Ferdinand Ries - Piano Concerto No. 5 “Pastoral“, Op. 120 (1814)

Ferdinand Ries (28 November 1784 [baptised] – 13 January 1838) was a German composer. Ries was a friend, pupil and secretary of Ludwig van Beethoven. He composed eight symphonies, a violin concerto, eight piano concertos, three operas, and numerous other works in many genres, including 26 string quartets. In 1838 he published a collection of reminiscences of his teacher Beethoven, co-written with Franz Wegeler. The symphonies, some chamber works —most of them with piano— his violin concerto and his piano concertos have been recorded, demonstrating a style which is, unsurprising due to his connection to Beethoven, somewhere between those of the Classical and early Romantic eras. Piano Concerto No. 5 in D major, “Pastoral“ Op. 120. London 1814. Dedication: A son altesse royale Oscar I prince héréditaire de suede [also of Norway] I. Allegro II. Andantino III. Rondo. Allegro Christopher Hinterhuber, piano and the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra conducted by Uwe Grodd According to Allen Bradley in the liner notes to the Naxos recording, the composer’s manuscript is undated making it difficult to determine exactly at what point the composer started working on this concerto. However the works dedication to Prince Oscar of Sweden, suggests that he started work on the concerto during his time in Sweden and worked intermittently on it, along with revisions to the Piano Concerto Op. 55 until around 1815-16. This would make the concerto the sixth of the composers eight piano concertos to be written. The concertos publication in 1823 came at a time when Ries was retiring from active performing and so no longer needed to keep secret the works he relied on in performance.