Dinu Lipatti plays Liszt's La Leggierezza (1947 BBC broadcast)

A September 25, 1947 BBC broadcast of Dinu Lipatti playing Liszt's La Leggierezza (minus the first two bars), which was captured off the air on a home disc cutter.
I first came across this performance that was misfiled in the National Sound Archive in London in 1990 and was able to help coordinate its first publication in 1995 on the archiphon label's 2-CD set, Dinu Lipatti: Les Inédits.
Lipatti had attempted to record this work in his first recording session for the Columbia sub-label of EMI in 1946, but the experimental material being used at the time warped in transit and the results of that session were unusable and destroyed. Although Lipatti later redid the other two works he'd set down in that first session - Chopin's A-Flat Major Waltz Op.34 No.1 and Liszt's Sonetto del Petrarca No.104 - he did not make any further attempts to record La Leggierezza.
Despite the sub-optimal sound, this invaluable broadcast performance captures some marvellous playing by the fabled pianist, with Lipatti's grasp of Liszt's idiom highlighted through his crystalline fingerwork, creative use of nuance, and attentive voicing.
You can read more details about how I located this recording, as well as details about the broadcast and the performance, at this page on my website:
www.thepianofi...
If you wish to support The Piano Files, please consider membership at my Patreon page: / thepianofiles

[@gotovte-doma-s-nami]

This is simply breathtaking! I think I've listened to almost everything of Lipatti's saved performances, and this is a true masterpiece, as are others. I don't think such an overwhelming and holistic talent was ever born in the world of piano, and possibly never will be. Such a tragedy that we lost him so early... Nowadays, there are a lot of fake Lipatti's playing examples, but it's absolutely impossible to believe someone else can have such a natural and beautiful phrasing, a magician's fly of sound, touche, brilliance, and most of all, such an astounding feeling of limits - a true genius mark. Thanks a lot for sharing this chef's d'oeuvre!

[@MrInterestingthings]

We are all so fortunate this was found and he 's playing in top form . He expounds good taste ! For a pianist born on eve of WWI this sample recorded in 1947 shows he really was of the new generation .

[@martincook318]

Don't you mean towards the end of World War One Because America Entered World War One on Friday April 6th 1917 Because of German U-Boat Sinking and she declared War on Japan Because of Japan's Trechery at Pearl Harbour on Sunday December 7th 1941 and Dinu Lipatti was Born on Monday March 19th 1917 and he Died on Saturday December 2nd 1950 he was just 33 and we have still got his Gramophone Recording's as Prove what a Great Pianist he was as I've got some of his Records in my own Private Record Collection Both of Columbia 10-inch and 12-inch I haven't got any HMV Reissues atleast not yet and I won't touch C-D'S as I Prefer C-D'S for Popular Music and Vinyl for classical music

[@ChristianDenHaerynck]

Merci de faire "revivre" ce merveilleux pianiste qui nous a quitté si tôt...

[@elenafuksman9751]

❤ my favourite pianist. Wonderful. Thank you for sharing this beautiful performance with us.

[@martincook318]

Can it be 73 years ago today that he died just six years before I was Born on Saturday December 22nd 1956 and I wish I could travel back in time to go and hear him:but I have the next best thing some of his Recording's Reissued by[EMI]Columbia on there famous Blue and Gold labels including his last Resital which I have now got a Excellent copy on the Blue and Gold 33CX-1499 and 33CX-1500 and they are in Excellent Outersleeves I have also got the set on the aurful Red label and can anyone help me I'm looking for a 12inch 33CX-7518 of Dinu Lipatti Playing the Grieg and Schuman Piano Concerto's on the English Columbia Blue and Gold label I've got the Australian copy but so far I haven't been able to find the English Copy

[@pianomaly9]

Fine and distinctive playing - can stand comparison with Paderewski, Cortot, Moiseiwitcsh, Barere, or other Gold/Silver Age recordings of this piece.

[@eytonshalomsandiego]

crystalline! exactly the word I have always associated with the master. thank you again!

[@saltburner2]

A fantastic addition to his slim discography - thanks! (I think I may have that Archiphon 2CD set - must look it out). Found it - it is the Memories re-issue on MR2081/82 - possibly a rip-off from Archiphon?

[@ThePianoFiles]

Yes indeed - they fully ripped off our production... sigh

[@constantin250]

Thank you for posting 🙏🏻

[@wielandhartwich3184]

Man möchte am liebsten keine Taste mehr anrühren und den Klavierdeckel für immer schließen.

[@Chrismacleod777]

Beautiful! Thanks for posting! 🥰🌷🐝🦋🎈🌹🍇🍒💕👍😀

[@alombredeslava2468]

On rencontre dans le cours d’une vie quelques interprétations d’une telle beauté, d’une telle humanité, que l’on sait immédiatement qu’elles vont au-delà de la perfection, au-dela des mots qui nous sont donnés pour les décrire. Celle-ci en est l’illustration d’une étoile filante inaccessible. Tel fut Lipatti.

[@leestamm3187]

Great find. Thanks.

[@schuraa]

spiritual... thank you for sharing this valuable legacy

[@lylecohen1638]

So moving…

[@antoniodipadova1491]

Magnificent... Extraexcellent...

[@ornleifs]

Wow - bad sound quality but the performance is fantastic.

[@ThePianoFiles]

Indeed! With Lipatti we have to take what we can get! It's miraculous this survived... check out the details in the blog post linked beneath the video player... always an adventure finding *any* lost Lipatti recordings!

[@joselatorre1696]

@@ThePianoFiles The disc is in bad condition but the sound quality is really good, very clear.

[@ThePianoFiles]

@@joselatorre1696 indeed - it's a shame that the disc was transferred in the 50s and then not available ... but the piano sound is really very clear!

[@carsond67]

Very rare memory slip from Lipatti at 2:28.

[@joselatorre1696]

GÉNIAL!!!!!