Ilmari Hannikainen's Piano Concerto

[Rach3]

I can recommend hearing this obscure work if you enjoy piano concertos.My first hearing this am , I will listen again later today :

Ilmari Hannikainen (1892-1955)

Piano Concerto, Op 7
Arto Satukangas (Piano), Helsinki Radio Symphony Orchestra, Petri Sakari (Conductor)

Listened on BBC Radio 3 , Through the Night ,starts at 2:00:00 in to the broadcast :

https://www.bbc.co.uk/radio/play/m000092z

If you prefer, a YouTube by same forces :

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J-HOwvjU6Xw

Per a Comment at the YouTube :

“Hannikainen composed this in 1917-20 in St. Petersburg while studying with Siloti. The score was left slightly unfinished and was not printed during the composers lifetime. Hannikainen gave the premier with Kajanus in 1920. Then, in 1958 pianist Tapani Valsta and Helsinki Philharmonia (dir. Tauno Hannikainen) recorded it. In 1980 it was performed by pianist Nijole Kasperaviciute with dir. Onni Kelo with two different Finnish orchestras. Present tape was made in 1992.”

Per another comment at YT :

“There was actually a historical recording of the concerto from 1957 released by Finlandia Records in 1991. But Finlandia Records has been dead and buried for over a decade. This piece was not played for decades at all, but nowadays once in a few years somebody might actually play it live in Finland. Hannikainen was very talented composer and pianist, cousin of Ziloti - it is a pity that he virtually stopped composing for the piano after 1922; insomnia, etc. He was very much liked as a pedagogue. He wrote some nice Rachmaninov style piano pieces already at the age of 14 and 15.”

The BBC presenter does not identify the recording, only the artists.IF the YT comments are correct, the BBC broadcast would not appear to be the Finlandia label recording.

I find no cd at Amazon - US or at UK’s MDT.

Wiki bio : https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ilmari_Hannikainen