Comparative recordings of Schumann's "Etudes Symphonique"

[Dufus]

An excellent etude by etude review.

The winners : Romanovsky and Anda 1955. Honorable mention Cortot.
LeSage, no.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01ngn14

Hear and watch Romanovsky play the work live at the 2011 Tchaikovsky
Competition :

http://pitch.paraclassics.com/#/archive/concert/349

Dufus

[basnperson]

dont agree........his chords are not voiced completely accurately.

AB

[SPAM- @xs4all.nl HvT]

Anda is great but a honorable mention for Cortot while declaring
Romanovksy's recording of the (complete) Etudes Symphoniques the winner is
disturbing, to say the least. What's happening to the BBC these days (they
were even promoting Parkin's spineless interpretation of the Goyescas)?
Romanovsky's version sounds like a box of (very well made, I've to admit)
marshmellows.

Henk

[Sava Savanovic]

To say that Anda's BBC recording is the only available is plain
unprofessional. There are no less than seven Anda recordings of
Symphonic Etudes currently available: Testament, Hanssler, Audite,
Orfeo, BBC and two on DG (DG is download only at the moment, but so is
Romanovsky).

[Dufus]

>On Oct 21, 1:57 pm, "HvT" <hvtuijl- SPAM- @xs4all.nl> wrote:

> Romanovsky's version sounds like a box of (very well made, I've to admit)
> marshmellows.
>

It's unclear whether the BBC Romanovsky is the Tchaikovsky; dont think
so.

[Dufus]

>On Oct 21, 10:27 am, basnperson <abachr...@att.net> wrote:

I'd suggest all concerned actually listen to the BBC programme.

[Gerard]

Dufus <steve...@gmail.com> typed:

> > On Oct 21, 10:27 am, basnperson <abachr...@att.net> wrote:
>
> I'd suggest all concerned actually listen to the BBC programme.

All concerned?
Romanovsky and Anda?

[SPAM- @xs4all.nl HvT]

I guess it's his recording for Decca (2007).

Henk

[Don Petter]

I echo your sentiments about the Anda availability.

Romanovsky is, however, available as a CD:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/B002PW43U4/ref=ox_ya_os_product

Don.

[George]

Which Anda recording is the one in the Brilliant box?

George

[Dufus]

>On Oct 22, 3:12 am, longrifle22-fly...@yahoo.co.uk (Don Petter) wrote:

> Romanovsky is, however, available as a CD:
>
> http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/B002PW43U4/ref=ox_ya_os_product

Thanks. The reviews there are raves.

[Johannes Roehl]

I am not sure, but believe it to be the later DG recording. The
"Troubadour of the piano" DG Box contains one historical recording from
the '40ties and one stereo from the 60ties. I figure that the Brilliant
Box is a subset of the larger oop DG and probably has the stereo recording.

[Dufus]

Romanovsky also has a recent "Diabelli" Variations cd , and his 2001
Busoni winner's cd is also at Amazon -US, also rave reviewed.

His Schumann "Etudes" are also at Amazon-US, where you can buy new at
$ 18 or used at $ 1000.

[Mort]

The earlier Vladimir Ashkenazy recording is rather good, while the later
one (for the "complete" series) is rather awful.

Mort Linder

[Al Eisner]

A little web research has turned up 8 Anda recordings, not necessarily
all available.

From the discography on the Geza Anda website,
http://www.gezaanda.ch/index.php?site=gezaanda_diskographie_2009
there are recordings of the Symphonic Etudes:

Berlin, Alte Jakobstr., Grammophon-Studio Nr. 9 [März 1943]
Polydor 68057/59* u. Polydor 69313/15* Schellack 78rpm [1943]
DGG 459 003-2 [1998],
DGG 477 5289 [2005],
Brilliant Classics 93795 [2009]

Berlin, Gloria-Palast [27. November 1950]
Telefunken E 3857/59* Schellack 78rpm
Telefunken LGX 66029* [1954]

Stuttgart (Villa Berg, Studio VI) [02. Oktober 1951]
Hänssler Classic CD 94.211 [2010]

London, Abbey Road Studio No. 3 [23./24. April 1953]
Columbia 33 CX 1072* [1953],
Columbia 33 FCX 283* [1953],
Angel 35046* [1953/54]
Angel 3 ACX-47073* [1956?],
Columbia C 80 656* 25cm [196?],
Testament SBT 1069 [1996],
Archipel ARPCD 0320 [2005],
Documents 231661 [2008]

WDR Köln, Saal 1 [06. April 1954]
Audite 23.409 [2008]

Salzburg, Mozarteum [17. August 1956]
Orfeo C 295 921 B [1992]

Berlin-Dahlem, Jesus-Christus-Kirche [23. September 1963]
DGG 18 868* (mono) [1964],
DGG 138 868* (stereo) [1964]
DGG 2535 364* [1979],
DGG MGW 5225* (Japan) [197?],
DGG 457 967-2 [1998],
DGG 477 5289 [2005],
Brilliant Classics 93795 [2009]

but the discography somehow misses this one:

Freemason's Hall, Edinburgh Festival, 23 August 1955
BBC Legends BBCL41352

This and, I think, the 1956 Salzburg are the only live ones, but I could
be wrong.

I have the DG "Troubadour" set, which includes both the 1943 and the
1963. The same two are included on the Brilliant set, which looks to
me like the solo-piano portion of the Troubadour; but I don't think the
Brilliant is available either at this time.
--

Al Eisner

[Al Eisner]

On Thu, 25 Oct 2012, Al Eisner wrote:

[about the online Geza Anda discography]

> but the discography somehow misses this one:
>
> Freemason's Hall, Edinburgh Festival, 23 August 1955
> BBC Legends BBCL41352

Actually, the discography does have this CD, but they just failed to
note the presence of the Schumann on it. I sent them a note.
--

Al Eisner

[Al Eisner]

On Sun, 21 Oct 2012, Dufus wrote:

> An excellent etude by etude review.
>
> The winners : Romanovsky and Anda 1955. Honorable mention Cortot.
> LeSage, no.
>
> http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01ngn14

Thanks. That was interesting to listen to (only 2 days left).

It's a bit frustrating to hear different excerpts by different pianists,
and in no case any idea of the coherence of the whole. I rather liked
the Perahia excerpt and, yes, also the LeSage, but we have to take the
reviewer's word for it that their good traits don't work as well overall.
I do, however, have two of Anda's other recordings (1943 and 1963) and
I agree he's very strong in this work -- a very good choice. (I find
Cortot harder to take, partly on technical grounds.)

I've heard the work a number of times in concert, the most impressive
of them being by Alexeev a few years ago. There's a 1997 (I think)
recording, on a 2-CD set with late Brahms pieces (available at a
decent used price at Amazon US). Since he didn't appear at all in
the survey, I'm curious if anyone has heard this and can comment.
Thanks.
--

Al Eisner

[Herman]

Le vendredi 26 octobre 2012 02:31:26 UTC+2, Al Eisner a écrit :

> I rather liked
>
> the Perahia excerpt and, yes, also the LeSage, but we have to take the
>
> reviewer's word for it that their good traits don't work as well overall.
>

The LeSage Et. Symph. is on an excellent 2cd coupled with Bunte Blätter, Humoreske and the Sonata op. 11. All of these pieces are very well done. Together this 2cd is arguably the high point of Le Sage series, and it shouldn't be so hard to get.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/offer-listing/B0013V9RRC/ref=dp_olp_new?ie=UTF8&condition=new

[SPAM- @xs4all.nl HvT]

Al Eisner wrote:
> I've heard the work a number of times in concert, the most impressive
> of them being by Alexeev a few years ago. There's a 1997 (I think)
> recording, on a 2-CD set with late Brahms pieces (available at a
> decent used price at Amazon US). Since he didn't appear at all in
> the survey, I'm curious if anyone has heard this and can comment.
> Thanks.

It's from 1977 and 1996. The interpretations are excellent. It's just a
matter of taste that I prefer Kempff in Brahms and Anda in Schumann
(Salzurg, WDR, BBC).

Gramophone praises Alexeev for his vibrant Brahms and for the exceptional
continuity and unity of his Schumann. For once I fully agree.

Henk

[Robert Marshall]

On Fri, Oct 26 2012, Al Eisner <eis...@slac.stanford.edu> wrote:

> On Sun, 21 Oct 2012, Dufus wrote:
>
>> An excellent etude by etude review.
>>
>> The winners : Romanovsky and Anda 1955. Honorable mention Cortot.
>> LeSage, no.
>>
>> http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01ngn14
>
> Thanks. That was interesting to listen to (only 2 days left).
>

Are the podcasts not available outside the UK?

http://www.bbc.co.uk/podcasts/series/bal

when I view that page the episodes claim to be available indefinitely,
there's probably some editing from the original transmission though.

Robert
--
La grenouille songe..dans son château d'eau
Links and things http://rmstar.blogspot.com/

[Al Eisner]

Thanks. That very much matches what I heard from him in concert.
Do you know which works on the set are from which year?
--

Al Eisner

[Al Eisner]

Good to know. The LeSage I have ranges (IMO, of course) from very good
indeed to one or two cases which don't hit the mark. As I previously
implied, I've advance-ordered the full set from Presto. By the way,
while the indiividual volumes are fancily packaged, it's largely show
rather than substance (I'm picking up on an earlier comment on the
LeSage set), and I don't think the program notes are very good -- so
whatever comes or doesn't come with the set won't be a great loss.
--

Al Eisner

[SPAM- @xs4all.nl HvT]

Brahms Op. 76 and Op. 116 was recorded in 1979, Brahms Op. 117-119 in 1976
and Schumann in 1987.

Henk

[Dufus]

>On Oct 26, 12:00 pm, Robert Marshall <s...@capuchin.co.uk> wrote:

> Are the podcasts not available outside the UK?

BBC3 will let me listen from the USA to live and to the week of "
listen again" , but not download podcasts as "available only to UK
listeners." BBC4 wont let me listen at all. Fine, as I pay no license.
BBC also wont let me comment in their occasional listener surveys,
which many here would probably agree is a good BBC decision.

[Herman]

Le vendredi 26 octobre 2012 23:10:41 UTC+2, Al Eisner a écrit :

> By the way,
>
> while the indiividual volumes are fancily packaged, it's largely show
>
> rather than substance (I'm picking up on an earlier comment on the
>
> LeSage set), and I don't think the program notes are very good -- so
>
> whatever comes or doesn't come with the set won't be a great loss.
>

I agree. The notes don't seem to be up to snuff on the more recent biographical scholarship I'm familiar with. So getting the integrale box is a good idea - it just so happened I have too many single releases already to do so. And I'm a sucker for a pretty cover, alas.