Stravinsky Collection 3

On this CD:

1. Scherzo à la Russe, for orchestra
Composed by Igor Stravinsky
Performed by Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra
Conducted by David Atherton

2. Orpheus, ballet in 3 scenes for orchestra
Composed by Igor Stravinsky
Performed by Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra
Conducted by David Atherton

3. Etudes (4), for orchestra
Composed by Igor Stravinsky
Performed by Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra
Conducted by David Atherton

4. Scènes de ballet, for orchestra
Composed by Igor Stravinsky
Performed by Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra
Conducted by David Atherton

Amazon.com

Paul Jacobs, who died of AIDS in 1983, was a pianist of wide interests and prodigious abilities. He never made much of a solo career, but he became widely known for his contemporary music performances and his work with the New York Philharmonic. Fortunately, he was enlisted to make a series of recordings for the Nonesuch LP label. Unfortunately, Nonesuch has ignored most of them during the CD era. This collection, three complete LPs on two CDs, focuses on the music and transcriptions of Ferruccio Busoni, which is an acquired taste. Busoni had a fascinating mind, but you have to enjoy slithery chromatic harmonies to like most of his music--an exception is the wonderful Sonatina, based on themes from Bizet's Carmen. Jacobs had the sensibility and the technique to do justice to this difficult music. But many listeners may be even more impressed with his playing of etudes by Stravinsky, Bartók, and Messiaen, which is thoroughly brilliant and very exciting. Reviving these recordings must have been a real labor of love for the Arbiter label, but the artistic results certainly justify the efforts, and even the 1970s recorded sound holds up well. --Leslie Gerber

Customer Reviews:

Pianism and musicianship for the ages.......2007-03-12

The Busoni sets are probably what most people will be looking for on these discs, and they are wonderful examples of the articulate, lucid, imaginative, and colorful playing of the great Paul Jacobs. But the Etudes recordings for Nonesuch were on the leading edge of the piano frontier during the 1970's, and have never been surpassed. The frighteningly difficult Bartok Etudes as recorded here are on a level that has never even been approached, anytime, anyplace! This is really a 'legendary' performance.

Unique artistry.......2006-11-07

Paul Jacobs was a pioneering artist during a period in which young upstart labels such as Nonesuch were challenging the rather homogenized classical piano market (Serkin, Horowitz, Rubenstein). For a comparison, try listening to his rendition of Bach-Busoni's "Nun komm der Heiden Heiland" in comparison with Horowitz's recording of the same piece. While the latter plays perfectly well, Jacobs restrained tempo works to convey brilliantly the tenseness and expectancy that the music seeks to convey. A stroke of genius! Jacobs recordings of Debussy's etudes are also pure magic.

Paul Jacobs. In memoriam!.......2006-08-14

This was perhaps the best achievement in the life of this singular pianist. Paul Jacobs died early, but these rewarding recordings conveyed many people (as well as John Ogdon) to put more attention the prestige and stature of Ferrucio Busoni.

Certainly, I don' t know about any other pianists so committed with these Sonatinas, that deserved him so many praised comments in the eighties through that well known label: Nonesuch.

If you really love Busoni 's craft, then go for this emblematic album.

Sometimes wishes do become true..........2001-02-18

I've had the black-vinyl recordings from Nonesuch since, at least, my college days, and I'd included these performances on my CD-purchase wish-list ever since I started collecting silver, expecting realistically to find only a bit of this repertory. I was astonished to find this 2-disk collection of *all* of Jacobs' Busoni sonatinas, plus the etudes by Bartok, Messiaen, Stravinsky, *and* the Bach-Busoni and Brahms-Busoni chorale preludes. These last two groups are worth the price of the set by themselves. As I recall, the sound of the Brahms-Busoni was, on the old Nonesuch LP, pretty dark and colorless... That's been somehow wonderfully rectified on this CD reissue. Jacobs' playing of the chorale preludes is magical, probably the best recorded to-date (I've heard rumors of a recital of the Bach-Busoni by John Ogdon on Altarus, but that's apparently never been released). The Busoni sonatinas are authoritative, and Jacobs reaches the depths of this sometimes-simple, sometimes-perplexing music to reveal it fully. The groups of etudes, some of the most difficult 20th-Century piano writing, and certainly some of the most explorative, are performed nearly perfectly. If you have any curiosity about XX-Cent piano literature, buy this disk-set! Essential for pianophiles and lovers of Bach, Busoni, Brahms, Bartok, et al.

Superb, insightful playing.......2000-10-24

It's good to know that these fine recordings, long worn out in my LP versions, are finally available on CD. Congratulations to the Arbiter label for making them available to a new generation of music lovers. Jacobs' playing is accomplished on all levels--his incredible velocity, his smoothness, and his gorgeous touch are evident throughout. But the emotional intensity, particularly in the Bach-Busoni and Brahms-Busoni, is what carries these recordings into a very different realm. Busoni's mysticism is too rarefied for many performers, but Jacobs thrives in this atmosphere. Both Bach and Brahms emerge from these recordings in a different light, filtered through Busoni's genius and Jacobs' deep comprehension. They sound intensely modern, daring, and--most wonderful--completely fresh. Jacobs' recordings of Bartok, Messiaen, and Stravinsky are also revelations. The sound transfer is marvelous--all of Jacobs' crispness and warmth is there, with an element of thrill that was missing on the LPs. Buy this recording!

The Original Jacket Collection: Leonard Bernstein

Average customer rating:

A 10-CD box of top Bernstein performances
A Fascinating Overview of Bernstein's Art

The Original Jacket Collection: Leonard Bernstein

Manufacturer: Sony
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Binding: Audio CD

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Original Jacket Collection: Vladimir Horowitz
Tchaikovsky: The Complete Symphonies
Grofé: Grand Canyon Suite/Mississippi Suite

ASIN: B00005T7RB
Release Date: 2001-12-04

Tracks:

Symphony No.3 In E Flat Major, Op.55 'Eroica': I. Allegro Con Brio - Ludwig Van Beethoven
Symphony No.3 In E Flat Major, Op.55 'Eroica': II. Marcia Funebre. Adagio Assai - Ludwig Van Beethoven
Symphony No.3 In E Flat Major, Op.55 'Eroica': III. Scherzo. Allegro Vivace; Trio - Ludwig Van Beethoven
Symphony No.3 In E Flat Major, Op.55 'Eroica': IV. Finale. Allegro Molto; Poco Andante - Ludwig Van Beethoven
How A Great Symphony Was Written - Leonard Bernstein

Tracks:

Symphonic Dances From West Side Story: Prologue. Allegro Moderato - Leonard Bernstein
Symphonic Dances From West Side Story: 'Somewhere.' Adagio - Leonard Bernstein
Symphonic Dances From West Side Story: Scherzo. Vivace E Leggiero - Leonard Bernstein
Symphonic Dances From West Side Story: Mambo. Presto - Leonard Bernstein
Symphonic Dances From West Side Story: Cha-Cha ('Maria'). Andantino Con Grazia - Leonard Bernstein
Symphonic Dances From West Side Story: Meeting Scene. Meno Mosso - Leonard Bernstein
Symphonic Dances From West Side Story: 'Cool' Fugue. Allegretto - Leonard Bernstein
Symphonic Dances From West Side Story: Rumble. Molto Allegro - Leonard Bernstein
Symphonic Dances From West Side Story: Finale. Adagio - Leonard Bernstein
Symphonic Suite From The Film On The Waterfront: Andante (With Dignity) - Presto Barbaro - Leonard Bernstein
Symphonic Suite From The Film On The Waterfront: Adagio - Allegro Molto Agitato - Alla Breve (Poco Piu Mosso) - Presto Come Prima - Leonard Bernstein
Symphonic Suite From The Film On The Waterfront: Andante Largamente - More Flowing - Still More Flowing - Poco Meno Mosso - Leonard Bernstein
Symphonic Suite From The Film On The Waterfront: Moving Forward, With Warmth - Largamente - A Tempo - Calmato - Andante Come Prima - Sempre Avanti, With Intensity - Ancora Piu Mosso - Leonard Bernstein
Symphonic Suite From The Film On The Waterfront: Allegro Non Troppo, Molto Marcato - Poco Piu Sostenuto - Moving Forward - Meno Mosso - Leonard Bernstein
Symphonic Suite From The Film On The Waterfront: A Tempo - Leonard Bernstein

Tracks:

Rodeo: I. Buckaroo Holiday: Allegro Con Spirito - Aaron Copland
Rodeo: II. Corral Nocturne: Moderato - Aaron Copland
Rodeo: III. Saturday Night Waltz: Introduction - Slow Waltz - Aaron Copland
Rodeo: IV. Hoe-Down: Moderato - Aaron Copland
Billy The Kid: Introduction: The Open Prairie (Lento Maestoso) - Aaron Copland
Billy The Kid: Street In A Frontier Town (Moderato) - Aaron Copland
Billy The Kid: Mexican Dance And Finale - Aaron Copland
Billy The Kid: Prairie Night (Card Game At Night) - Aaron Copland
Billy The Kid: Gun Battle - Aaron Copland
Billy The Kid: Celebration (After Billy's Capture) - Aaron Copland
Billy The Kid: Billy's Death - Aaron Copland
Billy The Kid: The Open Prairie Again - Aaron Copland

Tracks:

Rhapsody In Blue - Leonard Bernstein
An American In Paris - George Gershwin

Tracks:

Symphony No. 82, Hob I:82 'The Bear' In C Major: I. Vivace Assai - Joseph Haydn
Symphony No. 82, Hob I:82 'The Bear' In C Major: II. Allegretto - Joseph Haydn
Symphony No. 82, Hob I:82 'The Bear' In C Major: III. Menuet - Trio - Joseph Haydn
Symphony No. 82, Hob I:82 'The Bear' In C Major: IV. Finale. Vivace - Joseph Haydn
Symphony No. 83, Hob I:83 'The Hen' In G Minor: I. Allegro Spiritoso - Joseph Haydn
Symphony No. 83, Hob I:83 'The Hen' In G Minor: II. Andante - Joseph Haydn
Symphony No. 83, Hob I:83 'The Hen' In G Minor: III. Menuet. Allegretto - Trio - Joseph Haydn
Symphony No. 83, Hob I:83 'The Hen' In G Minor: IV. Finale. Vivace - Joseph Haydn

Tracks:

Symphony No. 2: I. Andante Moderato - Charles Ives
Symphony No. 2: II. Allegro - Charles Ives
Symphony No. 2: III. Adagio Cantabile - Charles Ives
Symphony No. 2: IV. Lento Maestoso - Charles Ives
Symphony No. 2: V. Allegro Molto Vivace - Charles Ives
Leonard Bernstein Discusses Charles Ives - Leonard Bernstein

Tracks:

Symphony No. 7, Op. 55 In E Minor (Revised Version): First Movement: I. Langsam (Adagio) - Gustav Mahler
Symphony No. 7, Op. 55 In E Minor (Revised Version): First Movement: I. Nicht Schleppen - Gustav Mahler
Symphony No. 7, Op. 55 In E Minor (Revised Version): First Movement: I. Allegro Risoluto, Ma Non Troppo - Gustav Mahler
Symphony No. 7, Op. 55 In E Minor (Revised Version): First Movement: I. A Tempo (Sempre L'istesso) - Gustav Mahler
Symphony No. 7, Op. 55 In E Minor (Revised Version): First Movement: I. Subito Allegro I. Ziemlich Ruhig - Gustav Mahler
Symphony No. 7, Op. 55 In E Minor (Revised Version): First Movement: I. Adagio (Tempo Der Einleitung) - Gustav Mahler
Symphony No. 7, Op. 55 In E Minor (Revised Version): First Movement: I. Maestoso. Allegro Come Prima - Gustav Mahler
Symphony No. 7, Op. 55 In E Minor (Revised Version): Second Movement: II. Nachtmusik I. Allegro Moderato - Gustav Mahler
Symphony No. 7, Op. 55 In E Minor (Revised Version): Second Movement: II. Sempre L'istesso Tempo. Nicht Eilen, Sehr Gemachlich - Gustav Mahler
Symphony No. 7, Op. 55 In E Minor (Revised Version): Second Movement: II. Tempo - Gustav Mahler
Symphony No. 7, Op. 55 In E Minor (Revised Version): Third Movement: III. Scherzo, Schattenhaft, Fliessend, Aber Nicht Zu Schnell - Gustav Mahler
Symphony No. 7, Op. 55 In E Minor (Revised Version): Third Movement: III. Trio - Gustav Mahler
Symphony No. 7, Op. 55 In E Minor (Revised Version): Third Movement: III. Wieder Wie Zu Anfang (Nicht Eilen) - Gustav Mahler
Symphony No. 7, Op. 55 In E Minor (Revised Version): Fourth Movement: IV. Nachtmusik II. Andante Amoroso - Gustav Mahler
Symphony No. 7, Op. 55 In E Minor (Revised Version): Fourth Movement: IV. [Figure 197] - Raymond Sabinsky
Symphony No. 7, Op. 55 In E Minor (Revised Version): Fifth Movement: V. Rondo-Finale. Tempo I (Allegro Ordinario) - Gustav Mahler
Symphony No. 7, Op. 55 In E Minor (Revised Version): Fifth Movement: V. Gemessen! Nicht Schnell! Tempo II (Allegro Moderato Ma Energico) - Gustav Mahler
Symphony No. 7, Op. 55 In E Minor (Revised Version): Fifth Movement: V. Tempo I (Halbe Wie Die Viertel Des Tempo I) - Gustav Mahler
Symphony No. 7, Op. 55 In E Minor (Revised Version): Fifth Movement: V. Sempre L'istesso Tempo - Gustav Mahler

Tracks:

Symphony No. 5, Op. 47 In D Minor: I. Moderato - Dmitri Shostakovitch
Symphony No. 5, Op. 47 In D Minor: II. Allegretto - Dmitri Shostakovitch
Symphony No. 5, Op. 47 In D Minor: III. Largo - Dmitri Shostakovitch
Symphony No. 5, Op. 47 In D Minor: IV. Allegro Non Troppo - Dmitri Shostakovitch

Tracks:

Symphony No. 5, Op. 82 In E-flat Major: I. Tempo Molto Moderato - Largamente - Jean Sibelius
Symphony No. 5, Op. 82 In E-flat Major: II. Allegro Moderato - Presto - Jean Sibelius
Symphony No. 5, Op. 82 In E-flat Major: III. Andante Mosso, Quasi Allegretto - Jean Sibelius
Symphony No. 5, Op. 82 In E-flat Major: IV. Allegro Molto - Un Pochettino Largamente - Largamento Assai - Jean Sibelius
Pohjola's Daughter, Op. 49 - Jean Sibelius

Tracks:

The Rite Of Spring (1913 Version): Part I, The Adoration Of The Earth: Introduction. Lento - Igor Stravinsky
The Rite Of Spring (1913 Version): Part I, The Adoration Of The Earth: The Augurs Of Spring (Dance Of The Young Girls) - Igor Stravinsky
The Rite Of Spring (1913 Version): Part I, The Adoration Of The Earth: Mock Abduction - Igor Stravinsky
The Rite Of Spring (1913 Version): Part I, The Adoration Of The Earth: Spring Round Dances - Igor Stravinsky
The Rite Of Spring (1913 Version): Part I, The Adoration Of The Earth: Games Of The Rival Tribes - Igor Stravinsky
The Rite Of Spring (1913 Version): Part I, The Adoration Of The Earth: Procession Of The Wise Elder - Igor Stravinsky
The Rite Of Spring (1913 Version): Part I, The Adoration Of The Earth: Adoration Of The Earth (The Wise Elder) - Igor Stravinsky
The Rite Of Spring (1913 Version): Part I, The Adoration Of The Earth: Dance Of The Earth - Igor Stravinsky
The Rite Of Spring (1913 Version): Part II, The Sacrifice: Introduction. Lento - Igor Stravinsky
The Rite Of Spring (1913 Version): Part II, The Sacrifice: Mystical Circles Of The Young Girls - Igor Stravinsky
The Rite Of Spring (1913 Version): Part II, The Sacrifice: Glorification Of The Chosen Victim - Igor Stravinsky
The Rite Of Spring (1913 Version): Part II, The Sacrifice: Summoning Of The Ancestors - Igor Stravinsky
The Rite Of Spring (1913 Version): Part II, The Sacrifice: Ritual Of The Ancestors - Igor Stravinsky
The Rite Of Spring (1913 Version): Part II, The Sacrifice: Sacrificial Dance (The Chosen Victim) - Igor Stravinsky

Customer Reviews:

A 10-CD box of top Bernstein performances.......2005-11-13

This mid-price "Original Jacket" set of classic Bernstien performances--most culled from the Sixties and all iwth the NY Phil.--could be put in a time capsule with a note: "These are the recordings that made Leonard Bernstien famous." I grew up with all of them, including the televized lecture on the Eroica. I have owned these performance since college, and this set includes some first-choice readings, basically all the CDs devoted to Copland, Gershwin, Sibelius, Haydn, Beethoven, and Stravinsky.

Reviewers here never tire of propagating the canard that LB was chiefly famous for his Mahler. Actually, he had a broad repertoire that he excelled in (I don't particularly favor the Mahler Fifth in this set--the only disappointment in a field of excellence).

The only problem with this collection is the price. It would be hard to find a music lover who doesn't already own several of these CDs separately, so instead of paying $100 for a new copy, one should search eBay or the used department here at Amazon.

A Fascinating Overview of Bernstein's Art.......2004-05-16

This collection not only provides a fascinating overview of the art of Leonard Bernstein, it also provides one with a fairly comprehensive view of what Lenny and the controversy surrounding his music making were all about.

All of the recordings here are with Bernstein conducting the New
York Philharmonic, which for my money, is by far the more interesting part of his career. As he got older, Lenny tended to go "molto" more often, take tempoes slower and, generally,
conduct with more self-indulgence than he did at this stage of things, when he was both more daring and more studious. The music contained here gives some idea of the range of Bernstein's
scope, and it is remarkable: from Haydn to Ives, from Beethoven
to Leonard Bernstein.

To start things off, there is one of the best performances of Beethoven's "Eroica" symphony on record, a wonderful document of just how excellent an orchestra the New York Philharmonic could be when they wanted to be. Lenny's reading of Beethoven's milestone score is both meticulous and passionate. You couldn't ask for anything more.

Disk 2 features two suites by the conductor as composer. The
suite from "On the Waterfront" fares better than the "Symphonic
Dances from West Side Story." It's hard to figure out why, but for some reason, the Philharmonic just refuses to swing through the overture ("Jet Song"), while handling all the other rythymic
intricacies in the score with incredible aplomb. The mambo section ("The Dance at the Gym") is particularly intense. Go figure! Just one more example of what a tempermental orchestra
the New York Philharmonic could be.

NOBODY ever conducted Aaron Copland's music better than Leonard
Bernstein. The "Billy the Kid" and "Rodeo" suites contained on Disk 3 provide excellent cases in point.

The Gershwin pieces on Disk 4 give testimony to Bernstein's legendary self-indulgence. Bernstein's rubato is broad and generous, tempoes fluctuate wildly from fast to slow and back again. Lenny seems more intent in showing off his own virtuousity (as both conductor and performer) than in getting to the heart of "Rhapsody in Blue" and "An American in Paris." The
odd thing is, for all their quirks and eccentricities, these performances "work." Sometimes they are charming and endearing, at others, they are off-putting. It all depends on the mood you are in.

Disk 5 features two Haydn symphonies, # 82, "The Bear" and # 83, "The Hen." Critical opinion of Bernstein's Haydn is sharply divided: for some tastes, Lenny's Haydn is too dramatic, for others, Bernstein was an instinctively great interpreter of Haydn. Listen here and make your own call.

While Bernstein often gets the credit for generating popular interest in Mahler's music in America (a credit which rightfully belongs to Mitropoulos), there is no question that he "discovered" Charles Ives for most Americans. Bernstein's radio broadcast of Ives' Symphony # 2 was its world premiere, and this recording shows Ives in all his glory. Quirky, polytonal, cantankerous, and funny as hell. A really marvelous
performance.

Disk 7 is given to perhaps Bernstein's favorite composer, Gustav Mahler. Unfortunately, the piece chosen is Mahler's 7th, the "orphan child" of Mahler's symphonies. The so-called "Symphony of the Night" remains more interesting for intellectual and musicological reasons (it was a major influence on Arnold Schoenberg and Alban Berg) than for emotional ones.
Rarely performed, and even more rarely recorded, this remains one
of the best recordings of this piece out there. It may take many, many listenings before you "get it" and start to like it, but if Lenny can't do it for you, it's doubtful anybody can.

Disk 8 contains Bernstein's controversial recording of the Shostakovich 5th Symphony. This is as rousing and heroic a performance of this music as you will ever hear. Whether that's how Shostakovich intended for it to be played is another matter.
Bernstein takes the tempo of the final movement at exactly double
the pace Shostakovich indicated in the score. The subtle, fatalistic satire of the composer is replaced by the conductor's
preference for triumphant heroism. Still, once you've heard this
recording, all other Shostakovich 5th's pale by comparison.

Disk 9 contains what remain my favorite performances of the Sibelius 5th symphony and "Pohjola's Daughter." The latter is particularly remarkable in its conjuring of magic and mysticism.
It's worth the money for the whole set, just on the basis of the
"Eroica," the Copland, the Stravinsky and these Sibelius performances! No joke!

Customer Reviews:

A great Russian pianist of former times........2003-07-02

Unlike Artur Schnabel, who scorned the giving of encores at his recitals, Benno Moiseiwitsch was very generous in providing delectable extras at the end of his recitals. I can remember such recitals, the delight that Moiseiwitsch took in sharing favorite miniatures with his audience and, in particular, Moiseiwitsh as soloist in the best performance I have ever heard of Beethoven's Emperor Concerto.

This concerto is not heard here, but there is a sympathetic and lyrical performance of the rarely heard Delius Piano Concerto. The rest of the program comprises a cosmopolitan and interesting collection of smaller recital pieces, recorded between 1925 and 1950. Listen to the slightly abridged performance of Godowsky's "Die Fledermaus" concert paraphrase and you'll think you are listening to several pianists and several pianolas at work. I especially like the cultured, controlled performance of Debussy's "Clair de lune". Audio quality, sometimes of demonstration quality at the time the recordings were first issued, is top class in this Ward Marston restoration. Sometimes more surface noise is heard than in other reissues of these items, but that makes me feel (and believe) that I am hearing a full reproduction of the original recording. This is the sixth Moiseiwitsch CD in a Naxos "Great Pianists" series, a series I can heartily recommend.

This series continues and adds a real rarity.......2003-02-25

This is the sixth of the Moisewitsch reissues on Naxos. It contains mostly short pieces often played by him as encores. This release contains a couple of high points, for me. The Ravel 'Jeux d'eaux,' while not one of my favorite pieces, is played to a fare-the-well here by Moisewitsch.

By far the most interesting thing here is the Delius Piano Concerto with Constant Lambert conducting the Philharmonia Orchestra, recorded in 1946. First of all, the Delius is a rarity in itself. Second, Moisewitsch, who championed this concerto throughout his career, plays it lovingly and makes as much as can be made of this admittedly somewhat loosely constructed piece. And if you're a Delius fan - and you know who you are - you must have this performance.

Tracks:

Sonetto 123 Del Petrarca
Sonetto 104 Del Petrarca
Sonate In B Minor
I Grave - Doppio Movimento
II Scherzo
Marche Funebre: Lento
IV Finale: Presto

Tracks:

I Maestoso
II Adagio
III Rondo (Allegro Non Troppo)
Intermezzo In A Major, Op.118 No.2
Prelude
Fugue
Variation
Choral Nun Komm' Der Heiden Heiland (Viens, Sauveur Des Paiens), BWV 659
Variations La Ricordanza, Sur Un Theme De Pierre Rode

Tracks:

I Allegramente
II Andante
III Prestissimo
Prelude
Fugue
Forlane
Rigaudon
Menuet
Toccata
Valses Nobles Et Sentimentales
Danse Russe
Chez Petrouchka
La Semaine Grasse

Tracks:

I Allegro Ma Non Tanto
II Intermezzo (Adagio)
III Finale (Alla Breve)
I Andante - Allegro - Andante
II Tema Con Variazioni
III Allegro, Ma Non Troppo

Customer Reviews:

A great pianist.......2007-03-10

The Rachmaninoff and the Prokofiev Piano Concertos have no equal. It's a great collection.

FULL OF MUSICAL RICHES.......2007-02-26

This compilation of recordings by Alexis Weissenberg consists of some of his recordings dating from 1950 through 2004 which, I don't believe, were ever issued in the USA. (At least, I've never heard them!) What musical riches are contained in this 4 disc set which consists of some of the greatest works composed for the piano by great composers such as Liszt, Chopin, Brahms, Czerny, Ravel, Rachmaninov and Prokofiev (plus others) played by (in my opinion) one of the greatest pianist ever. I loved this compilation. Of course, I had favorites on the discs; I will now list some of highlights for me from this compilation.

The two "Sonettos" by Franz Liszt are gorgeous! Alexis plays them beautifully with much feeling. Surprising for me, (I usually don't) I even enjoyed the BIG "Mephistophelian" Liszt sonata in B minor--my god, Weissenberg plays the hell out of that work (no pun intended). One of my favorites, the Chopin Sonata #2 is given a splendid reading--the first two movements are played at a ferociously fast tempo; however, the "Marche funebre" is the most moving account of that movement that I've ever heard! Weissenberg's account of the last movement is most impressive--he never allows the tone to get any louder until the very last profound chord--wow! The Rachmaninov concerto #3 with Georges Pretre and the Chicago Symphony is wonderfully mysterious and very melodic. I also loved his recordings of the Ravel Concerto in G major plus Ravel's "Le tombeau de Couperin suite" and "Valses nobles" hearing Weissenberg play Ravel reminded me of a good glass of Champagne filled with many bubbles and with a great bouquet. The Prokofiev concerto recorded with the Orchestra of Paris and Ozawa is thrilling with its intensity--what virtuosity Alexis Weissenberg has! Weissenberg along with Muti and the Philadelphia Orchestra give a wonderfully "full bodied" reading of Brahms 1st Piano Concerto--I've never heard the Philadelphia sounding any better--it is a great recording of a work that I adore!

I truly loved this 4 disc set (each running over 70 minutes) of some very GREAT piano playing. NO, I did not listen with score(s) in hand nor did I seek out other recordings of these works from my collection to compare Alexis' interpretations with. Instead, I allowed myself the luxury of sitting back in my favorite "arm chair" and simply enjoying these great works for the piano that are played by a Master of the piano! What really impresses me is that Weissenberg plays with very beautiful tone no matter how demanding the work may be--that is certainly the main reason I, for once, enjoyed the Liszt B minor sonata!

By the way, EMI has done a superlative job--the sound of ALL the works is great. Not once, was I aware that I was listening to an older recording. The sound is great!!

The greatest pianist I've ever heard.......2006-12-21

Personally, I regard Alexis Weissenberg as the greatest pianist I've ever heard. Although superb technically, Weisenberg is most outstanding for his incredible artistry. This set of recordings contains some of his greatest recordings -- indeed some of the greatest performances ever recorded by anyone. Very highly recommended.

Longing for Schumann.......2005-12-16

I saw Maestro Weissenberg in concert several times throughout the 70s in New York. Once he played the Rachmanninoff preludes. Another time an all-Schumann program. I once went to hear him with friends at Alice Tully Hall, a small room in the Metropolitan Museum of Art in NYC. After the concert we went backstage. He approached me, took my hand and said 'so nice of you to come.' It remains one of my favorite moments in my life. Having moved around a great deal in the last 30 years, I lost track of my recording of Carnaval and Sonata in B Minor. Sometimes if I lay quite still I can hear the pieces playing in my head. Won't EMI take pity on us mere mortals and release the recording soon? I think of it almost daily.

Alexis Weissenberg , Piano : Logic, Passions and Poesy.......2004-12-17

By: Frank Georg B e c h y n a,M.D.--General Practitioner--
D - 40235 Düsseldorf ( Germany / Allemagne )
Decembre 17 , 2004 -- FB/3

Who could listen to Maestro Weissenberg's many recitals during his career and has his recordings knows, that he belongs for all time to the Greatest Pianists . This compiliation was selectet by Mr. Weissenberg himself. CD 1 continues two of the most important piano sonatas . Liszt's b minor sonata 8 the second recording by Weissenberg ) ist tremendous. I have never heard the work from the lento - beginning , the phaenomenal played Grandioso to the Lento end. It is only comparable by the interpretation by Argerich, Barere and the young Horowitz. The 2nd sonata by Chopin is the Olymp of all of the 100 different intertretaions! The concertos of Rachmaninov ( d-minor ), Ravel and Prokoviec find a similar great interpretation in all cases also by the faboulos Martha Argerich . Pretere and Ozawa are on their highest levels . Also the superb Orchestras, especially the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. Weissenberg's J S Bach "Nun komm der Heiden Heiland" is a gem !Never before - including Katchen and Arrau - i have heard the Intermezzo 0ßus 118 No 2 by Brahms in this analysis of what Brahms meant in his late piano works- a summary of his life .The 1st concerto of Brahms is a summary of the history of this singular work. The interpretation by Alexis Weissenberg is like a psychoanlysis of the soul in this monument ! When he plays Maurice Ravel I can compare these recordings only with the young Vlado Perlemuter, who had studied the works with the composer . And to all who say Mr Weissenberg's play is too intellectual, too
perfect in every technical detail should listen to the wonderful tone in Carl Czerny's "La Ricordanza" .when this record was made Alexis Weissenberg was just a liitle more than 20 years old. Who could play all these works today ???
Personally , I miss Robert Schumann's master works for piano solo, like the C majoe Fanatsy, opus 17, the"Humoreske" , the incomparable interpretation of his "Carnaval"-an interpretation Glenn Gould had admired so much -,the "Scenes of Childhood" . But : As far I have heard next year will follow the Schumann recordings reissued by EMI . Arur Rubinstein , Artur Schnabel, Mr. Horowitz , Gould, Madame Argerich admired Maestro Weissenberg's Art and personality as well as Harold C Schonberg, Norman Lebrecht or Bryce Morrison .
These 4 CDs are on a high technical level and - I must repeat it - all interpretations are outstanding . With a playing like this , full of passion , logic , poesy and tecnical perfectness Mr. Weissenberg will stay forever under the most impertant Artist and Pianists of all time . And he is a great personality ! Sometimes equally important !
Frank G. B e c h y n a

Tracks:

Choral Prld, BWV 734: Nun freut euch, leiben Christen
Son in b, KK 87
Son in G, KK 87
Son in a, KK 188
Son in A, KK 188
Son in E flat
Etude in c#, Op.10
Etude in G flat, Op.10
Etude in F, Op.10
Etude in F, Op.25
Impromptu in A flat, Op.29
Nocturne in e, Op.72
Mazurka in f, Op.7
Mazurka in e, Op.41
Mazurka in c#, Op. 50
Mazurka in E, Op. 54
Etude No.11: 'pour les arpeges composes'
Pastourelle (L'Eventail de Jeanne, No.8)
Toccata (3 peices for pno, No.2)

Tracks:

32 Vars in c, WO 80
Arabeske, Op.18
Toccata in C, Op.7
Traumeswirren (Fantasiestucke Op.12 No.7)
Presto passionato (Original Finale of Son No.2 Op.22)
Funerailles (Harmonies poetiques et religieuses, No.7)
Son in b

Tracks:

Con for pno in d, No.3 Op.30: I. Allegro
Con for pno in d, No.3 Op.30: II. Intermezzo-Adagio
Con for pno in d, No.3 Op.30: III. Finale (Alla breve)
Prld in g, Op.23 No.5
The Flight of the Bumble-Bee
Petrouchka: Danse Russe
Toccata, Op. 11

Amazon.com

The drawback to this comprehensive feast of prime Vladimir Horowitz is EMI's overzealous noise reduction, which smoothes the edges off of the great pianist's unique sonority. This is less bothersome in the 1951 sessions, which produced two delicious Scarlatti Sonatas not reissued elsewhere. The high-voltage Horowitz of the thirties was a more direct, less mannered artist than his older self. But his classic Liszt Sonata, Chopin Fourth Scherzo, and other solo EMI jewels are best heard via APR's superior (albeit more expensive) transfers. This erratic but exciting Rach 3 (with cuts, and a momentary third movement memory lapse) still awaits a CD transfer to match that of a bygone Seraphim LP. --Jed Distler

Customer Reviews:

Super-human virtuosity of young Horowitz.......2007-06-15

I give 5 stars for this 3CD set despite the old recording sound. Sound of piano itself is reasonably well for the day once you are used to the background noise, good enough to convey the subtlty and delicacy of his playing.

Prokofiev's Toccata is still fastest and most exciting on records, verging on super-human. Rachmaninov's 3rd concerto is the best performance by Horowitz with more argency and intensity than his later recordings. The incandescent account of Liszt Sonata is one of the most compelling and beautiful along side Richter and Pogorelich's classic accounts.

Haydn and Scarlatti sonatas, Beethoven variations, Schumann's Toccata, Chopin Etudes, Stravinsky's Petrushka and so much more display Horowitz' keen sense of tonal colours and mind blowing fluency of playing.

Average customer rating:

What a fascinating repertoire and performance!
bringing scenes to life with virtuosity and sonorous touch..
An outstanding classical pianist...

Dancing Through Time
Johann Sebastian Bach , Robert Schumann , Fryderyk Chopin , Franz Liszt , Manuel de Falla , Alberto Ginastera , Igor Stravinsky , George Gershwin , Walter Gieseking , and Andreas Klein
Manufacturer: Eroica Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Polonaises | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Tangos | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Preludes | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

Suites | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music
ASIN: B00000DCRD
Release Date: 1998-10-20

Tracks:

French Ste V: Allemande
French Ste V: Courante
French Ste V: Sarabande
French Ste V: Gavotte
French Ste V: Bouree
French Ste V: Loure
French Ste V: Gigue
Papillons, Op.2
Polonaise in A-flat, Op.53
Hungarian Rhapsody No.6
Ritual Fire Dance
Danza Argentinas: Danza de la viejo boyero
Danza Argentinas: Danza de la moza donosa
Danza Argentinas: Danza del gaucho matrero
Tango
Three Preludes: Allegro ben rimato
Three Preludes: Andante con moto
Three Preludes: Allegro ben rimato e deciso
Three Dance Improvistations: Tempo di Foctrot
Three Dance Improvistations: Schnell
Three Dance Improvistations: Tempo di Charleston

Customer Reviews:

What a fascinating repertoire and performance!.......1999-07-11

Andreas Klein excels not only as a superb pianist, but also as a true artist in this unusual array of piano dances. I am glad that this musician continues to captivates the listener of this new CD as he did in several recital performances I heard in Houston. I am sure that this -unfortunately- underrated artist will eventually gain the recognition he deserves: he impresses with a flawless technique, silken tone, but most of all with performances which do not want to beg for the listener's attention with superficial virtuosity, but draw the listener into the world and imagination of the composer: an approach too rarely displayed by modern soloists. I look forward to his next CD already!

bringing scenes to life with virtuosity and sonorous touch.........1999-07-02

Klein is a consumate pianist.This CD features him with dance inspired works. He resembles a sketch artist bringing scenes to life with his virtuosity, sonorous touch and display of pianistic colors...

An outstanding classical pianist..........1998-12-24

A fascinating artist who has the culmination of elegant bravura,compelling brilliance and unbeliveable technical superiority.

Average customer rating:

Pearl Gets These Classic Horowitz Reissues Right

Horowitz-Solo Recordings 1928-36

Manufacturer: Pearl
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Ballets | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Dances | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Mazurkas | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Waltzes | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Etudes | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

Preludes | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

Suites | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

Toccatas | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

Scherzo | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

Caprices | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
ASIN: B000000WRU
Release Date: 1997-01-21

Tracks:

Carmen: Variations On Themes
Mazurka No. 21 In C# Minor Op. 30 No. 4
Capriccio In E Major, L. 375
Serenade For The Doll
Capriccio In F Minor (Concert Etude In F Minor Op. 28 No. 6)
Valse Oubliee
Paganini Etude In E Flat Major: Paganini
Paganini Etude In E Flat Major: Danse Excentrique
Prelude in G Minor Op. 23 No. 5
Pastourelle
Toccata
Toccata Sonata No. 52 In E Flat: Allegro Moderato
Toccata Sonata No. 52 In E Flat: Adagio
Toccata Sonata No. 52 In E Flat: Finale (Presto)
The Flight Of the Bumble Bee
Petrouchka: Russian Dance
Sonata In B Minor: Lento Assai
Sonata In B Minor: Allegro Energico
Sonata In B Minor: Grandioso
Sonata In B Minor: Recitativo - Andante Sostenuto - Quasi Adagio
Sonata In B Minor: Allegro Energico - Pui Mosso - Stretta Quasi Presto - Prestissimo
Sonata In B Minor: Andante Sostenuto
Sonata In B Minor: Allegro Moderato
Sonata In B Minor: Lento Assai

Tracks:

Presto Passionato
Funerailles
Mazurka In F Minor Op. 7 No. 3
Etude In F Major Op. 10 No. 8
Traumeswirren (Dream Visions) Op. 12 No. 7
Mazurka No. 27 In E Minor Op. 41 No. 2
32 Variations In C Minor G. 191
Choral Prelude
Etude XI Pour Les Arpeges Composes
Arabeske, Op. 18
Toccata In C Op. 7
Etude Op. 25 No. 3 In F
Mazurka No. 32 In C# Minor Op. 50 No. 3
Etude Op. 10 No. 4 In C # Minor
Etude Op. 10 No. 5 In G Flat
Sonata In B Minor KK 87
Sonata In G Major KK 125
Scherzo No. 4 In E Op. 54

Customer Reviews:

Pearl Gets These Classic Horowitz Reissues Right.......2007-05-11

Vladimir Horowitz's earliest recordings, believed by some to be his finest, have been reissued numerous times since their initial appearance over 70 years ago.

Horowitz's first recordings were made in RCA's Camden, New Jersey studios in 1928. They consisted of short, "encore" type works such as his own Carmen Variations and Danse Excentrique, Debussy's Serenade, and Dohnanyi's Capriccio. From 1930-1936, Horowitz concentrated his recording activity in London (RCA's European affiliate, HMV, had not been as decimated by the Great Depression than its American counterpart).

This reissue contains some classics. The Liszt Sonata has never been equaled and is a must for any serious collector, as is the Funerailles. But the Hungarian composer's Valse oubliee is played more captivatingly in Horowitz's 1985 recording. It's hard to imagine in this day and age that Horowitz's version of Haydn's E-flat sonata was a world premiere recording, but indeed it was. Its relaxed elegance continues to charm, and it remains more musicologically "correct" than Horowitz's 1951 live version. Horowitz was also an early champion of Scarlatti, and recorded the composer's Capriccio as transcribed by Tausig. The two sonatas included here are among the first recordings of "pure" Scarlatti. The pianist preferred his Bach "un-pure", and the Choral Prelude as transcribed by Busoni is a miracle of line separation and clarity. Horowitz's early foray into Beethoven, the 32 Variations in C minor, is more straightforward and successful than many of his later attempts with this composer.

Horowitz's early Schumann, though technically impeccable, did not quite plumb the depths as in his later recordings. So much the better then, that the pianist limited himself to recording shorter works, including an Arabeske with unmatched legato, an effortless Toccata, and whimsical Traumeswirren. Originally intended as the finale for Schumann's G minor sonata, the Presto Passionato was rejected by the composer's wife as unplayable. Horowitz makes it sound like child's play. (Pearl's is the only reissue that I know of that gets the 78RPM side change right in this piece.)

Horowitz once referred to Chopin and "the only truly great composer for the piano" and he invariably included a selection of the Polish master's music in his recitals. The sampling here includes four technically impeccable Etudes, four Mazurkas, and a remarkably up-tempo Scherzo in E major.

Horowitz also championed "modern" composers like Rachmaninoff and Poulenc. It says much about the changing mores of performing that Horowitz (often condemned these days for violating composers' intentions) received nothing but praise from the many composers he knew personally. While the Poulenc Pastourelle and Toccata are gracious and dazzling, the Rachmaninoff G minor Prelude is disappointingly sloppy. A thrilling Russian Dance from Stravinsky's Petrouchka is also included.

Pearl has handled these old recordings with care, and they sound better than in any other issue thus far. Highest recommendation.

Maurizio Pollini I (Great Pianists of the Century) - Chopin / Debussy / Liszt / Schumann / Stravinsky / Webern (2 CDs)

Average customer rating:

The Stuff of Genius
Astounding
Astounding
Deserves ten stars

Maurizio Pollini I (Great Pianists of the Century) - Chopin / Debussy / Liszt / Schumann / Stravinsky / Webern (2 CDs)

Manufacturer: Polygram Records Philips
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Dances | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Etudes | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

Suites | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

Scherzo | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

Andre Previn: Great Pianists Of The 20th Century (Music Of Mozart, Poulenc, Shostakovich, Gershwin)
Emil Gilels 3 (III) (Great Pianists of the Century series) - Brahms / Chopin / Clementi / Grieg / Schubert / Schumann (2 CDs)
Edwin Fischer 2
Wilhelm Kempff 1
Mitsuko Uchida

ASIN: B00000DI3D
Release Date: 1998-11-10

Tracks:

Piano Sonate No. 1 In F Sharp Minor, Op. 11: 1. Introduzione. Un poco adagio - Allegro vivace - Piu lento
Piano Sonate No. 1 In F Sharp Minor, Op. 11: 2. Aria - Robert Schumann
Piano Sonate No. 1 In F Sharp Minor, Op. 11: 3. Scherzo. Allegrissimo ed intermezzo
Piano Sonate No. 1 In F Sharp Minor, Op. 11: 4: Finale. Allegro un poco maestoso - Piu allegro
Piano Sonata In B-Minor, S. 178: Lento assai - Allegro energico - Grandi - Recitativo
Piano Sonata In B-Minor, S. 178: Andante sostenuto
Piano Sonata In B-Minor, S. 178: Allegro energico - Andante sostenuto - Lento assai
Scherzo No. 1 In B-Minor, Op. 20

Tracks:

Drei Klavierstucke, D. 946: No. 1 In E Flat Minor (Allegro assai - Andante - Andantino)
Drei Klavierstucke, D. 946: No. 2 In E Flat (Allegretto - L'istesso tempo)
Drei Klavierstucke, D. 946: No. 3 In C (Allegro)
Arabeske In C, Op. 18
Piano Variations, Op. 27: 1. Sehr massig
Piano Variations, Op. 27: 2. Sehr schnell
Piano Variations, Op. 27: 3. Ruhig, fliessend
Douze Etudes pour le piano (Excerpts): 7. Pour les degres chromatiques
Douze Etudes pour le piano (Excerpts): 8. Pour les agrements
Douze Etudes pour le piano (Excerpts): 9. Pour les notes repetees
Douze Etudes pour le piano (Excerpts): 10. Pour les sonorites opposees
Douze Etudes pour le piano (Excerpts): 11. Pour les arpeges composes
Douze Etudes pour le piano (Excerpts): 12. Pour les accords
Petrouchka (Three Movements): Russian Dance
Petrouchka (Three Movements): Petrouchka's Room
Petrouchka (Three Movements): The Shrovetide Fair

Amazon.com essential recording

When Maurizio Pollini took first prize in the 1960 Chopin Piano Competition in Warsaw at age 18, the redoubtable Artur Rubinstein observed that "technically, he already plays better than any of us in the jury." Yet supplied with that foundation of a technique as solid as granite, Pollini is at the furthest remove from the superficial virtuoso showman. The intellectual's dream pianist, he is best known as the exemplar of an objective analytical acumen--similar in approach to Pierre Boulez--that is applied to an astonishing range of repertory, thanks to Pollini's catholicity of musical interests.

In his hands, the piano seems to become a kind of laboratory for scientific investigation. Consider how Pollini pursues his goal of "maximum clarity" here in works as diverse as Webern's Op. 27 Piano Variations, the selections from Debussy's Études, or the Schumann Arabeske (the last being one of Horowitz's most felicitous specialties). Although some detractors find a chilly absence of personality, Pollini's expression of the poetic intensity in Schubert's Drei Klavierstücke or Schumann's Piano Sonata No. 1 cuts to the heart of the early romantics, tottering on the edge with visionary concentration. His magnificent account of Liszt's B Minor Sonata leaves countless others in the dust, mapping out its larger structural edifice with an assured mastery that is one of Pollini's hallmarks (his father was, in fact, one of the leading Italian modernist architects of his day). And for sheer jaw-dropping pianism, listen to the orchestral trompe l'oreille Pollini achieves in the transcribed excerpts from Stravinsky's Petrouschka. --Thomas May

Customer Reviews:

The Stuff of Genius.......2001-11-27

This set is astonishing. The wonderful recording of the Schumann is eclectic, each movement carefully considered and superbly structured, whilst the Webern and Debussy display a level of musical understanding and integrity rarely seen in contemporary pianism. However, the finest items here are the Stravinsky and Liszt B minor. The first of these pretty much defies belief in terms of its technical accomplishment, but there is much more to it than just pyrotechnics. Each section is fiery and impassioned, with the final piece whisking the listener of his feet with sheer ferocity. The Liszt is even more remarkable. From the sullen, brooding introduction the almost unendurable tension never subsides. Right through to the mesmerising and deeply chilling final pages (one of the marvels of the entire pianistic canon) the desperate and often demonic drive of this recording is never easy listening, but as profound and unrelentingly intense a musical experience as one will find from any living pianist. In terms of insight, this knocks most other recordings (Brendel and Argerich especially) out of the park) and offers an interesting alternative to Richter's revelatory version on Philips. Outstanding in every respect.

Astounding.......2000-01-06

The Liszt Sonata is overwhelming in the power and poetry that Pollini pours into this piece. The Schubert Pieces are also exquisite in their sheer beauty and yes, poetry. The Webern Variations are done thoughtfully. Petrouchka sounds like a romping fairy tale. Yep, all around it's a good buy and I find Pollini's artistry to be astoundingly complete!

Astounding.......2000-01-06

Deserves ten stars.......1999-12-03

Pollini's pianism is staggering. These two discs give a marvellous overview of his range and musicianship. His account of Petrouchka is almost superhuman in its power, accuracy and colour, and the Liszt Sonata is also highly virtuosic; but what this set gives as well is some idea of how poetically Pollini plays. The Schubert pieces are particularly fine in this regard, while in Schumann Pollini achieves a rare balance of technique, intellect and heart. His Debussy is cool, immaculate, above all modern; the one Chopin work in the programme gives some idea of why Pollini regards himself particularly as a Chopin pianist. For my money, however, he's just about the greatest all-rounder the piano has ever had.