Tchaikovsky's favorite Pianists

[@berlinzerberus]

Ferruccio Busoni, was für ein unwiderstehlicher Künstler. Ich liebe ihn sehr, mit all seinen interpretatorischen 'Eigenarten'. Ich werde morgen am Sonntag auf den Friedhof Stubenrauchstr. fahren und ihm eine Rose aufs Grab legen für den fabelhaften Chopin. Dieses Ritual halte ich bei solange ich lebe. Ich ehre damit einen Musiker, den ich für einzigartig, bezwingend und einen der Größten der Musikgeschichte halte.

[@OzanFabienGuvener]

Busoni was a truly great artist; both as a composer and pianist. He has very few recordings and maybe we could understand him better if he had recorded more important works (Liszt sonata, Beethoven Hammerklavier, Chopin ballads, etc.), but I think we can understand his level even from what we have. His playing has virtuosity, individuality, intellectuality, depth, colourfulness, spontaneity, creativity and absolute control all at the same time. This is very special.

[@berlinzerberus]

Ich saß einst am Frühstückstisch und schaltete das Radio ein, in dessen Programm die Polonaise in E-Dur von Franz Liszt gesendet wurde. Wohl hörte ich es am Ton der Wiedergabe und nahm deshalb an, dass es sich um ein Welte-Mignon-Reproduktionsklavier der 20er Jahre handeln könnte. Diese Gedanken verflogen augenblicklich, denn ich nahm dieses fabelhafte, unglaublich fesselnde Klavierspiel in mich auf, bezwingend, individuell und hochmusikalisch. Ich merkte, dass der Pianist eine schwindelerregende Fantasie besitzen müsste, weil das Stück wie neu komponiert erklang. Ich stand auf, als wollte ich das alles in mir festhalten und bereute, diese Performance nicht aufgenommen zu haben. Es war Ferruccio Busoni, der da so meisterhaft spielte, er war spontan mit der Lisztschen Polonaise zu einem meiner Lieblingspianisten geworden. Sein Klavierspiel war ungeheuerlich und zog mich fortan in seinen Bann. Zum ersten Mal verstand ich die Bemerkung von Claudio Arrau, der Busoni für den größten Pianisten hielt, seit Liszt.

[@jamesmiller4184]

@@berlinzerberus Good man! Let us HOLD HIGH the banner of Welte's MIGNON, for very many Greats who did not record their art in other ways, ARE by its agency to be heard. (On an instrument I designed and built from nothing, I once auditioned Busoni's NORMA rendition played-back on a Bosendorfer Imperial concert grand. One word alone suffices to describe that experience we all had: S-H-A-T-T-E-R-I-N-G !!!) Also, paying due attention to the Reenacting Triumph that is that instrument -- tho sadly too the target of ignorant BIGOTS; one of that species I say being the saying-of-nay creature > @Cayres18 < and his advisement previous, ONE of such of that ill-informed, destructive breed. At every turn THESE are to be countered, they slipping and sliding in their ignorance, knowing not of what they speak !!

[@jamesmiller4184]

When first I auditioned this Pathe selection of Lhevinne's at dear Harry Anderson's in San Diego some decades ago now, I did fall of my chair in uncontrolled laughter, having had to hear it over several times after! To myself this difficult-to-believe exercise in utter hyper virtuosity had -- ' THERE Sergei! Top THAT!!! ' -- written all over it. ('Sergei' as in Rachmaninoff.) Of course Josef Lhevinne was far too much the gentleman to ever think it much less declare so. (What wonderful gifts the little shellac bug has afforded unto music.)

[@OzanFabienGuvener]

Luckily I didn't fall off my chair like you haha, but the rise in the last minutes left a big smile on my face too, the rise gives such an impression that it feels like Lhevinne will fly. There is a kind of adrenaline rush because of the risks involved in Lhevinne's playing.

[@d_r_e_a_m_b_o_a_t]

That Pabst and Taneyev were ever recorded at all is a Jesus-tier miracle. Excellent video!

[@OzanFabienGuvener]

Thanks to Julius Block.

[@emilgilels]

@@OzanFabienGuvener So, not really a "Jesus-tier miracle", merely a "Julius-tier miracle". ;-)

[@fredericfrancoischopin6971]

Great video as always! I never tired that concept

[@OzanFabienGuvener]

Thank you my friend! I have many videos in stock on this concept. Maybe I can share the tastes of violinists and conductors other than pianists. For example, Menuhin's taste in violinists and what he said are very close to my taste.

[@Cayres18]

For sure ​@@OzanFabienGuvener

[@jacobhuggins5448]

Quality content.

[@chopin5981]

They play like gentlemen. A warm, sincere, kind, spontaneous understanding that we cannot see today

[@emilgilels]

Well, perhaps not in the case of Anna Yesipova. ;-)

[@mrtchaikovsky]

I didn't know there were any recordings of Taneyev - amazing!

[@TruthLongevity]

All divine humans!

[@mrtchaikovsky]

Some missing opus numbers: Trepak Op. 72, 18 Humoresque Op.10, 2 Waltz Op.40, 8 Traumes Wirren Op.12, 7 Little Bird Op.43, 4

[@OzanFabienGuvener]

Thank you!

[@CarmenReyes-em9np]

Es la imagen de Pedereswki.

[@CarmenReyes-em9np]

?

[@CarmenReyes-em9np]

Que sean Políglotas

[@mrtchaikovsky]

@@CarmenReyes-em9np The person in my profile picture is Tchaikovsky, if that was your question (sorry, I don't speak Spanish).

[@CarmenReyes-em9np]

Por que en ingles ? Que alguien invente segun el pais.

[@ahdyabdelatif]

where is pederewsky

[@jamesmiller4184]

More importantly, WHERE is Reisenauer???

[@d_r_e_a_m_b_o_a_t]

Reisenauer only made rolls, that might be why.

[@OzanFabienGuvener]

@@d_r_e_a_m_b_o_a_t Yes, I do not prefer to use rolls in my videos except for some exceptional cases. That's why Sophie Menter and Reisenauer are not in the video.

[@OzanFabienGuvener]

@ahdyabdelatif I suspected that Tchaikovsky might like Paderewski because he has a style similar to most of the pianists here, but on a quick check I couldn't find any direct connection between the two. Did I miss this? Also, I know that through Saint-Saens, Godowsky met Tchaikovsky and played the piano for him, but there is no information whether Tchaikovsky liked it or not.

[@jamesmiller4184]

​@@d_r_e_a_m_b_o_a_t We do not know that as "KNOWLEDGE, certain and true." We thought this about Sandra Doucker, who was believed to have recorded only as punched paper for the MIGNON; that was until the Russian cylinder stash was made famously known, compliments of Ward Marston and his magnum release of most of it. In light of this and otherly I suggest that something of Reisenauer's as privately taken cylinder-wise, just might someday turn up as well. One can always hope. (Poor Joseffy!) In the meantime all we have of that master's is one good and long program of chosen delicacies, as gifted to us by Welte. (And others by Hupfeld, perhaps? I think so.) His trademark (which he played almost constantly in-program and as encores) 10th of Liszt's, is particularly vivid and impressing as to personality and presence; most of such renditions of it however being not. One is available right here on Y-T and really is "not too terrible," as Hofmann might have said it? It is my theory that THE GRAND FIASCO as befell him at Los Angeles -- the sad shame of it -- was at least to have contributed to this master's demise earlier, than would have been otherwise, in late year 1907. (He, the big concert Everrett and its tuner/rep, had disappeared pronto by the next AM!) I've in my collection a fine Schaarwächter image of Big Al signed and dated the day before the Fates were to so-frown, reading thus -- "Alfred Reisenauer/Los Angeles./14th February./1906." Also a leaf that-same signed and dedicated to one of the L.A. Philharmonic's instrumentalists -- no doubt one of the members of the exclusive musicians club there, who rescinded Reisenauer's honorary membership they'd bestowed only one day previous the 'event'! He was a life-long bachelor (confirmed?) and was close to fellow great Lisztian Moritz Rosenthal. He'd been the earliest and longest "serving" of all the Liszt pupils. In Liszt's eyes, apparently Reisenauer could do no wrong!