Walter Gieseking

[George]

I was looking for the Gieseking thread and after a search realized that we don't have one for him. Until now. 

He has many great recordings that I enjoy. His early Debussy recordings (on Pearl or VAI), his Beethoven and his Songs Without Words by Mendelssohn are all favorites of mine. 

This CD contains a very special recording of the Emperor concerto:

[asin]B000001OG6[/asin]

It was recorded in 1944, in stereo! From three amazon reviews:

This is just about the most intense Beethoven "Emperor" Concerto on record, recorded in Berlin in 1944. Gieseking's playing is truly overpowering (in contrast, for example, to his 1951 recording with Karajan). The thoroughgoing organization and emotional logic and intensity of the orchestral contribution leads one to imagine that Furtwangler is on the podium in the Beethoven as well as the Schumann...The stereo (!) sound on the Beethoven is superior to most recordings of the time.

The recording of Emperor Concerto on this CD is worth having not only for the wonderful performance, but also for the historical signifigance. This version of the Emperor Concerto was recorded in stereo on magnetic tape; at a time when this technology had just been invented and was still experimental. Also there was an air raid going on outside while this recording was being made. Listen closely on a good stereo system. There are a few places where you can hear the explosions outside.

Listen to the anti-aircraft volleys at 1:57, 5:20, 13:29, and 16:43 (the cadenza) of the first movement (preferably with headphones, so you can turn up the volume to capture this haunting aural image) and then be prepared to be astonished by the performance of this magnificent work. Presumably it was recorded at night-when British aircrews flew solo sorties (as opposed to the American formation-flying during the day) at intervals which, to judge by the ak-ak, were from 3 to 3-1/2 minutes. Whatever the case, this is a spectacular confluence of art and history with the Greater Berlin Rundfunk Orchestra playing as if their lives depended on it.

__________________

So, what are you're favorite Gieseking recordings?

_______________________

[Brahmsian]

George, I didn't even know about Walter Gieseking until Christmas Day, when I opened this:



Good performance, it is in mono though.

Fairly brisk tempos, as the entire WTC fits on 3 disks.

[George]

George, I didn't even know about Walter Gieseking until Christmas Day, when I opened this:



Good performance, it is in mono though.

Fairly brisk tempos, as the entire WTC fits on 3 disks.

Nice! I didn't even know that he had recorded them.

[Todd]

Gieseking is one of my favorites, and I enjoy a lot by him.  His Debussy, both from the 30s and his last set on EMI – his recording of the Fantasie is still my favorite.  (I'm hoping the 1951 Preludes get reissued some day.)  His Grieg and Mendelssohn set on EMI is superb.  His Emperor paired with Galliera is quite fine.  Moving to the pirate labels or reissue specialists, there's his Scriabin, Schumann, Ravel (not his EMI recordings), even some Schubert.  Hell, I even like his Mozart.  I haven't been listening to much Gieseking lately as I've been exploring other things, but every time I pick up one of his discs, I enjoy what I hear.

I'm thinking I should try that WTC.

[Mandryka]

He was a bufferfly collector. I often think of him with a big net -- or pinning the dead things to a piece of card. And he was a fan of Schoenberg and Busoni, though AFAIK no recordings exist other than piano rolls.

Thinking of solo music, when he's at his best you feel that he's taken the whole work in one great big bite.  The coherence and integrity of the performance is astounding. I think you can hear this in his acoustic Gaspard (on his Great Pianists) and the lovely Ravel Pavane on EMI. I enjoyed the Tombeau too -- but I can't remember why 

Other solo piano music where his records have become valued friends-- Mendelssohn's Songs without Words; Davidsbuendelertaenze (is there a live one?);   the Op 110 on EMI (a recent find), the Brahms Op 76 and some of the later pieces and the first (pre war) Debussy preludes; the Waldstien and Appasionata from the 1930s and the pre war K457, the EMI Mozart German Dances and K394, the 1949 2nd and 4th English Suite. The Bach dances are good examples of his special "take the whole thing in a single bite" quality which I like so much. Has anyone heard his Partitas or French Suites?

At his worst he is a bit ungracious sounding.  The 3rd English Suite from  1949 -1951 is a bit like that.

Or he's just too beautiful sounding. I can't listen to his Grieg. He makes those things into the most delicious, totally meaningless,  bonbons imaginable. 

[val]

To me, no one ever played Debussy like Gieseking. Other pianists (from Michelangeli to Bavouzet) tried an approach more structured, with themes more designed and phrased, but I miss the (at least apparent) spontaneity of Gieseking, as if the music was being created under his fingers. The Images, the Preludes, the Etudes, the Estampes, Masques, L'Isle joyeuse, and, in a lesser degree the Suite Bergamasque and Pour le piano are supreme models.  In fact, with him, this was a music of moments, of details, when something was always happening, as we can hear in his interpretation of "Les cloches à travers les feuilles" or in the violence of "Ce qu'a vu le vent d'Ouest".

[dirkronk]

Other solo piano music where his records have become valued friends--  Davidsbuendelertaenze (is there a live one?) 

Don't know, but the one I have on ancient LP (Urania? Period? not sure of the label; will check later) is the performance that made me a fan of the music.

Actually, it was a very old Angel (British or early US pressing "half moon" recording angel label) of Gieseking's performance of the LvB Waldstein that first made me fall in love with that piece of music, as well. In fact, it spurred my very first "have to buy everything by this guy" response in my early days as a classical collector.

Cheers,

Dirk

[mjwal]

I too became a fan of the Davidsbündlertänze because of Gieseking's recording - it was on a Saga LP then in the mid-60s, and even the other post-grads I shared the house with often sat around hypnotised by  his playing - which is rushed and clangorous at the beginning of the work; I suppose it was an East (?) German radio performance which he just arrived for, sat down and played from memory. It has been reissued several times (I have two different transfers) and I remember 1947 being given as a date on one CD set (including other Schumann works as well). No other pianist has rendered the transcendently nostalgic quality of the last pieces like G, in my experience, not even Geza Anda (either of 2 performances I know). A few years before I had been living near Hamburg with a landlady who had studied under G (and was to edit the French version of Verdi's Don Carlos some years later, working at the Bibliothèque Nationale) - she told me that G never practised but recommended mentalising the fingering etc in silent study, which he did travelling between concerts. It was at that time that i grew to love Mozart's K.466 and 503 played by G with the Philharmonia conducted by Rosbaud (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q0JXKDnIaFo&feature=related) - only Casadesus/Szell rival them in the former IMO. Their earlier K 271 is also very fine. (Rosbaud should have a thread of his own: were he and Scherchen  the the greatest all-round conductors of the last century?) There are stunning live recordings of Rachmaninoff's 2nd and 3rd piano concerti with Mengelberg - with his very poorly recorded Liszt #! among the greatest virtuoso performances captured on record, if imperfectly.

[dirkronk]

Don't know, but the one I have on ancient LP (Urania? Period? not sure of the label; will check later) is the performance that made me a fan of the music.

Just checked: Urania. Copyright 1953.

FWIW,

Dirk

[ccar]

Davidsbuendelertaenze (is there a live one?);

It has been reissued several times (I have two different transfers) and I remember 1947 being given as a date on one CD set

Just checked: Urania. Copyright 1953.

Multiple LP and CD reissues of the Gieseking-Davidsbuendelertaenze give different dates and some Gieseking "discographies" just transcribe them, giving the impression of different performances / recordings. I've seen at least 5 different dates - Berlin 1942, 13 Jul 1947, Berlin Funkhaus 13 Set 1947, Saarbruken 12 Jul 1951 and 1953.

When I looked at my "versions" of the Gieseking-Davidsbuendelertaenze, collected over the years, I listened to 6 "different" recordings with these multiple dates. I hoped to get a different view of this most extraordinary interpretation  - but unfortunately they were all the same performance with only different transfer/sound quality. I believe the most reliable source/date is probably the Berlin Funkhaus 13 Set 1947. If someone did ever listened to a different recording I would be most interested.   

           

[George]

When I looked at my "versions" of the Gieseking-Davidsbuendelertaenze, collected over the years, I listened to 6 "different" recordings with these multiple dates. I hoped to get a different view of this most extraordinary interpretation  - but unfortunately they were all the same performance with only different transfer/sound quality.
           

Which one sounds the best?

[ccar]

Which one sounds the best?

The sound of Gieseking-Davidsbuendelertaenze is a typical 1940's radio broadcast - some hiss and distortion but with the beautiful Gieseking tone fully recognizable. I would probably prefer the 1988 transfer from Forlane (UCD16590) - less filtering, more color and depth.

[George]

The sound of Gieseking-Davidsbuendelertaenze is a typical 1940's radio broadcast - some hiss and distortion but with the beautiful Gieseking tone fully recognizable. I would probably prefer the 1988 transfer from Forlane (UCD16590) - less filtering, more color and depth.

Thanks. I'll keep an eye open (and hopefully my memory won't fail me when I am scanning the shelves of the  used shops.)

[ccar]

Thanks. I'll keep an eye open (and hopefully my memory won't fail me when I am scanning the shelves of the  used shops.)

This new GMG gadget may help 

[asin]B0000713A5[/asin]

[George]

This new GMG gadget may help 

Bought! Thanks very much! 

[Bogey]

Bought! Thanks very much! 

How are those Pearls that you picked up a while back, George?

[George]

How are those Pearls that you picked up a while back, George?

Only one was a Gieseking and I have yet to pop it in.

[Bogey]

Only one was a Gieseking and I have yet to pop it in.

Ah.  Well....

[George]

Ah.  Well....

I'll spin it over this long weekend and report back.

[Mandryka]

Multiple LP and CD reissues of the Gieseking-Davidsbuendelertaenze give different dates and some Gieseking "discographies" just transcribe them, giving the impression of different performances / recordings. I've seen at least 5 different dates - Berlin 1942, 13 Jul 1947, Berlin Funkhaus 13 Set 1947, Saarbruken 12 Jul 1951 and 1953.

When I looked at my "versions" of the Gieseking-Davidsbuendelertaenze, collected over the years, I listened to 6 "different" recordings with these multiple dates. I hoped to get a different view of this most extraordinary interpretation  - but unfortunately they were all the same performance with only different transfer/sound quality. I believe the most reliable source/date is probably the Berlin Funkhaus 13 Set 1947. If someone did ever listened to a different recording I would be most interested.   

           

I started this thread in rmcr a while ago about this:

http://groups.google.com/group/rec.music.classical.recordings/browse_thread/thread/274bb3911f626be0/9caa5561834dfb74?lnk=gst&q=gieseking+davidsbundlertanze#9caa5561834dfb74

Steve Emerson's contribution is interesting, but the CD he mentioned was only available at the time at Berkeshire Record Outlet. They wouldn't deliver to the UK unless the order was larger  -- so I didn't pursue it.

It's still there, for $3.99 -- if one of you yanks  buys it and sends me the FLACS I'll happily repay -- if you can think of a way to make the repayment!