Artur Balsam, pianist 10-CD boxed set

[Lance]

I have always admired the art of Polish pianist Artur Balsam [1906-1994]. He was among the first to record one of the piano concertos of Johann Nepomuk Hummel. Now Hanssler/Profil has issued a 10-CD set of recordings of Brahms, Beethoven, Mozart, Strauss, Hindemith, Clementi, CPE Bach, Paganini, Hummel, Ravel and Debussy. His collaborators include Yehudi Menuhin, Michael Rabin, Zino Francescati, Szymon Goldberg, Joseph Fuchs, Nathan Milstein and the Pascal Quartet. Hanssler seems to be doing what Scribendum and Membran does ... lifting recordings from other labels, remastering them, so there may some duplication from those other labels you may have on your shelves. Balsam was a prolific recording artist, and very popular as a collaborative artist with major artists. So many of the items in this set are otherwise difficult to locate and the whole set has been well remastered and presented. We do get the Hummel Piano Concerto in A Minor, Op. 85 with Otto Ackermann conducting, which has been made available on other issues and is an exceptional rendition; also Chausson's Concert, Op. 21 and Mozart piano sonatas among so much else. The recordings were made as early as 1932, but mostly in the mid-to-late 1940s, 1950s, and as late as 1961. Balsam was a master collaborator, but any of his solo recordings included herein are highly worthy of hearing. Very highly recommended. As an aside, Hanssler has also issued a 10-CD boxed set of Louis Kentner, but I believe I have everything in that set on the original labels. ♫

[Rach3]

Thanks,Lance.

Does the Hanssler Kentner box have his complete Liszt Rhapsodies and Lyapunov Etudes ? TIA.

[Lance]

It includes the Lyapunov Etudes, Op. 11, not the complete Liszt Hungarian Rhapsodies. I am not even certain Kentner recorded all the Liszt Rhapsodies, however. I will do some checking on that. Appian/APR has among some of the best transfers and repertoire in their series on Kentner. If Kentner recorded the Liszt Rhapsodies, I think it would take two CDs for the complete set. Kentner recorded for several labels including Hungaroton, EMI, and Vox. But his art is on many labels aside from Appian including Doremi, Dutton, First Hand, Membran/Intense, Nickson, Carlton Classics, Pearl and a few others.

Thanks,Lance.

Does the Hanssler Kentner box have his complete Liszt Rhapsodies and Lyapunov Etudes ? TIA.

[maestrob]

Artur Balsam made a fine recording of Dvorak's Slavonic dances with pianist Gina Raps, who studied with him at Juilliard, issued first as an Arabesque LP but recorded digitally and issued on CD in 1985.



Delighted to know this box is available!

[Rach3]

It includes the Lyapunov Etudes, Op. 11, not the complete Liszt Hungarian Rhapsodies. I am not even certain Kentner recorded all the Liszt Rhapsodies, however. I will do some checking on that.

Many thanks.I do have Kentner's Vox Box of lp's of the complete Liszt Rhapsodies, and the Pearl cd of his Lyapunov Etudes, but good to know about the new Hanssler box as well as the Balsam.

[Donald Isler]

Thanks for letting us know about the Balsam release, Lance! I studied chamber music with him for several years at Manhattan School of Music and the Kneisel Hall Music Festival. He's also one of the people I wrote about in an article called "Three Pianists Named Artur" (the other ones being Rubinstein and Schnabel).

[Lance]

I never thought about checking my LP collection, but I also have the two Vox Boxes [5452, 5453] - so you are correct - Kentner did record the complete Hungarian Rhapsodies! [Thank you for making me l@@k!] I'm rather surprised that Vox never reissued those on CD; after all, Kentner was known to be a phenomenal Liszt pianist! I also believe Kentner recorded the Lyapunov Etudes twice. The Pearl issue has the early recording.

It includes the Lyapunov Etudes, Op. 11, not the complete Liszt Hungarian Rhapsodies. I am not even certain Kentner recorded all the Liszt Rhapsodies, however. I will do some checking on that.

Many thanks.I do have Kentner's Vox Box of lp's of the complete Liszt Rhapsodies, and the Pearl cd of his Lyapunov Etudes, but good to know about the new Hanssler box as well as the Balsam.

[Lance]

Donald, did you ever put that article you wrote on CMG? Would love to read it. And as far as the three "Arturs" go, it doesn't get much better than that!

Thanks for letting us know about the Balsam release, Lance! I studied chamber music with him for several years at Manhattan School of Music and the Kneisel Hall Music Festival. He's also one of the people I wrote about in an article called "Three Pianists Named Artur" (the other ones being Rubinstein and Schnabel).

[Rach3]

I'm rather surprised that Vox never reissued those on CD; after all, Kentner was known to be a phenomenal Liszt pianist!

Agree. In comparison to Rhapsody "specialists" like Cziffra,Horowitz,others,Kentner holds up rather well , and the lp Vox box was very attractively priced.Perhaps the music is considered too "low brow" , although not for my brows.

[Donald Isler]

Here's the article, Lance.

Isler's Insights - January 2016

Three Pianists Named Artur

When one speaks of composers, and hears the name “Ludwig” one thinks immediately “Beethoven!” “Wolfgang” means “Mozart” and the syllable that comes to mind right after “Johannes” is “Brahms.”

The same can be said of some pianists. “Alicia” means “DeLarrocha” and to people who remember pianists of the previous generation “Guiomar” is “Novaes.” “Shura” has to be the one and only Cherkassky.
But it’s different when it comes to the name “Artur.” Because there are three pianists by that name who were important to me, and my education and understanding of music. Two of them I heard many times. One of them I studied with. The third one died before I was born, but was no less an influence on me.
Artur Balsam (1906-1994) recorded most, or all of the solo piano works of Mozart and Haydn. But, if you knew him, that’s not as remarkable as it sounds, because he had just the right sound, and feel for this music (I remember a wonderful performance of Mozart’s B-Flat Concerto, K. 450, from his late seventies), natural evenness (he’s the only pianist I studied with who said he never practiced slowly, except to work out a fingering) and he was an unbelievable sight-reader. This he proved to me once, after an ensemble coaching session for one group I was playing with when he noticed music I was carrying, to play with another group. It was a concerto for two clarinets and orchestra by the Mozart contemporary, Franz Krommer. (I was playing the piano reduction of the orchestra part.) “Who is Krommer”?” he asked. Then, with total ease, he sat down and read some of it, playing the orchestra part with the left hand, and transposing the clarinet parts at sight with the right.
Though he did a lot of solo playing, his personality as a soloist was not the most outgoing or flamboyant, even though he made everything look easy. But interaction with other musicians really got his juices flowing, and especially because of this, and his ability to read and learn music quickly, he became one of the most important ensemble pianists of his time.

He came to America for the first time (he was from Poland and studied in Germany) in the 1930’s to play with Yehudi Menuhin, and he said he had performed with every important string player of his generation except Heifetz. He wrote the date of every performance in his score, and said this indicated that he had played the Ravel Piano Trio 58 times. Which is also not surprising, as he knew, and played the entire standard repertoire for piano and strings. Perhaps the most extraordinary story I remember him telling was of meeting the great cellist, Mstislav Rostropovich, before a concert they were to play together. (I assume they spoke in Russian, one of the at least five or six languages he spoke, all of them presumably, with the same lisp he had in English.) The big work on the program was one of the Brahms Cello Sonatas or the Rachmaninoff Cello Sonata. They had both played it many times, but never together. And they didn’t feel like rehearsing it. So they did the concert without a rehearsal, although Mr. Balsam warned Rostropovich in advance “I’m not just going to follow you; I’m going to play out!” It went just fine, he told me.
The first movement of Prokofiev's First Violin Sonata with Joseph Szigeti and Artur Balsam. Violinist Barbara Jean Gilby and I studied this work with Mr. Balsam.
https://youtu.be/PtXW4xNSESA
Artur Rubinstein (1887-1982) was such a strong and vigorous personality (who is still available to play for us and speak to us on many CD’s, DVD’s and on Youtube) that it’s hard to believe it’s 40 years since he played his last concerts (at age 89). I heard him play about eight or ten times during his last dozen years on the stage. If you watch the Moscow recital (on Youtube) which he played in 1964 you’ll get an idea of the great energy level he still had at age 77. In those days, before Carnegie Hall was rebuilt, one came up some stairs to reach the stage, and I remember him running up them at age 82 to continue the program. Yet, he was also a kingly presence and, indeed, the last few times I saw him, the tradition had become that the audience rose in his honor upon his first appearance of the evening onstage.
It has become popular since his death to say, “Well, he wasn’t one of the great ones” or “He wasn’t in a league with Horowitz” or “He wasn’t as individual a Chopin interpreter as, say, Friedman or Cortot.” I sometimes wonder how many of the people who say these things heard him play live? Yes, he had a more “modern” approach to Chopin interpretation than some others of his generation but, especially with his warm bronze tone, his Chopin interpretations could be gorgeous, and quite moving. (Although, interestingly, I found his programs of mixed repertoire more dramatic and effective than his all-Chopin recitals.) There was a charisma about him that one might not realize just from hearing recordings, and he had the guts to dare, and be a bit outrageous . If he wasn’t Horowitz (and who else was?) he had strength, and an impressive technique, even in his late years. Two other stories about him, that illustrate his personality:
1) A recital he gave in Australia in 1939 was one of two that persuaded Bruce Hungerford, then a teenager who had started the piano late, to become a pianist.
2) (Although Rubinstein’s daughter was shocked when I told her this, I witnessed it.) The evening of his last New York recital at Carnegie Hall, when it had been announced he was retiring, I went to see him arrive at the backstage door. He stepped out of his limousine and cameras flashed in the eyes of this old man, with serious eye problems, who was about to steel himself for his last concert in a hall where he had first played 70 years earlier. When some heartless person asked “What are you thinking about now?” he stood up straight (actually, he always stood up straight) and said “I want to get out of HERE (pointing down to the cold street) and get into THERE (pointing to the hall) and “PLAY THE PIANO, BABY!”
Artur Rubinstein plays Chopin Etudes at his 1964 Moscow recital.
https://youtu.be/aL2X5snSrRk
The third Artur in my musical life was Artur Schnabel (1882-1951), whom I never heard play live, but whose artistic personality I feel I know very well. Though one could certainly describe his playing as “neat” meaning “cool” or “terrific” it was not always “neat” in the technical sense, as there were sometimes messy passages or rushed phrases (at least in the era when he recorded). And yet, he was one of the great ones. I would go as far to say that if the playing of one pianist who specialized in the traditional German repertoire were to disappear, I would miss him the most.
He had as wide an emotional range as anyone who ever played the piano, from rollicking high spirits to deepest awe. In fact, for me, only one other pianist plumbs the depths of Beethoven slow movements as successfully. But to characterize his playing as austere, severe and cerebral would be completely wrong, as his playing had passion, warmth and, much of the time, as perfect a sense of pacing as anyone. He abhorred “careful” playing and referred disparagingly to “emergency rallentandos.” He did not win every war, but he always threw himself into the thick of the battle. This was illustrated to me years ago when I listened to a Mozart piano concerto played by Solomon, and then another one played by Schnabel. The Solomon performance was perfect, and admirable, as Solomon always is. The Schnabel performance wasn’t technically on the same level, but he grabbed the music by the throat from the beginning and played with an intensity and passion that Solomon lacked. To paraphrase imperfectly something Schnabel once said regarding two takes at a recording session, the Solomon recording was in some ways better, but it wasn’t as good (!). How good was Schnabel? I once listened to another Mozart Concerto, the E-Flat Major, K. 482 played by Edwin Fischer, a deep artist whose playing I admire, and always enjoy hearing. Then I heard Schnabel play the same work. It was even better. Why? For my money, he just connected with the soul and the essence of the music better than just about anyone else.
Artur Schnabel plays the Brahms Intermezzo Op. 117 No. 1 https://youtu.be/SzOvuXZc7GE
These are the three Arturs without whom my musical life, and experiences, would be a lot poorer.
Donald Isler

[Rach3]

Thanks for the article.

Completely agree about Rubinstein.I saw him live only 4 times, 1962, 1969,1970,1974.His 1964 Moscow recital is amazing. He was perhaps a better pianist live than recorded.

Also agree about Schnabel.His Beethoven slow movs. are unsurpassed in my experience,and he brought wonderful vigor to all his playing.His playing of the "dark" middle section of that Brahms Op.117,# 1 is unique.

Here are Rubinstein's 10 legendary Carnegie recitals of 1961.All his fees were donated to the charities.He refused release of any other than those noted :


ARTHUR RUBINSTEIN
The Ten Carnegie Hall Recitals, 1961

For the benefit of:

The Musicians Emergency Fund
Monday, October 30, 1961 8:40 pm

Beethoven:
Sonata in E-flat, Op. 31, No. 3
Sonata in F Minor, Op. 57 Appassionata
Debussy:
Hommage a Rameau, from Images, Set I*
Ondine, from Preludes, Book II
Poissons dor, from Images, Set II*
Villa-Lobos: Prole do Beb_, Book I Nos. 1, 2, 5-8*
Chopin:
Nocturne in D-flat, Op. 27, no. 2
Scherzo in B-flat minor, Op. 31
Encores:
Chopin: Etude in A-flat, Op. 25, No. 1
Prokofiev: March, from The Love for Three Oranges
Chopin: Waltz in C-sharp Minor, Op. 64, No. 2

*These performances were released by RCA Records.

For the benefit of:
The Musicians Foundation
November 1, 1961, 8:40pm

J. S. Bach-Busoni: Chaconne
Brahms: Sonata No. 3 in F Minor, Op. 5
Szymanowski: Four Mazurkas, Op. 50*
No. 1; No. 2; No. 3; No. 6
Ravel: Forlane, from Le tombeau de Couperin
Stravinsky: Three Scenes from Petrouchka
Encores:
Scriabin: Nocturne for the Left
Hand in D-flat, Op. 9, No.2
Chopin: Etude in C Minor, Op. 25, No. 12
Chopin: Nocturne in D-flat, Op. 27, No. 2
Villa-Lobos: O Polichinelo, from Prole do Bebe, Book I

*These performances were released by RCA Records.

For the benefit of:
Big Brothers
November 3, 1961, 8:40pm

Franck: Prelude, Chorale, and Fugue
Schumann: Carnaval, Op. 9
Chopin:
Ballade in F Minor, Op. 52
Mazurka in C Minor, Op. 56, No. 3
Mazurka in D, Op. 33, No. 2
Liszt: Valse oublies No. 1
Hungarian Rhapsody No. 12 in C-Sharp Minor
Encores:
Debussy: Ondine, from Preludes Book II*

*This performance was released by RCA records.
Two more encores were played at this recital,
but no recording survives.


For the benefit of:
The Collegiate School & The Nightingale-Bamford School
November 6, 1961, 8:40pm

Beethoven: Sonata in C, Op. 2, No. 3
Brahms:
Rhapsody in B Minor, Op. 79, No. 1
Intermezzo in C, Op. 119, No. 3
Intermezzo in B-flat Minor, Op. 117, No. 2
Rhapsody in E-flat, Op. 119, No. 4
Prokofiev: Visions Fugitiv
es, Op. 22,*
Nos. 1-3, 12, 6, 7, 10, 11, 18, 9, 16, 14
Chopin:
Scherzo in E, Op. 54
Impromptu in F-sharp, Op. 36
Waltz in A-flat, Op. 34, No. 1
Encores:
Liszt: Valse oublie_ No. 1
Prokofiev: March from The Love for Three Oranges
Ravel: Forlane from Le Tombeau de Couperin
Falla: Ritual Fire Dance from el amor brujo

*These performances were released by RCA records.


For the benefit of:
United Jewish Appeal of Greater New York
November 10, 1961, 8:40pm

All-Chopin Program

Scherzo in B Minor, Op. 20
Preludes, Op. 28:
No. 4 in E Minor; No. 8 in F-sharp Minor
No. 15 in D-flat; No. 21 in B-flat;
No. 23 in F; No. 24 in D Minor
Sonata in B-flat Minor, Op. 35
Ballade in A-flat, Op. 47
Berceuse in D-flat, Op. 57
Waltz in C-sharp Minor, Op. 64, No. 2
Scherzo in C-sharp Minor, Op. 39
Encores:
Chopin: Mazurka in D, Op. 33, No. 2
Chopin: Waltz in A-flat, Op. 34, No. 1
Chopin: Etude in C-sharp Minor, Op. 10, No. 4
Villa-Lobos: O Polichinelle, from Prole do bebe, Book I


For the benef
it of:
Mannes College of Music in New York
November 19, 1961, 8:40pm

Beethoven: Sonata in C, Op. 53 (Waldstein)
Schumann: Arabeske, Op. 18*
Symphonic Etudes, Op. 13*
Schubert: Impromptu in G-flat, D. 899, No. 3
Impromptu in A-flat, D. 899, No. 4
Chopin: Etude in E Minor, Op. 25, No. 5
Etude in C-sharp Minor, Op. 10, No. 4
Nocturne in F-sharp, Op. 15, No. 2
Polonaise in F-sharp Minor, Op. 44
Encores:
Chopin: Waltz in A-flat, Op. 34, No. 1
Chopin: Etude in G-flat, Op. 10, No. 5
Schumann: Prophet Bird from Waldscenen

*These performances were released by RCA records.


For the benefit of:
The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People
November 24, 1961, 8:40pm

J. S. Bach-Busoni: Toccata in C, BWV 564
Liszt: Sonata in B Minor
Ravel: Valses nobles et sentimentales
Chopin: Etude in C Minor, Op. 25, No. 12
Etude in A-flat, Op. 25, No. 1
Andante Spianato, and
Grande Polonaise Brilliante in E-flat, Op. 22
Encores:
Chopin: Prelude in F-sharp Minor, Op. 28, No. 8
Chop
in: Mazurka in D, Op. 33, No. 2
Villa-Lobos: O Polichinelle, from Prole do bebe, Book I


For the benefit of:
The National Association of Mental Health
December 4, 1961, 8:40pm

Brahms:: Intermezzo in A Op. 118, No. 2
Intermezzo in E-flat Minor, Op. 118, No. 6
Capriccio in B Minor, Op. 76, No. 2
Rhapsody in G Minor, Op. 79, No. 2
Debussy: Prelude, from Pour le Piano
La Cathedrale engloutie,* from Preludes Book I
La plus que lente
Granados: The Maiden and the Nightingale
Albeniz: Triana
Falla: Dance of terror from el amor brujo
Miller Wifes Dance from The Three-Cornered Hat
Encores:
Chopin: Waltz in C-sharp Minor, Op. 64, No. 2
Chopin: Etude in C Minor, Op. 25, No. 12
Schumann: The Prophet Bird from Waldscenen
Falla: Ritual Fire Dance from el amor brujo

+This concert opened with Chopin Sonata in B Minor.
The tape containing this performance was destroyed by Rubinstein
*This performance has been released by RCA Records.

For the benefit of:

The United Hospital Fund of New Y
ork
December 8, 1961, 8:40pm

Beethoven: Sonata in E-flat, Op. 81a, Les Adieux
Schumann: Fantasiestucke, Op. 12
Debussy: LiIsle Joyeuse
Le Fille aux cheveux de lin, from Preludes Book I
Albeniz: Navarra
Liszt: Funerailles, from Harmonies Poetiques at Religieuses
Mephisto Waltz No. 1
Encores
Chopin: Nocturne in F-sharp
Chopin: Scherzo in B-flat Minor, Op. 31
Falla: Dance of Terror from el amor brujo


For the benefit of:
The Polish National Assistance Fund
December 10, 1961, 8:40pm

All-Chopin Program

Polonaise-Fantasie in A-flat, Op. 61
Fantasie-Impromptu in C-sharp Minor, Op. 66
Barcarolle in F-sharp, Op. 60
Waltz in A Minor, Op. 34, No. 2
Fantasie in F-Minor, Op. 49
Ballade in G Minor, Op. 23
Four Etudes:
F Minor, Op. 25, No. 2; F, Op. 25, No. 3
G-flat, Op. 10, No. 5; C Minor, Op. 10, No. 12
Polonaise in A-flat, Op. 53
Encores
Chopin: Prelude in D-flat, Op. 28, No. 15
Chopin: Etude in C-sharp Minor, Op. 10, No. 4
Chopin: Waltz in C-sharp Minor, Op. 64, No. 2
Albeniz: Navarra*


*This performance was released by RCA records.