Topic: Pianist Fou Ts'ong dies of Covid-19

[Pohjolas Daughter]

I hadn't heard of this pianist before--I'm sad to say.    Do any others here know his recordings?  Particularly his Chopin?  Hard to read about his life and his parents and what they felt that they needed to do. 

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-china-55471813

PD

[springrite]

I just read about the lady who claimed to be his parents' adopted daughter in order to claim their ashes after the elderly couple's suicide. She basically gave up everything in terms of her future and a normal life to prevent the elderly couples ashes from being thrown into the dumpster.

She gave the ashes to Fou Ts'ong two decades later when he finally came back to China.

She refused to be interviewed or having her photo taken, even by and with Fou Ts'ong. She said she did what she thought was the right and decent thing to do. That is all.

She passed away a few years ago, having lived all her life by herself.

[Mandryka]

I hadn't heard of this pianist before--I'm sad to say.    Do any others here know his recordings?  Particularly his Chopin?  Hard to read about his life and his parents and what they felt that they needed to do. 

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-china-55471813

PD

Yes I know his recordings. If you explore his legacy on record don’t forget his later work with Sinfonia Varsovia (an outstanding and original Beethoven PC4, an agreeable Mozart PC27 (which he had recorded previously with Victor Desarzens and I think is special) and a rather good PC24) and his very early recordings for Westminster (an op 109 and 110.) As far as Chopin is concerned, the thing which shot him to fame in the west was his interpretation of mazurkas on a modern piano, now on Sony, it is light and natural sounding with a lovely piano tone - sweet. He made a later recording of mazurkas on an old Erard which is every bit as worthwhile IMO. If I were to single out two things which means the most to me it’s the Beethoven PC4, which is like no other, and the PC27 with Desarzens.

["Harry"]

When I started collecting classical music, must be around the age of 17, my first recording was an LP on the label Denon, with music from Chopin. That made a lasting impression on me. It had a touch of lightness, was extremely poetical, and finely structured. His touche was something of a constant miracle to me. RIP my musical friend.

[MusicTurner]

The Debussy Preludes & Etudes on Diem or Meridian are excellent, they're among my preferred ones & I quite often listen to them.

Apparently he had a very good feeling for Chopin's mazurkas, if one finds those. This also according to Polish connoisseurs.

[Mandryka]

I’ve dug this old recording out, it is indeed as good as I had remembered. If anyone wants the transfer in memory of Fou, PM me.

The other thing I can let people have is a BBC broadcast of a concert he gave in Dubrovnik in 1968 with half a dozen Scarlatti sonatas and 20 minutes worth of Debussy preludes. Good sound, very refined piano playing. Harry’s word “poetic” is spot on.

And the Desarzens Mozart PC27 - which may or may not be available through commercial channels.

[Que]

I would describe his Chopin as pretty good, though there is of course a lot of competition.
The Polish Fryderyk Chopin Institute's period instruments series "The Real Chopin" includes a 2005 recording of Mazurki by Fou Ts'ong.

A sad story indeed.
If ever China were to transform into a truly liberal and art loving society, this would be of major importance to the Classical music scene with so much more potential unlocked.

Q

[Pohjolas Daughter]

I ran across this lovely interview/article about him (through a link on Norman Lebrecht's "Slipped Disc blog):

https://jessicamusic.blogspot.com/2020/12/farewell-to-fou-tsong-1934-2020.html

Thank you all for the suggestions; I'll certainly keep an eye out for his recordings.

PD

[Mandryka]

Quite a good DBT and Kreisleriana here on the Meridian Schumann cd.

[amw]

Quite a good DBT and Kreisleriana here on the Meridian Schumann cd.

I've always liked that album. One of my favourite versions of the Arabeske too.

[vers la flamme]

Rest in peace, Fou Ts'ong. In light of this I've picked up a disc of his music and I've been greatly enjoying it.



Wow, he was brilliant with Chopin.