle and even late periods. The sonata is in four movements. It beings with a slow introduction, leading to a well-balanced allegro. The slow movement is short and has a foreboding theme. The final movement is a happy-go-lucky rondo. 

Matteo Napoli was born in Salerno and now lives in Auckland, New Zealand. He graduated with honours from the Giordano Conservatory in Foggia, Italy.  His career has included concerts and recitals in Europe, New York, Mexico City, Japan, Australia, China and Malaysia.  His current CDs include the Keyboard Sonatas of Baldassare Galuppi, and as the accompanist in flute and piano music by Friedrich Kuhlau, Ferdinand Ries and Franz Schubert, all on the Naxos label. 

The liner notes are essential, as there is little else published that can help the listener approach these pieces. Perhaps a little more detail may have been of use. The sound quality of the recording is splendid. The playing is exciting, sympathetic and exacting. 

This a fine addition to a fairly small corpus of Cramer’s recorded music. At present, the catalogues has four of the piano concertos and only nine (plus the three on this disc) of the 105 solo sonatas. The 84 Studies were released by Grand Piano GP613-4 record label in 2012. 

I imagine that it will be a long while until any record company and pianist get around to making a ‘complete’ edition of Johann Baptist Cramer’s piano sonatas and other music. Let us hope that this is not an impossible dream. I eagerly await further releases from Matteo Napoli.

Track Listing:

Johann Baptist CRAMER (1771-1858)

Air Anglo-Calédonien Varié (1812)

Piano Sonata in D major, op.25, no.2 (c.1801)

La Gigue, Piano Sonata in G major, op.39, no.3 (1807)

Piano Sonata in F minor, op.27, no.1 (1802)

Matteo Napoli (piano)

GRAND PIANO GP656 

With thanks to MusicWeb International where this review was first publsihed. 

Cramer and Busoni Piano Music

There is only one major issue with this excellent new release from Grand Piano: how to approach listening to it. The above listing does not really reveal the problem. The fact is that Johann Baptist Cramer’s Studio per il Pianoforte, Books 1-4 contain some 84 complex, involved and highly pianistic studies. [studio=studies=études] This represents almost two solid hours of music. Does one begin at ‘Étude I in C major’ and work ones way through to ‘Étude LXXXIV’ in the same key? On the other hand, perhaps, it could be good to take these a book at a time. Yet each ‘book’ is around 30 minutes. Stravinsky once remarked that Vivaldi wrote the same work some 400 times. Now I am not implying that these études lack interest or variety: what I am suggesting is that after two dozen they begin to sound a little same-ish. My suggestion is that if the listener can read (or even follow) music, they should download the four books from IMSLP. (See links below).  Personally, I took them at about six or seven at a time in the order presented. I then stopped and did something else. And then ‘carried on.’

Johann Baptist Cramer was born in Mannheim in 1771 but was brought to London the following year. After lessons in violin and piano from his father, he had more formal studies with, amongst others C.F. Abel and Muzio Clementi.  However, as a composer he was largely self-taught.  In 1788 he began to tour extensively as a concert pianist, playing in many European capitals.  In 1828, he set up a music-publishing house in partnership with Robert Addison. Although Cramer is best known for his piano solo music, he did contribute seven piano concertos, hundreds of sonatas, a piano quartet and quintet.

Studio per il pianoforte were published, as noted above, in four books, two in 1804 as Op.30 and the other two in 1810 as Op.40.  They formed the fifth section of the composer’s massive Grosse praktische Pianoforte Schule (1815). Keith Anderson points out that they ‘anticipated [Muzio] Clementi’s Gradus ad Parnassum by nearly seven years. 

Cramer’s ‘studio’ cross the boundary between ‘teaching pieces’ and works of art. Beethoven and Schumann famously admired them:  Busoni issued an edition of these Études and wrote a number of additional examples in the same style –which are generously included on the present CD.

Nicolas Temperley has suggested that Cramer’s studies were by far his most ‘influential’ work. They are historically, as well as musically important.  He writes that they ‘were the first of their kind: in fact, the word ‘study’ (étude) appears to have acquired its modern meaning through them…’ it was the first major collection of (high grade) teaching pieces for the pianoforte.

Cramer’s studies are not simply methodological exercises which would have had a tendency to be as dry as dust. They are imbued with well-considered formal characteristics and subject matter which are to be approached as part and parcel of the technical problems encountered.  It has been suggested that only by a detailed examination of their internal structures will the qualities of beauty and interest be laid bare. It is unlikely that most listeners of these pieces will be able to devote this amount of time and effort to their exploration. However, I guess that the rule of thumb must be to regard them in similar manner as those by Chopin. Alas, it is unlikely that a recital will include Cramer’s studies as a part of the programme, whereas Chopin Études are a staple of the concert pianist. However, at his best Cramer comes close to the Polish master in synthesising musical material and technical challenge to produce a consistent and satisfying artistic form.

The great nineteenth century pianist Edward Dannreuther has described this collection of studies well:–‘this is of classical value for its intimate combination of significant musical ideas with the most instructive mechanical passages.’ 

Stylistically, it is fair to suggest that Cramer’s Études inhabit the sound world of Mozart and Scarlatti with frequent nods to Bach. However, his great achievement is that he has managed to fuse a conservative playing style with the latest developments in piano performance made possible by the mechanical advance in instrumental design.

It is good to have Busoni’s Eight Études after Cramer included in this present CD collection. Unfortunately there is little information about them in the liner notes. However, they were dedicated to Carl Lütschg, who was a former pupil of Ignaz Moscheles.  Keith Anderson notes that four of these studies deal with ‘legato’ playing whilst the remaining four address the problems of ‘staccato’ touch.  Without a lot of work, I am not sure to what extent Busoni has adapted, rewritten or amended the original Cramer studies. It would have been helpful if the liner notes had proved a brief ‘cross reference chart.’

I thoroughly enjoyed being introduced to the entire run of Cramer’s 84 studies. In fact, it is the first time that they have been available in their entirety. They are played by three pianists who bring a huge talent to the performance of these important works. However, the main impression I get from listening to these Études is the inordinate enthusiasm and understanding that comes across in the performance. It would be easy, I guess, for the technical brilliance of many these studies to overshadow the poetical element that inhabits much of this music.

The liner notes are reasonable, although a little more detail may have been helpful. However, I accept that any analysis of each of these pieces would have made the booklet unwieldy.

The sound quality is impressive and allows the listener the maximum opportunity to enjoy every moment of this music.

With the above caveat about taking these pieces steadily rather than through-listening, I heartily recommend this double-CD to all piano music enthusiasts. Whatever their usual fare, these Études represent a major stage in the development of piano technique as we have come to understand it in the music of Chopin, Liszt and other romantic pianists.

The full piano score of Johnann Baptist Cramer’s Studio per il pianoforte in four volumes can be found at IMSLP

Track Listing:

Johann Baptist CRAMER (1771-1858)

Studio per il pianoforte, Books 1-4 (1804/1810)

Ferruccio BUSONI (1866-1924) Klavierübung, Book 7: Eight Études after Cramer, BV B53 (1921) Gianluca Luisi (piano) Alessandro Deljavan (piano) & Giampaolo Stuani (piano)

GRAND PIANO GP613-14 

With thanks to MusicWeb International where this review was first published.