Chopin - Robert Lortat (1931) Complete Etudes op. 10&25& posth

[maestrob]

Peintures : Maxime Maufra
no 1 en ut majeur
no 2 en la mineur
no 3 en mi majeur
no 4 en ut dièse mineur
no 5 en sol bémol majeur
no 6 en mi bémol mineur
no 7 en ut majeur
no 8 en fa majeur
no 9 en fa mineur
no 10 en la bémol majeur
no 11 en mi bémol majeur
no 12 en ut mineur

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WFbCWHHZh4A

New to me, these are stunning realizations of Chopin's perennial favorites.

Enjoy!

[Lance]

Now there's a name almost completely forgotten: Robert Lortat. I remember my piano teacher talking about this man, going back now many years. I sought and sought any recordings I could find of his playing. Fortunately, Dante issued on CD the Chopin Etudes, Opp. 10/25 on [025], which also included the three Nouvelle Etudes. Dante [032] brought out the Chopin 14 Waltzes, and Dante's third volume [037] gave us Chopin's 24 Preludes plus the Emil von Sauer arrangement of Chopin's Sonata, Op. 35. By then, there must have been some interest in Lortat. Doremi brought out [7994-5] a two-CD set of the 14 Waltzes, 24 Preludes, and the 24 Etudes in addition to the Sonata, Op.35. Since then, I don't think there's anything else. Why did not Lortat record other composers' music aside from Chopin?

[CharmNewton]

APR has just reissued his complete recordings.



I'll be ordering these soon. Wikipedia has a brief article about him, pointing out that he suffered permanent health damage from exposure to mustard gas in WWI. I'm sure APR will provide additional biographical detail. The documentation accompanying their releases is excellent.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Lortat

John

[Lance]

Tonight, I have been listening to the APR set of Robert Lortat - his complete Chopin recordings all made between 1928 and 1931 and these are unquestionably the best transfers yet I have heard of these recordings. His 24 Etudes are truly music not mere "exercises". Lortat has something to say. Yes, there may be a few "hesitations" or "pushing" at times and you may not agree with everything Lortat plays. But the marvel of it is, as difficult as these Etudes are, to have them performed nearly flawlessly in one take, as done in those days (unless re-takes were made for serious blunders), these are as beautifully played as those by the other Frenchman, Alfred Cortot, finger-slips and all. Mark Obert-Thorn is the producer and restoration engineer in the recordings. He did a masterful job. Charles Trimbell, that wonderful writer of French pianist/pianism, will tell you everything you need to know about Lortat. Overall, I would say his was not a totally happy life, somewhat complex. Highly interesting reading. ♫

[CharmNewton]

My copy arrived yesterday and listened to the Préludes and the Waltzes. My attention was drawn to the clarity of his phrasing, the warm intimate sound of his piano (a Gaveau, from the notes). Details emerge effortlessly. He has a special way with the Waltzes, most having s sunny, outgoing manner but every now and then I'm reminded of a sadness I hear in some of the Mazurkas.

Lance, I agree with you about the transfers. Beautifully done by Mark Obert-Thorn, preserving Lortat's piano sound and shadings.

John