Elisso Wirssaladze

[maestrob]

Georgian pianist Elisso Wirssaladze has long been favored in my listening since I was introduced to her stunning playing by cliftwood many moons ago. Her sheer energy, depth and breadth of talent wowed me from first hearing (I'm currently listening to her Wanderer Fantasy which I consider to be the most penetrating account of the work in my library.).

Unfortunately, I don't have all her discs in my collection, especially those with Natalia Gutman (cello), and the few remaining titles available on amazon are now selling for very high prices indeed. Does anyone else here collect this great artist?

[barney]

Not until right now, Brian!

[Holden Fourth]

Thanks to Cliftwood also I've got recordings by her of the Chopin Etudes, a great Chopin recital plus Schubert, Schumann and others. I'm at work and don't have a full recollection of everything by her in my collection. I know that there's more.

[Lance]

I have long collected Elisso Virdzalase/Wirssaladze. Like you, I was immediately smitten by her playing. This is a rundown of what I have collected over the years, It will give you access to catalogue numbers, labels, etc.:

ALL LISTINGS WITH ELISSO VIRSALADZE, pianist

• RCA/Melodiya 33230 [10 CDs]: Russian Piano School, Volume 2
• Gramzapis (Russia) 00037: Mozart: Concertos for Two and Three Pianos
_____with N. Lugansky, T. Nikolaeva, pianists; Sondeckis, conductor
_____also issued on Yedang 0089
• Live Classics 181: Mendelssohn: Songs Without Words, Cello Sonata #1;
_____Piano Trio #2 with Oleg Kagan, violin; Natalia Gutman, cello
• Live Classics 182: Schumann: Novelettes, Violin Sonata, Piano Trio #1
_____with Oleg Kagan, violin; Natalia Gutman, piano
• Live Classics 201: “By Invitation” – Live Beethoven cello/piano music, also
_____Mendelssohn Cello Sonata and other material with Natalia Gutman, cello
• Live Classics 206: Chopin and Rachmaninoff Cello Sonatas with
_____Natalia Gutman, cello
• Live Classics 207/208: Beethoven Complete Cello Sonatas, live 1932 in
_____Amsterdam with Natalia Gutman, cello
• Live Classics 301: Schumann Piano Sonatas, Opp. 11/22; Waldscenen,
_____Live, 1973
• Live Classics 302: “Live in Japan” – all-Chopin recital
• Live Classics 303: Mozart Sonata K310; 2 Rondos; Tchaikovsky; Grand Sonata
_____all live, recorded 1995, 1998, 2002
• Live Classics 311: Schumann: Fantasiestucke, Kreisleriana (r.1991)
• Live Classics 351: Mozart Varitions (Uber Lisom), Fantasy in c,
_____ Sonata in c, Prokofiev: Piano Sonata #8 (r.1995, Munich)
• Live Classics 352: Schumann: Arabeske, Sonata, Op. 11; Fantasie in C,
_____Widmung (Liszt transcription) (r.1994/95)
• Live Classics 372: Schubert: Wanderer Fantasy; Impromptus, D935 (complete)
• Live Classics 381: “In Memoriam – Richter” – Schubert: Sonata in A-flat;
_____3 Klaverierstucke; Grazer Waltzes and other pieces (r.1997/98)
• Live Classics 382: Chopin: Etudes, Opp. 10/25 (complete) (r.1985, Moscow)
• Live Classics 391: Chopin collection (Nocturnes, Polonaises, Waltzes, Berceuse
• Live Classics 622: Beethoven program with Richter, Virsaladze, Gutman,
_____Brunner, clarinet
• Live Classics: 671: Beethoven Clarinet Trio with Brunner, clarinet; Cello Sonata
_____ in A, and Duette with Natalia Gutman, cello
• Melodiya DE-0149: Mozart Piano Sonatas 10, 11 (studio) *
• Melodiya DE-0150: Mozart Piano Sonatas 12, 13, 14 (studio) *
• Melodiya DE-0153: Liszt: 3 Etudes de Concert (studio) *
• Melodiya DE-0181: Schumann: Piano Sonata #1 (studio) *
• Melodiya DE-0183: Schumann: Fantasiestucke, Op. 12 (studio) *
• Melodiya DE-0184: Schumann: Carnaval, Kreisleriana (studio) *
• Melodiya DE-0187: Schumann: 8 Novelettes (studio) *
• Melodiya 1001819: Schumann: Piano Concerto; Chopin: Piano Concerto #1
_____with Moscow Philharmonic Orchestra, Kitaenko, conductor (live 1977)
• Melodiya 1002349: Tchaikovsky Competition Highlights
• Teldec/Erato/Warner 97461: Brahms Piano Quintet with Borodin String Quintet

NOTE: * indicates a “collection” in these Melodiyas with other pianists included. Only Virsaladze’s contributions are shown above.

[maestrob]

Wow! Lance, you never cease to amaze! I'm delighted you value this fine artist so greatly. I do wish I had room for all those titles. Thanks for that listing: perhaps this thread will prompt Melodiya and Live Classics to issue a box set. I would be first in line to purchase it!

[Lance]

Well, it was a pleasure to put that listing together … anything to promote the power of great music and artistry. Good thing I can type 125 words/minute! Insofar as Live Classics is concerned, I'm not even sure they are still in business. Prices have varied on this label, most of which is hard to locate. Anywhere I have been in the good old days of brick and mortar stores, if I saw anything by Virsaladze, I would get it. Some of those at the time were as little as $7/USD a disc. Naturally, if others came along somewhere and the prices seemed ridiculous, mother nature steps in and it becomes an impulsive purchase after which I am delighted I have it and can enjoy it over the years even more so as I see current-day prices. The other problem, of course, is the necessary room to put all these recordings. Those who are limited to a flat in Manhattan and areas can only put so much into those apartments. Even if you have a house in the suburbs, it can still create problems. Things become messy and then you cannot find things when searching. However, I do try to be as orderly as possible with CDs, LPs, and books. Good luck with your search on Virsaladze's outstanding recorded legacy. We don't hear about her too much these days. Some Russian friends who moved here (her husband was a well-traveled pianist throughout Russia) personally knew Oleg Kagan, Elisso Virsaladze, and Natalia Gutman, the latter of whom I believe they are still in touch with. I'm finding the world is becoming smaller and smaller. Violinist, Oleg Kagan, who was married to Natalia Gutman (as I recall) died early-on and both were personal friends of Sviatoslav Richter. Gutman should have recorded far more than she did though there are a couple of commercial recordings of her; most of her legacy it seems to be live recordings on Live Classics.

Virsaladze is 76 years old now and no doubt her career was at it's highest point when all those Live Classics CDs were being issued. She may be teaching and perhaps some concertizing. Here's a blurb I partially copied from Wikipedia:

"[Elisso Virsaladze]" was born in Tbilisi, Georgian SSR [September 14, 1942]. Her father Constantine Virsaladze was a prominent physician, so was her grandfather Spiridon Virsaladze. She received her first piano lessons at the age of 8 from her grandmother, Anastasia Virsaladze, a well-known music teacher and pianist in the Georgian SSR. She graduated from the Tbilisi State Conservatory, and continued her education as a postgraduate student at the Moscow Conservatory. She studied with Yakov Zak and Heinrich Neuhaus. She won the third prize in the prestigious International Tchaikovsky Competition in Moscow in 1962 and the first prize in the Schumann Competition in Zwickau in 1966."
—A couple of very impressive pianist/teachers! —Editor