"Golden Age Pianists":Cortot, Moiseiwitsch,Sofronitsky,Ney,Michelangeli etc

[Mandryka]

The 1954 Etudes

http://www.sendspace.com/file/05qmmu

[George]

The 1954 Etudes

http://www.sendspace.com/file/05qmmu

Thanks, so to be clear, the first pressing of Cortot's GPOTC set (mistakenly) had three Schumann recordings from the 1950s:

1. Symphonic Etudes 1954
2. Carnaval 1953 (recently re-released on Naxos Historical)
3. Kresleriana 1950s (Unauthorized and previously unreleased)

Is all that correct?

[Mandryka]

I believe so.

Alfred Cortot first recorded Schumann's "Kreisleriana" for His Master's Voice in July of 1935; this is the version most commentary describes. It was on HMV 78s, Angel and EMI LPs, and M&A, Biddulph Labs, Pearl, and Philips CDs (Great Pianists series, especially chosen by Alfred Brendel). By "mistake", an unissued EMI tape of unissued 1953-1954 takes were sent to the CD factory and issued on some, but not all, Philips volumes of Cortot's Schumann. Brendel was appalled and insisted the 1935 version be substituted, which was done on later Philips pressings.

Cortot also recorded "Kreisleriana" in Paris in 1956 and 1957 for Voix de son Maitre, unissued.

The interest to Cortot collectors is the chance to hear the beauty of his phrasing and piano tone in relatively modern sound. He makes the same mistakes that many other pianists do before tape-editing, but admittedly he was not in good shape by 1954. His 1953 "Etudes symphoniques", for instance, are incredibly beautiful, the very finest I know, but the finale is almost unlistenable as he wasn't up to it by then, at least on that day. With Cortot, you never know.

Those concerned for safety and mechanical accuracy will always choose other pianists.

[George]

I believe so.

Alfred Cortot first recorded Schumann's "Kreisleriana" for His Master's Voice in July of 1935; this is the version most commentary describes. It was on HMV 78s, Angel and EMI LPs, and M&A, Biddulph Labs, Pearl, and Philips CDs (Great Pianists series, especially chosen by Alfred Brendel). By "mistake", an unissued EMI tape of unissued 1953-1954 takes were sent to the CD factory and issued on some, but not all, Philips volumes of Cortot's Schumann. Brendel was appalled and insisted the 1935 version be substituted, which was done on later Philips pressings.

Cortot also recorded "Kreisleriana" in Paris in 1956 and 1957 for Voix de son Maitre, unissued.

Thanks for the details! 

[George]

Finally picked up this set, since it was dirt cheap on amazon ($23.62 new for 6CDs.) The seller, Zoverstocks sent this big box in a padded bag, so the rear of one of the cases was damaged. Oh, well. Since I already own a ton of Chopin, I wanted to find out how much of these performances I already had. Turns out a lot of it I didn't already have, which I am very happy about. In order to determine what I already had, I did a full inventory of the contents, using a discography and the liner notes, labeling the things that appear elsewhere on CD. For the curious, I will post the info here:

CD 01
01 Berceuse - 1920 – Pearl 9386 and Biddulph Complete Acoustic Victor Rec
02 Chant Polonais - 1923 – Music & Arts CD-615, Biddulph LAB 014~15
03 Op. 10 No. 5 - 1923 - Biddulph Complete Acoustic Victor Rec
04 Op. 25 No. 9 - 1923 - Biddulph Complete Acoustic Victor Rec
05 Op. 25 No. 11 – 1923 – Biddulph Complete Acoustic Victor Rec and Pearl 9386
06 Impromptu 1 – 1922 – Pearl 9386, Biddulph LAB 014~15
07 Impromptu 2 – 1925 – Biddulph LHW 020, Pearl 9386, M&A CD-317 / CD-4871
08 Op. 25 No. 1 – 1925 - Biddulph LHW 020, Pearl 9386, M&A CD-317 / CD-4871
09 Waltz Op. 64/2 – 1925 - Biddulph LHW 020, Pearl 9386
10 Berceuse – 1926 - M&A CD-317, CD-4871, Biddulph LHW 020
11 Ballade  - 1926 - Biddulph LHW 020, Pearl 9386, M&A CD-717
12 – 18 Preludes 1926 – Naxos
19 – 22 Sonata 3 – 1931 - M&A CD-717, Biddulph LHW 001


CD 02
01 Prelude Op. 28/12 – 1928 - Only available in this set
02 Nocturne – Op 9/2 – 1929 – Naxos 8.111245, Biddulph LHW 001
03 – 06 Sonata 2 – 1933 - Music & Arts CD-717, Biddulph, Brilliant 99228 / 99230
07 Polonaise no. 6 – 1933 – Naxos, Music & Arts CD-717
08 - 11 4 Ballades – 1933 – Biddulph
12 Fantasie – 1933 - Music & Arts CD-717, Naxos 8.111035
13 Tarantelle – 1933 - Toshiba TOCE-6661~65(5 set) / TOCE-7817


CD 03
01 Barcarolle – 1933 - Toshiba TOCE-6661~65(5 set)
02 -25  Etudes – 1933/34 – Naxos, Philips 456 751-2 (GPOTTC)
26 – 29 Waltzes – 1934 – Naxos, TOCE-11199~203(5 set)


CD 04
01 – 03 Concerto 2 – Barbirolli – 1935 - M&A CD-717, Pearl 9491, Naxos 8.110612
04 Impromptu 3 – 1933 - Naxos 8.111023
05- 18 Waltzes (complete) - 1943 - Sirio 530014, Shinseido SGR-8102


CD 05
01 -24 Preludes – 1943 - Philips 456 754-2(GPOTTC), Shinseido SGR-8104
25 – 36 Etudes Op. 10 – 1942 - Shinseido SGR-8103


CD 06
01 -12 Etudes Op. 25 – 1942 - Shinseido SGR-8103
13 – 14 2 Chants Polonais 1939 – Naxos, Biddulph 020, Pearl 9396, M&A CD-662
15  Nocturne No. 4 Op. 15/1 – 1952 –  Naxos
16  Nocturne No. 5 Op. 15/2 – 1949 –  Naxos    
17  Nocturne No. 7 Op. 27/1 – 1952 – Naxos
18  Nocturne No. 15 Op. 55/1 – 1947 - Naxos
19  Nocturne No. 16 Op. 55/2 – 1947 – Naxos
20 -22 3 Nouvelles Etudes – 1949 – Naxos
23 Prelude – Op. 45 – 1950 - Naxos

[George]

I came into a little bit of money, so I decided to order some stuff from my MDT wishlist. Naxos is on sale there until December 19th.

[Mandryka]

If you start to enjoy Thibaud try to get hold of his record of the Beethoven Violin Concerto with Victor Desarzens. I can always upload it if it's hard to find. I find it very touching.

I like  Cortot's Liszt --La Leggierezza and  the sonata especially. The reason the sonata isn't more widely appreciated is, I suspect, purely to do with all the marketing hype surrounding Horowitz's first recording, which was published just a couple of years after Cortot's.  Cortot's Weber Sonata is also fun to listen to.

The early Gilels doesn't seem very interesting to me except for Gilels collectors.

[George]

The early Gilels doesn't seem very interesting to me except for Gilels collectors.

I thought that at first too, but then I revisited my 2CD set of Early recordings on DG and was compelled to get as much of his early stuff as possible.

[Mandryka]

I wonder if someone here can help me out.

He gave a concert in London in May 1990 with Beethoven op 111, the Chopin Mazurka Op 33/4, first Scherzo and Op22 Andante Spianto and Grande Polonaise.

Is the Andante Spianto and Grande Polonaise on record anywhere?

I'm trying to reconstruct the concert, which may well have been his last. I have all of it except the Chopin Op22. What I have is very interesting interpretatively.

[George]

I wonder if someone here can help me out.

He gave a concert in London in May 1990 with Beethoven op 111, the Chopin Mazurka Op 33/4, first Scherzo and Op22 Andante Spianto and Grande Polonaise.

Is the Andante Spianto and Grande Polonaise on record anywhere?

I'm trying to reconstruct the concert, which may well have been his last. I have all of it except the Chopin Op22. What I have is very interesting interpretatively.

I'd love to get my hands on that (hint, hint.)

I recently downloaded the 2CD set of Tokyo recordings. If you don't have it, it's up on Demonoid.

[Mandryka]

I'd love to get my hands on that (hint, hint.)

I recently downloaded the 2CD set of Tokyo recordings. If you don't have it, it's up on Demonoid.

If that's the one with the Ravel Valses I'd like to hear it -- I can't see it though. Can you give me a link?

I'm getting interested in the last period of his career -- from 1980 through to 1990. There's some outstanding stuff on Aura from concerts in Bregenz and London, including a very surprising and wonderful Paganini Variations, an excellent Bach Busoni Chaconne and some stunning Debussy. and, of course, all the London 1990 material except the Op 22!

The London concert is very strange. I think this is the MAzurka from it though I haven't checked carefully. :

http://www.youtube.com/v/8_lSXjYOdzQ

[Holden]

If that's the one with the Ravel Valses I'd like to hear it -- I can't see it though. Can you give me a link?

I'm getting interested in the last period of his career -- from 1980 through to 1990. There's some outstanding stuff on Aura from concerts in Bregenz and London, including a very surprising and wonderful Paganini Variations, an excellent Bach Busoni Chaconne and some stunning Debussy. and, of course, all the London 1990 material except the Op 22!

The London concert is very strange. I think this is the MAzurka from it though I haven't checked carefully. :

http://www.youtube.com/v/8_lSXjYOdzQ

Is this ABM we are talking about? I seem to have lost the context of this somewhere.

[Drasko]

I wonder if someone here can help me out.

He gave a concert in London in May 1990 with Beethoven op 111, the Chopin Mazurka Op 33/4, first Scherzo and Op22 Andante Spianto and Grande Polonaise.

Is the Andante Spianto and Grande Polonaise on record anywhere?

I'm trying to reconstruct the concert, which may well have been his last. I have all of it except the Chopin Op22. What I have is very interesting interpretatively.

London 1990 concert was released by Ermitage and then Aura. Both long out of print.

Aura Music AUR 431-2

http://www.amazon.com/Piano-Sonata-32-Minor-111/dp/B000020651

Ermitage ERM 432-2

(can't see it listed anywhere)

most of the recital, except Andante Spianato, in also in the Documents brown box.

The London wasn't his last recital though, that would be all Debussy Hamburg recital from May 1993, on Memoria:


http://www.amazon.com/Last-Recital-Arturo-Benedetti-Michelangeli/dp/B0000245YM

[George]

Is this ABM we are talking about? I seem to have lost the context of this somewhere.

Actually, I am the one who is lost. I thought we were talking about Cortot.

[Mandryka]

The London wasn't his last recital though, that would be all Debussy Hamburg recital from May 1993, on Memoria:


http://www.amazon.com/Last-Recital-Arturo-Benedetti-Michelangeli/dp/B0000245YM

And how is that CD? Sound? Performance?

[Drasko]

No idea.

[ccar]

And how is that CD? Sound? Performance?

The recording of ABM last recital - Hamburg 1993 May 7 - comes from a concertgoer. There are the obvious deficiencies – you may be distracted with the noise coming from the concealed recorder and some cough from the audience is obviouly very near. But the piano sound is still quite present and you can even listen to ABM humming and singing along while he plays. For me it is a recital to treasure. Debussy served fresh - with amazing colors, insight and imagination.   

[Mandryka]

The recording of ABM last recital - Hamburg 1993 May 7 - comes from a concertgoer. There are the obvious deficiencies – you may be distracted with the noise coming from the concealed recorder and some cough from the audience is obviouly very near. But the piano sound is still quite present and you can even listen to ABM humming and singing along while he plays. For me it is a recital to treasure. Debussy served fresh - with amazing colors, insight and imagination.   

I've ordered it.

I'm very interested to see how his Debussy style changed towards the end of his life. There's a performance of Images on Aura from 1987. But a lot of water could have passed under the bridge between 1987 and 1993.

[Mandryka]

In the preface to Aspects de Chopin, Grimaud quotes Cocteau as saying that Cortot used to tell his students that their job is to do three things:

1.   Understand the score psychologically. That's to say, try to get a grip on the states of mind which gave rise to the composition.

2.   Understand how he himself (the pianist) is effected by his understanding of the composer's mental states as reflected in the score.

3.   Bring these two understandings together in performance to make the music live.

Does anyone teach piano like this today? Are there any pianists who play like this today? What influenced Cortot to develop this theory of performance?

Here's the Cocteau/Cortot quote, in case someone else wants to have a go at an exegesis:

"C'est ce  que nous ressentons qui compte. Il s'agit de reconstituer, non une prétendue objectivité, mais la vérité des états d'âme qui engendrèrent la partition à l'interpréter, et selon la résonance profonde qu'ils éveillent dans son propre esprit : rendre vivant ce qui est écrit."

I'm not sure about "engendrèrent la partition à l'interpréter"

[Mandryka]

Finally picked up this set, since it was dirt cheap on amazon ($23.62 new for 6CDs.) The seller, Zoverstocks sent this big box in a padded bag, so the rear of one of the cases was damaged. Oh, well. Since I already own a ton of Chopin, I wanted to find out how much of these performances I already had. Turns out a lot of it I didn't already have, which I am very happy about. In order to determine what I already had, I did a full inventory of the contents, using a discography and the liner notes, labeling the things that appear elsewhere on CD. For the curious, I will post the info here:

CD 01
01 Berceuse - 1920 – Pearl 9386 and Biddulph Complete Acoustic Victor Rec
02 Chant Polonais - 1923 – Music & Arts CD-615, Biddulph LAB 014~15
03 Op. 10 No. 5 - 1923 - Biddulph Complete Acoustic Victor Rec
04 Op. 25 No. 9 - 1923 - Biddulph Complete Acoustic Victor Rec
05 Op. 25 No. 11 – 1923 – Biddulph Complete Acoustic Victor Rec and Pearl 9386
06 Impromptu 1 – 1922 – Pearl 9386, Biddulph LAB 014~15
07 Impromptu 2 – 1925 – Biddulph LHW 020, Pearl 9386, M&A CD-317 / CD-4871
08 Op. 25 No. 1 – 1925 - Biddulph LHW 020, Pearl 9386, M&A CD-317 / CD-4871
09 Waltz Op. 64/2 – 1925 - Biddulph LHW 020, Pearl 9386
10 Berceuse – 1926 - M&A CD-317, CD-4871, Biddulph LHW 020
11 Ballade  - 1926 - Biddulph LHW 020, Pearl 9386, M&A CD-717
12 – 18 Preludes 1926 – Naxos
19 – 22 Sonata 3 – 1931 - M&A CD-717, Biddulph LHW 001


CD 02
01 Prelude Op. 28/12 – 1928 - Only available in this set
02 Nocturne – Op 9/2 – 1929 – Naxos 8.111245, Biddulph LHW 001
03 – 06 Sonata 2 – 1933 - Music & Arts CD-717, Biddulph, Brilliant 99228 / 99230
07 Polonaise no. 6 – 1933 – Naxos, Music & Arts CD-717
08 - 11 4 Ballades – 1933 – Biddulph
12 Fantasie – 1933 - Music & Arts CD-717, Naxos 8.111035
13 Tarantelle – 1933 - Toshiba TOCE-6661~65(5 set) / TOCE-7817


CD 03
01 Barcarolle – 1933 - Toshiba TOCE-6661~65(5 set)
02 -25  Etudes – 1933/34 – Naxos, Philips 456 751-2 (GPOTTC)
26 – 29 Waltzes – 1934 – Naxos, TOCE-11199~203(5 set)


CD 04
01 – 03 Concerto 2 – Barbirolli – 1935 - M&A CD-717, Pearl 9491, Naxos 8.110612
04 Impromptu 3 – 1933 - Naxos 8.111023
05- 18 Waltzes (complete) - 1943 - Sirio 530014, Shinseido SGR-8102


CD 05
01 -24 Preludes – 1943 - Philips 456 754-2(GPOTTC), Shinseido SGR-8104
25 – 36 Etudes Op. 10 – 1942 - Shinseido SGR-8103


CD 06
01 -12 Etudes Op. 25 – 1942 - Shinseido SGR-8103
13 – 14 2 Chants Polonais 1939 – Naxos, Biddulph 020, Pearl 9396, M&A CD-662
15  Nocturne No. 4 Op. 15/1 – 1952 –  Naxos
16  Nocturne No. 5 Op. 15/2 – 1949 –  Naxos    
17  Nocturne No. 7 Op. 27/1 – 1952 – Naxos
18  Nocturne No. 15 Op. 55/1 – 1947 - Naxos
19  Nocturne No. 16 Op. 55/2 – 1947 – Naxos
20 -22 3 Nouvelles Etudes – 1949 – Naxos
23 Prelude – Op. 45 – 1950 - Naxos

As far as I can see the 1942 Etudes aren't part of the the Toshiba Cortot box (The Art of Alfred Cortot). Is that right? Yongrock Lee mentions a Shinseido CD with them, but it's not obvious where to find it.

If all that's correct the only place to find the 1942 is on the execrable transfer on French EMI. And one othet -- on this CD from Forgotten Records:



If the sound is better than EMI France (and it must surely be), then that CD could be well worth having. That 1942 recording shows Cortot really on top of this music.