Wilhelm Kempff

[king ubu]

Not that I'm actually considering to buy it .... but which Beethoven cycle ended up in the big Solo Recordings box? Mono or Stereo?

[Mandryka]

It's not complete.  It has only one of the LvB cycles, and it lacks the early (1930s) LvB recordings.  Somewhat disppointing, really.  I have around 50 discs worth of Kempff, only a few of which are live or bootleg, so a few things are missing.  And where are the few 50s Decca Schubert recordings?

I've just heard for the first time two Schubert sonatas from the 1950s, 960 and 845. They were released on Australian Eminence a couple of years ago and I only just noticed. I think they show the slightly capricious and irrational crazy side of his art that we once discussed  in connection with the BBC Legends D 946 and the Brahms sonata. Anyway, my real reason for making this post is to ask if there are any other Decca Schubert recordings.

[George]

Future Releases
Next Piano Release for Marston Records

Friedrich Wilhelm Walter Kempff (1895–1991) is considered one of the great pianists of the twentieth century. One of the last chief exponents of the Germanic piano tradition, Kempff is particularly well known for his interpretations of Beethoven and Schubert. He is often best remembered for his warmth and poetic insights, sensitivity, and beautiful phrasing, yet this set of Kempff's earliest recordings also reveal a young firebrand: a technical marvel capable of stunning, extroverted virtuosity.

Wilhelm Kempff was awarded two scholarships to the Berlin Hochschule für Musik at the age of nine: one to study piano with Heinrich Barth, and another to study composition with Brahms's close friend and disciple Robert Kahn, both of whom had previously taught Artur Rubinstein. In 1917, Kempff gave his first major recital, consisting of predominantly major works, including Beethoven's "Hammerklavier" and Brahms's "Variations on a Theme of Paganini". Kempff toured extensively during his career yet did not make his first London appearance until 1951, and his first in New York in 1964 at the ages of fifty-five and sixty-nine respectively. He gave his last public performance in Paris in 1981, and then retired for health reasons (Parkinson's Disease).

Wilhelm Kempff recorded over a period of some sixty years, yet this set of his acoustic recordings is unique: this is the first time that these early acoustic recordings have been assembled and the only group of Kempff recordings that have never been reissued. Additionally, Kempff establishes himself as the first pianist in history to place fully a quarter of the Beethoven sonatas on disc. The final Kempff DG/Polydor acoustic recording is arguably the most historically significant, since his Beethoven First, recorded with the Berlin State Opera Orchestra in September of 1925, stands as the first commercial release of one of the staples of the modern repertoire. Notes by Stephen Siek (pianist, musicologist, piano historian, and author of England's Piano Sage: The Life and Teachings of Tobias Matthay) round out this historically important and beautifully lyric set.

In Memoriam Robert L. Autrey, II: Record collector and opera lover
This project is fully sponsored by Tito and Michael Autrey

[prémont]

Future Releases
Next Piano Release for Marston Records

Anything known about the content?

Can they only be purchased at Marston's own home-page?

[George]

Anything known about the content?

Can they only be purchased at Marston's own home-page?

Hi premont,

I shared the only info that I have. And yes, only purchaseable through Marston.

[Pohjolas Daughter]

Future Releases
Next Piano Release for Marston Records

Friedrich Wilhelm Walter Kempff (1895–1991) is considered one of the great pianists of the twentieth century. One of the last chief exponents of the Germanic piano tradition, Kempff is particularly well known for his interpretations of Beethoven and Schubert. He is often best remembered for his warmth and poetic insights, sensitivity, and beautiful phrasing, yet this set of Kempff's earliest recordings also reveal a young firebrand: a technical marvel capable of stunning, extroverted virtuosity.

Wilhelm Kempff was awarded two scholarships to the Berlin Hochschule für Musik at the age of nine: one to study piano with Heinrich Barth, and another to study composition with Brahms's close friend and disciple Robert Kahn, both of whom had previously taught Artur Rubinstein. In 1917, Kempff gave his first major recital, consisting of predominantly major works, including Beethoven's "Hammerklavier" and Brahms's "Variations on a Theme of Paganini". Kempff toured extensively during his career yet did not make his first London appearance until 1951, and his first in New York in 1964 at the ages of fifty-five and sixty-nine respectively. He gave his last public performance in Paris in 1981, and then retired for health reasons (Parkinson's Disease).

Wilhelm Kempff recorded over a period of some sixty years, yet this set of his acoustic recordings is unique: this is the first time that these early acoustic recordings have been assembled and the only group of Kempff recordings that have never been reissued. Additionally, Kempff establishes himself as the first pianist in history to place fully a quarter of the Beethoven sonatas on disc. The final Kempff DG/Polydor acoustic recording is arguably the most historically significant, since his Beethoven First, recorded with the Berlin State Opera Orchestra in September of 1925, stands as the first commercial release of one of the staples of the modern repertoire. Notes by Stephen Siek (pianist, musicologist, piano historian, and author of England's Piano Sage: The Life and Teachings of Tobias Matthay) round out this historically important and beautifully lyric set.

In Memoriam Robert L. Autrey, II: Record collector and opera lover
This project is fully sponsored by Tito and Michael Autrey

Wow!  Nice to know that they are available now in CD format.  Kempff's recordings of Beethoven are my favorites overall. 

PD

[Mandryka]

Some of those early recordings are worth hearing, like the Liszt here


https://open.spotify.com/album/0OS6jAACERS4SWPIpyDLy5

and, though I'm not keen myself, I have a friend who raves about this Bach transcription from 1936

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=26GnXDZKOIw&ab_channel=uchukyoku1

[Todd]

I shared the only info that I have. And yes, only purchaseable through Marston.

Spendy, but I will have to buy it.  The LvB PC 1 is on it, and if the Marston blurb is correct, this marks the first time all three CDs worth have been made available commercially.  I suspect some other Beethoven and some miniatures which were fashionable in the acoustic era will be included.  I emailed Marston to see if I can get more info.

[George]

Spendy, but I will have to buy it.  The LvB PC 1 is on it, and if the Marston blurb is correct, this marks the first time all three CDs worth have been made available commercially.  I suspect some other Beethoven and some miniatures which were fashionable in the acoustic era will be included.  I emailed Marston to see if I can get more info.

They are good about posting all the info on their site, but usually not until something is released.

Here's an example of the info that they include, from an earlier release: https://www.marstonrecords.com/collections/piano/products/kapell

[Mandryka]

I'd be interested to know what the people here make of his 1945 Fauré nocturne 6 - I think it's a little miracle of elegance and fluidity, but I know someone who feels it's the worst performance ever put on record

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=KPbVeCH1KUg

[Todd]

The response from Marston Records:

"Thank you for expressing your interest in the Kempff set. 

When we get closer to publication, we will post an announcement of its availability and contents.  You can order it from our website or directly from us. (We do not have information on file for you, so probably online will be easier for you and for us.)"

Drat.  I have to wait to learn what I will buy.

[Todd]

Contents of the Marston Kempff set below.  I place my order today.

CD 1 (70:20)
BACH:
1.   Prelude and Fugue in C-sharp, No. 3 from The Well-Tempered Clavier, Book 1   3:11
    
January 1923; 1094 as (65699) [B 27001]
 
2.   Prelude and Fugue in D, No. 5 from The Well-Tempered Clavier, Book 1   3:07
    
January 1923; 1093½ as (65699) [B 27000]
 
3.   Presto, Third Movement from Italian Concerto in F, BWV 971   3:14
    
January 1923; 1095 as (65700) [B 27002]
 
BACH–KEMPFF:
4.   Sinfonia from Cantata BWV 29   3:50
    
January 1923; 1096½ as (65700) [B 27003]
 
5.   Sicilienne from Sonata for Flute and Klavier in E-flat, BWV 1031   3:50
    
July 1924; 1748½ as (66045) [B 27071]
 
GLUCK–BRAHMS:
6.   Gavotte from IPHIGÉNIE EN AULIDE*   3:19
    
July 1924; 1747 as (66045) [B 27070]
 
BEETHOVEN:

Sonata No. 8 in C Minor, Op. 13, "Pathétique"
July 1924; 1712/15 as (66176/77) [B 27090/93]
 
7.   I Grave – Allegro di molto e con brio   7:36
8.   II Adagio Cantabile   4:41
9.   III Rondo: Allegro   4:10


Sonata No. 12 in A-flat, Op. 26    
July 1924; 1737½ as, 1738 as, 1739 as, 1740 as, 1741 as, 1742 as (66041/43) [B 27062/67]
 
10.   I Andante con variazioni   7:19
11.   II Scherzo. Allegro molto   2:30
12.   III Marcia funebre sulla morte d'un eroe. Maestoso andante   5:19
13.   IV Allegro   2:45


Sonata No. 14 in C-sharp Minor, Op. 27, No. 2, "Moonlight"    
July 1924; 1700 as, 1701 as, 1706 as, 1707½ as (66172/73) [B 27082/85]
 
14.   I Adagio sostenuto   7:25
15.   II Allegretto   2:34
16.   III Presto agitato   5:39


CD 2 (79:38)

BEETHOVEN:
1.   Bagatelle in C, Op. 33, No. 5   2:29
    
January 1923; 2062 ar (62400) [B 7000]
 
2.   Rondo in G, Op. 51, No. 2   8:23
    
July 1924; 1721/22 as (66040) [B 27060/61]
 
Sonata No. 21 in C, Op. 53, "Waldstein"    
July 1924; 1694½ as, 1695 as, 1696 as, 1697½ as, 1698½ as, 1699½ as (66036/38) [B 27052/57]
 
3.   I Allegro con brio   8:13
4.   II Introduzione. Adagio molto   3:34
5.   III Rondo. Allegretto moderato – Prestissimo   9:46


Sonata No. 23 in F Minor, Op. 57, "Appassionata"    
July 1924; 1688½ as, 1689 as, 1690 as, 1691 as, 1692½ as, 1693½ as (66033/35) [B 27046/51]
 
6.   I Allegro assai   10:10
7.   II Andante con moto   4:14
8.   III Allegro ma non troppo – Presto   5:43


Sonata No. 26 in E-flat, Op. 81a, "Les Adieux"    
July 1924; 1708/11 as (66174 and 65175) [B27086/89]
 
9.   I Das Lebewohl   5:56
10.   II Abwesenheit   3:39
11.   III Das Wiedersehen   4:12


Sonata No. 27 in E Minor, Op. 90
July 1924; 3371/72 ar and 1719/20 as (62491 and 66039) [B 7012/13 and B 27058/59]
 
12.   I Mit Lebhaftigkeit und durchaus mit Empfindung und Ausdruck   5:04
13.   II Nicht zu geschwind und sehr singbar vorgetragen   8:21


CD 3 (67:27)

BEETHOVEN:
Sonata No. 28 in A, Op. 101    
July 1924; 1723½ as, 1724½ as, 1725½ as, 1726½ as (66178/79) [B 27094/97]
 
1.   I Etwas lebhaft, und mit der innigsten Empfindung (Allegretto ma non troppo)   3:32
2.   II Lebhaft, marschmäßig (Vivace alla Marcia)   3:59
3.   III Langsam und sehnsuchtsvoll (Adagio ma non troppo, con affetto)   2:42
4.   IV Geschwind, doch nicht zu sehr und mit Entschlossenheit (Allegro)   5:43
5.   Ecossaises in E-flat, WoO 86   2:02
    
January 1923; 2064 ar (62400) [B 7001]
 
Concerto No. 1 in C, Op. 15
with the Berlin State Opera Orchestra, conductor unidentified   
March 1925; 822½ az, 823½ az, 824½ az, 825½ az, 828 az, 829 az, 830½ az, 831½ az (69815/18) [B 20613/20]
 
6.   I Allegro con brio   13:39
7.   II Largo   13:01
8.   III Rondo. Allegro scherzando   8:10

MENDELSSOHN:
9.   Scherzo in E Minor, Op. 16, No. 2   2:03
    
July 1924; 1743½ as (66044) [B 27068]
 
10.   Song Without Words, Op. 102, No. 5   1:08
    
July 1924; 1746 as (66044) [B27069]
 
11.   Song Without Words, Op. 102, No. 6   2:35
    
July 1924; 1746 as (66044) [B27069]
 
SCHUMANN:
12.   Toccata in C, Op. 7   4:34
    
July 1924; 1744 as (66180) [B 27098]
 
BRAHMS:
13.   Rhapsody in E-flat, Op. 119, No. 4   4:23
    
July 1924; 1745½ as (66180) [B27099]

[Todd]

My set ships next week, Todd! Should be a good one.

Kempff in his 20s playing core rep.  Should be something.

[Todd]

Here's a set I knew I needed to get as soon as it became available.  I do enjoy me Wilhelm Kempff recordings.  Basically the antithesis of the barnstorming virtuoso in his most famous recorded legacy, Kempff imbues his playing with poetry  and nuance.  In some late career live recordings, he demonstrated an ability matched only by Alfred Cortot to miss notes and otherwise botch passages yet make it sound like that's the way it's supposed to go.  Even his Liszt concertos, pieces he should not be able to deliver at all, come off strikingly well once one accepts Kempffian style.  The earlier recordings, though, show Kempff in better form.  Certainly, there were more technically assured pianists in the 30s and 40s, but his LvB sonatas from the era display such a sense of freedom and perfect Beethovenian style, that had he completed the cycle – and he came tantalizingly close – then it, not Schnabel's, would be the 78s era benchmark.  And this set offers something even earlier.  These basically century old acoustic recordings capture Kempff in his 20s.  I mean, come on, how could it not be great?  Sure, century old sonics suck, but Ward Marston knows his business, so one can be assured that this set is in the best sound possible.

Disc one starts off with some frustrating Bach.  Frustrating because these recordings do nothing other than demonstrate how good of a Bach player Kempff was, which makes one want to hear even more.  I have his late career Bach, and the WTC excerpts from elderly Kempff are remarkable, but the three solo Bach tracks here – two from the WTC, and one from the Italian Concerto – display freedom and flexibility and ease coming from a young man's fingers.  The two Bach-Kempff transcriptions do the same thing.  Argh!  The Gluck-Brahms, as well.  A little bit less of an argh there.   After that, three LvB sonatas get squeezed in – Opp 13, 26, and 27/2.  Now, I have all three complete cycles from Kempff, plus the 30s and 40s recordings, and some studio one-offs, and some live recordings, so I am well versed in Kempffian Beethoven.  As with the Bach, these display a flexibility and freedom and obviously live feel, and the young Kempff zips across the keyboard, never imparting a too-heavy romantic sound, but also not limiting himself to boring classical strictures.  Op 13 sounds just nifty, with some slow playing in Grave, and some super-lithe if not super-accurate playing in the Rondo.  Op 26 is a delight.  Kempff plays the opening theme and variations with great distinction, and even plays with a scampish, almost silly humor in one variation.  The Scherzo is lithe and light, Kempff just zipping through.  The taut Funeral March has enough oomph and drama to satisfy, and Marston's remastering is good enough to highlight some possibly dodgy tuning.  Kempff then scampers along in the finale.  The Moonlight sonata ends the disc.  It more or less proceeds as one would expect, with a moody opener, punchy middle movement, and a zippy finale where Kempff pushes things just a bit too much and ends up garbling things a bit, but ya just don't care. 

The  all-LvB second disc starts with a playful, swift, and light Op 33/5 Bagatelle and moves on to a 51/2 Rondo that sounds the same, and so free.  Some of the runs sound improvised.  Then it's on to four sonatas, starting with the Waldstein.  The repeatless Allegro con brio starts quiet and swift, and insofar as the listener can tell from the recording, swells just swell in terms of dynamics, and exhibits a degree of freedom and flexibility not present in even his wartime recording.  Here's turn of the 20th Century German pianism in its purest form.  The Introduzione, though a bit swift, sounds slower than its timing and essentially perfect.  The real magic happens in the final movement.  It starts off more poetic and almost dreamy than any other version I've heard, and Kempff lets rip in the virtuosic passages.  Here is properly proportioned, perfectly romantic, but not over the top playing.  It emerges as one of the great recordings of the work.  Op 57 follows, and the Allegro assai displays actual fire.  Kempff roars throughout, and one can sense if not precisely hear the dynamics swells.  He makes a few blunders, but that reinforces how live these recordings are.  The second movement veritably sings and the tonal beauty reaches out from a century ago.  (And is that some vocalizing I hear?)  The finale displays the same fire as the opening movement and quite effective dynamic shifts.  Op 81/a follows and here's a case, familiar from later live recordings, where Kempff gets the spirit entirely right, especially in the slow movement, but makes a noticeable number of unforced errors, especially in the final movement.  The spirit matters, the flubs do not.  Op 90 wraps up the disc.  In the opening movement, Kempff plays the two contrasting themes in as highly contrasted a manner as I've heard, playing with sublime beauty in the slow sections, and an intensity and speed in the faster music that I would have never envisioned from Kempff.  Note perfect it is not, a musical wallop it is.  Then comes the gorgeous, tender, endlessly lyrical second movement, and Kempff plays in a manner lovelier than his loveliest Schubert.  An ancient blockbuster of a performance. 

The final disc starts off with Op 101.  The opening movement does an excellent job of immediately establishing a transcendent soundworld, with the young Kempff matching old Kempff.  The march, though, is too pressed and rushed and overloaded with unkempt passages.  The Adagio and then final Allegro basically repeat the same styles.  Make no mistake, the highlights make it worth hearing, but this is not a top choice.  Next, the tiny WoO 86 Ecossaises exhibit joy and, no joke, a rustic feel.  No unnecessary refinement here.  Next up is the C Major Piano Concerto in its first ever recording.  The orchestral sound is of course distant and cloudy, but one can hear some old world portamento in the mix, and it delights.  There is nothing current world HIP about it, and it sounds splendid.  Kempff is closer to the acoustic horn of course, and so the balance difference is not so different from later recordings.  The young man dashes off the playing with an energy and brio and virtuosity missing in his recordings from decades later.  The finale, in particular, bubbles, and boasts an orchestral decelerando unlike any I've heard, and the same goes for the cadenza.  A trio of Mendelssohn pieces follow, including 102/6, and Kempff displays an affinity for the music, even if one wishes he might have played a little more slowly.  The Schumann Toccata follows, and while Kempff does well enough, he doesn't make the work work – so very few people have.  The set ends with the Brahms 119/4 that sounds a bit rough and does not reach the same levels as his later career late Brahms.  I guess everything can't be superb.

When I plumped for this set, I paid the highest per disc price I have paid in years, since I last imported a big haul from Japan.  But given the artist and the music, I just had to have it.  It was money well spent.  Ward Marston and crew deliver, and not just in transfers, but in packaging and the accompanying essay.  Sonics are as good as one can reasonably hope for, and headphone playback ends up more satisfactory than loudspeakers.

A purchase of the year.

[George]

I'm jealous, Todd. I am a subscriber and I still haven't recieved my set. Did you pay for expedited shipping?

[Todd]

I'm jealous, Todd. I am a subscriber and I still haven't recieved my set. Did you pay for expedited shipping?

No, I ordered with regular shipping after finding the release notification email in my spam folder.  Ordered it on the 7th and received it on the 12th.

[George]

No, I ordered with regular shipping after finding the release notification email in my spam folder.  Ordered it on the 7th and received it on the 12th.

Wow, I'm a subscriber and they shipped mine 2 weeks after yours. Subscribers are supposed to have theirs shipped first, not two weeks later. I just cancelled my subscription. 

[Pohjolas Daughter]

Wow, I'm a subscriber and they shipped mine 2 weeks after yours. Subscribers are supposed to have theirs shipped first, not two weeks later. I just cancelled my subscription. 

Which business are you a subscriber of George?

PD

[Pohjolas Daughter]

No longer a subscriber, but formerly a subscriber of Marston Records CDs.

I was wondering if that might have been to whom you were subscribing.  Wondering if you were a bit premature re unsubscribing--thinking that they might have been flooded with more orders by subscribers at a certain point?  Or other issues?  And is Todd a subscriber?  Just pondering a bit at my end.

PD

[Todd]

And is Todd a subscriber?

Nope.