What are the best Earl Wild recordings?

[MickeyBoy]

I just finished Earl Wild's memoirs, an engaging 800-page tome entitled A Walk on the Wild Side. I had only thought of him as the Gershwin pianist who also recorded the four Rachmaninov concertos with Horenstein (unfortunately bad sound quality.) He must have known everybody in NY radio, TV, and classical circles starting in the 1930s. His favorite conductors are Stokowski and Toscanini. His opinions about other pianists are very interesting and gossipy. A thoroughbred concert pianist he cultivated a singing, full, and varied tone with a lyrical pianism like that of Rachmaninov, Paderewski, and others whom he heard in youth. Tone should be projected to the last row of seats. The chapter, Banging is for the Bedroom, explains his attitude towards much contemporary pianism as well as his predilection for language as coarse as his Chopin Nocturnes are elegant and refined. He inveighs against pianists who grimace like rock singers and stare at the heavens to communicate profundity. Music making should be detoxified of this phony reverence. It is alive, the product of very hard preparation and innate talent. "Everything in music is a device or a tune." Play with feeling and an idea in mind. Wild was famous for his transcriptions and improvisation. A man of very definite opinions and no little self regard, he must have been the life of the party. A recommended read.

[Bozo]

>On Saturday, September 12, 2015 at 9:02:27 PM UTC-5, MickeyBoy wrote:

I dont have many, but do treasure his Gershwin Concerto in F with Fiedler/Boston Pops, Paderewski Concerto, and " Daemonic Liszt " originally a Vanguard lp.

[Russ (not Martha)]

His Scharwenka PF Concerto #1 is a winner. I've played the middle-movt scherzo so many times I hardly remember the rest of the concerto.

Russ (not Martha)

[howie...@btinternet.com]

The things I've enjoyed most are the transcriptions of Rachmanonov songs.

[AG]

On Sunday, 13 September 2015 08:44:58 UTC+1, howie...@btinternet.com wrote:
> The things I've enjoyed most are the transcriptions of Rachmanonov songs.

...and his Rachmaninov concertos with Horenstein; fantastic.

[Bozo]

>On Saturday, September 12, 2015 at 9:15:59 PM UTC-5, Bozo wrote:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=85N95i0LbmY ( Rachmaninoff , " Sorrow in Springtime " )

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cmuLQquX254 ( Wild , " Liza " Etude )

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BQA61OSXycE ( MacDowell 2nd Concerto, Scherzo,1957 video)

[Bozo]

>On Saturday, September 12, 2015 at 9:15:59 PM UTC-5, Bozo wrote:

>... " Daemonic Liszt " originally a Vanguard lp.


From that Vanguard lp recording, "Reminiscences de Robert le Diable - Valse Infernal , S.413 ", the piece Liszt allegedly " defeated " Thalberg with in Paris :


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y_V_urp0fe8

[Bozo]

>On Saturday, September 12, 2015 at 9:15:59 PM UTC-5, Bozo wrote:

>.,,,, and " Daemonic Liszt " originally a Vanguard lp.

Also from the lp , another superlative reading :

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7k5nBsXkZTU

"Valse de l'opera Faust de Gounod " , S. 407

Apparently now transferred to a Bach Guild " Little Big Liszt Box " cd set released April, 2015.

[arri bachrach]

On Saturday, September 12, 2015 at 10:36:40 PM UTC-4, Russ (not Martha) wrote:
> His Scharwenka PF Concerto #1 is a winner. I've played the middle-movt scherzo so many times I hardly remember the rest of the concerto.
>
> Russ (not Martha)

I agree......

AB

[howie...@btinternet.com]

Don't you piano people think that his tone is horribly hard, I listened to some of the Rach songs on the CD and I thought the tone was horrid.

[MiNe109]

He was a long-time Baldwin Artist.

Stephen

[Tony]

I've heard only one recording by Earl Wild, and that was his complete Chopin Nocturnes. I cannot explain why I got this impression--it was not solely due to the ridiculous cover photo--but they gave me an overwhelming sense of cartoonishness, like they were turned into these elastic bubble-gum pieces. Best I can say about a memory of 8 to 10 years ago is it was something about his timing and dynamics that contributed to them sounding so garish and wacky.

[Bozo]

>On Sunday, September 13, 2015 at 2:12:41 PM UTC-5, howie...@btinternet.com wrote:
> Don't you piano people think that his tone is horribly hard

No.

[Bozo]

>On Sunday, September 13, 2015 at 3:41:16 PM UTC-5, Bozo wrote:

3 Chopin Nocturnes .Dont know when recorded :

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I2yMDqH5QIQ

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uX8cl115ir0

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BWdRs7T9g9w

[pgaron]

I've always enjoyed the Chesky CD in which Wild plays his transcriptions of Gershwin, including his Fantasy on Porgy and Bess. I also like the famous Gershwin Concerto et al album with Fiedler and the Boston Pops.

pgaron

[MickeyBoy]

Thanks, all, for your suggestions. Please keep them coming.

I have heard Wild's Rachmaninov transcriptions and his Chopin nocturnes. No,I do not think the tone is hard. Both recordings are hdcd encoded. I find piano very difficult to record well.

By coincidence there will be a symposium on Earl Wild In New York soon. I cannot attend, but would appreciate a report from anyonewho can be there. details below:

SEPTEMBER 2015 Meeting

7 P. M. Thursday, 9/17/15
At the CUNY Sonic Arts Center
West 140th Street & Convent Avenue, New York
or enter at 138th Street off Convent Avenue
Shepard Hall (the Gothic building) - Recital Hall (Room 95, Basement level)
An elevator is located in the center of the building

EARL WILD AT 100:
THE MAN; THE MUSICIAN; THE PERSONALITY
*Moderated by Joseph Patrych and Jon M. Samuels*


*On Nov 26th of this year, Earl Wild would have been 100 years old. He came
close to attaining it, dying only 5 years ago, on Jan 23, 2010 at the age
of 94. Those years were well spent in a major career as a performer (until
the age of 90) and recording artist as well as a composer and respected
transcriber. And yet, it has been asserted that Wild did not enjoy the
typical career of a concert pianist, e.g. he was never invited to some of
the most prestigious piano series, such as the Keyboard Virtuosos series at
Carnegie Hall. This talk will present evidence of the Wild's towering and
unique gifts, and in so doing support his reputation as one of the greatest
American pianists of all time, with examples of his pianistic artistry on
both audio and video, his compositions and transcriptions, and
reminiscences of him as a personality, raconteur and friend. *

[richard...@gmail.com]

I have his Rachmaninov concertos and a number of his others already mentioned, including Scharwenka (and they are excellent). However, by far the best record of his known to me is one with Fiedler conducting, on RCA- the Paderewski concerto and Polish Fantasy. These are much more lively and make more of the music than any other version I have come across.

[Terry]

After Baldwin folded, he switched eventually to Shigaru Kawai, and spoke warmly of these instruments. He certainly didn't like Steinway instruments. As far as I know, on only one of his recordings is he playing the Shigaru Kawai: "Earl Wild at 88". The piano sound is exceptionally fine.

Among the best of his recordings are: Beethoven's "Hammerklavier"; Brahms' 3rd Piano Sonata (includes some Intermezzi and the Paganini Variations); The Chopin Nocturnes (I agree about the cover, which is a bit hard to take).

I don't agree at all that his tone is hard.

[howie...@btinternet.com]

Well I listened again to a couple of tracks on the Ivory Classics recording of Rachmaninov songs. Let me refine my comment on sound, I think the sound is limes and lemons rather than chocolate and cream, bright rather than burnished, glistening like diamonds rather than glowing like embers, some sort of Alsace wine rather than a Meurssault. If he were a singer he would be Birgit Nilsson.

[O]

In article <efbb6cb2-e420-45c2...@googlegroups.com>,

I'd recommend the selection on TD's Great Pianist of the Century series
(now OOP, but available on Amazon for both $6.98 and $280.80!) .
According to Wikipedia, he was the first pianist to have given a
recital broadcast over television, and the first pianist to stream a
performance over the internet.

-Owen

[mrd]

The Complete Nocturnes were recorded in 1997 when Earl Wild was 82. I don't think anyone would say his sound is hard from listening to these Nocturnes!

[mrd]

The Paderewski Concerto and Polish Fantasy were recorded in London on a Steinway in 1970

[Al Eisner]

On Sun, 13 Sep 2015, pgaron wrote:

> I've always enjoyed the Chesky CD in which Wild plays his transcriptions of Gershwin, including his Fantasy on Porgy and Bess.

Is that the one which also includes a jazz-band (Paul Whiteman) Rhapsody
in BLue, reissued on Ivory Classics? A good one. (Berkshire still has
it cheap.)
--
Al Eisner

[pgaron]

No, that's a different recording. The Chesky includes only solo piano performances.

pgaron

[da...@collegekarma.com]

Does anyone have a copy of Wild's "Wild Side" book they would like to sell to me?

Dave

[Terry]

If his biography is to be believed, he probably didn't enjoy it. But I guess that a travelling piano virtuoso often has to use whatever instrument is available at each time and place.

[arri bachrach]

I assume he recorded on a German Steinway, IMO they have the most beautiful tone of all the pianos

AB

[Kerrison]

Has his wonderful 'live' Carnegie Hall 2-LP set "The Art of the Transcription" ever come out on CD (Audiofon Stereo)? Recorded on 1 November 1981, it contained some amazing arrangements by Sgambati, Godowsky, Tausig, Moszkowski, Rachmaninov, Thalberg and Liszt, of music by Gluck, Rameau, Bach, Wagner, Rimsky-Korsakov, Mendelssohn, Rossini, Chopin, J. Strauss and Tchaikovsky, whose "Dance of the Little Swans" was given a rather outrageous arrangement by Wild himself, as per this little sample ...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nK2ifTqVCCM

He also recorded a great deal for Reader's Digest, all superbly played and recorded. For example, a 6-LP boxed set entitled "Classical Piano Magic" includes Wild playing Dohnanyi's 'Nursery Variations' with Christoph von Dohnanyi and the New Philharmonia; Saint-Saens's 2nd Piano Concerto with the RCA Victor Symphony under Massimo Freccia; Chopin's 1st Piano Concerto and Liszt's 1st Piano Concerto, both with Sir Malcolm Sargent and the Royal Philharmonic; Rachmaninov's 2nd Piano Concerto and 'Paganini Rhapsody' with Jascha Horenstein and the Royal Philharmonic; and various solo works, such as 'Pictures at an Exibition' and the 'Moonlight' Sonata, alongside shorter pieces including Tausig's arrangement of 'Invitation to the Dance' and the 'Three Preludes' by Gershwin. An LP boxed set well worth seeking out! (Reader's Digest GWIL-6A).

[Terry]

There is an Ivory Classics CD named "Virtuoso Piano Transcriptions". The items on it are:

Le Rouet d'Omphale, Op. 31
Air And Variations - The Harmonious Blacksmith
Larghetto, From Piano Concerto No. 2 In F Minor, Op. 21
Midsummer Nights, Op.14 No. 5
Paraphrase on Sleeping Beauty
Improvisation on 'Apres Un Reve'
Hommage A Poulenc
Serenade From Don Giovanni
Reminiscences of Snow White: Reminisces of Snow White: 'Whistle While You Work' - 'I'm Wishing' - 'One Song' - 'Heigh-Ho' - 'Someday My Prince Will Come'
At The Ball, Op. 38, No. 3
Dance Of The Four Swans From Swan Lake
Man lept nur einmal
Liebesleid

I think it's a studio recording, however.

[operafan]

My favorite Earl Wild recording is one of the first LPs (Vanguard) I ever bought: "The Virtuoso Piano." Incredible playing, and I see it's still available on CD:
http://www.amazon.com/Earl-Wild-The-Virtuoso-Piano/dp/B0000023D0

[Bozo]

>On Thursday, September 24, 2015 at 7:33:36 PM UTC-5, operafan wrote:
> My favorite Earl Wild recording is one of the first LPs (Vanguard) I ever bought: "The Virtuoso >Piano." Incredible playing, and I see it's still available on CD:

As is another of his Vanguards, " The Deamonic Liszt ", cheap used at Amazon-US:

http://www.amazon.com/Demonic-Liszt-Earl-Wild/dp/B0000023D2/ref=sr_1_7?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1443179295&sr=1-7&keywords=wild++liszt

[gggg...@gmail.com]

On Saturday, September 12, 2015 at 4:02:27 PM UTC-10, MickeyBoy wrote:
> I just finished Earl Wild's memoirs, an engaging 800-page tome entitled A Walk on the Wild Side. I had only thought of him as the Gershwin pianist who also recorded the four Rachmaninov concertos with Horenstein (unfortunately bad sound quality.) He must have known everybody in NY radio, TV, and classical circles starting in the 1930s. His favorite conductors are Stokowski and Toscanini. His opinions about other pianists are very interesting and gossipy. A thoroughbred concert pianist he cultivated a singing, full, and varied tone with a lyrical pianism like that of Rachmaninov, Paderewski, and others whom he heard in youth. Tone should be projected to the last row of seats. The chapter, Banging is for the Bedroom, explains his attitude towards much contemporary pianism as well as his predilection for language as coarse as his Chopin Nocturnes are elegant and refined. He inveighs against pianists who grimace like rock singers and stare at the heavens to communicate profundity. Music making should be detoxified of this phony reverence. It is alive, the product of very hard preparation and innate talent. "Everything in music is a device or a tune." Play with feeling and an idea in mind. Wild was famous for his transcriptions and improvisation. A man of very definite opinions and no little self regard, he must have been the life of the party. A recommended read.

His Preludes by Rachmaninov haven't been forgotten:

http://www.musicweb-international.com/mwi-recommends.htm

[markm...@gmail.com]

One of his best Rachmaninoff recordings has not been available for many years, as far as I know - the Cello Sonata, with cellist Harvey Shapiro. This could almost be called a sonata for piano with cello obbligato. Wild plays it superbly, with an especially beautiful slow movement. I still have my Nonesuch LP of this work. Has this ever been released on CD?

Mark

[recorde...@gmail.com]

If you care to hear a carefully chosen and varied selection of his recordings, WFMT in Chicago recently broadcast "Earl Wild - A Centenary Celebration" (with Jon M. Samuels and Joseph Patrych, hosts). You can find the link to the program on here:

http://blogs.wfmt.com/offmic/2015/11/13/meet-the-man-who-pioneered-live-streaming-performances-online/#respond

If anyone does listen to and enjoys the program, please leave a positive comment.

Thanks.

Jon M. Samuels

[P]

> I have his Rachmaninov concertos and a number of his others already mentioned, including Scharwenka (and they are excellent). However, by far the best record of his known to me is one with Fiedler conducting, on RCA- the Paderewski concerto and Polish Fantasy. These are much more lively and make more of the music than any other version I have come across.

Yes, yes, yes! His Paderewski is a wonderful experience (I have a 2 CD set which includes the Scharwenka). I also enjoy his "Virtuoso Piano Transcriptions" CD, enormous fun including a fantasy on Sleeping Beauty and a piano solo transcription of the Largo from Chopin's 2nd Piano Concerto (to complement Balakirev's transcription of the 1st).

-P

[gggg...@gmail.com]

On Saturday, September 12, 2015 at 4:15:59 PM UTC-10, Bozo wrote:
> >On Saturday, September 12, 2015 at 9:02:27 PM UTC-5, MickeyBoy wrote:
>
> I dont have many, but do treasure his Gershwin Concerto in F with Fiedler/Boston Pops...

According to the following:

- My favorite realization of the Concerto in F is the extroverted account with Earl Wild at the keyboard and Arthur Fiedler conducting the Boston Pops.

http://www.classicalnotes.net/classics/gershwin.html

[Kerrison]

The 'MickeyBoy' quote above stating "unfortunately bad sound quality" for the Reader's Digest set of the four Rachmaninov concertos, with Horenstein conducting, is complete nonsense, unless he was listening to some poor CD transfer or other. Producer Charles Gerhardt engaged a top Decca engineering crew for his RD sessions and these Wild / Rachmaninov performances were as superbly recorded as all the others he produced. Click this link for a 'sample' as evidence ...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=quCJ5fw11xA

Talking of Rachmaninov, did Wild's piano transcriptions of twelve of his songs ("Floods of Spring" etc.) on the dell'Arte label ever make it to CD?

[P]

> Talking of Rachmaninov, did Wild's piano transcriptions of twelve of his songs ("Floods of Spring" etc.) on the dell'Arte label ever make it to CD?

I assume you're referring to this collection: http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00022LJ4C

Yes, and it's a wonderful set!

-P

[Al Eisner]

and still available cheap at Berkshire. Berkshire also still has his
fun collection of his own Gershwin-based fantasies (on Porgy and Bess,
etc.), coupled with Gershwin's preludes and the jazz version of
Rhapsody in Blue.
--
Al Eisner

[e...@casema.nl]

His last two cd's on the Shigeru Kawai are very beautiful (playing and recording):

.. Earl Wild at 88,
.. Living History (at 90)

Add for good measure: Earl Wild plays his own Compositions & Transcriptions.

For the best sound quality I would only buy from Ivory Classics and the Sony box.

[Kerrison]

For the best sound quality I would only buy from Ivory Classics and the Sony box.

In a way, it's surprising that Earl Wild didn't go into the studio with Stokowski, whom he evidently admired, and record a concerto or two ...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_n8g-m-GSP0

[AB]

what a fabulous performance, a bunch of added notes but lots of fun. Heard somebody in the audience say 'that was incredible'
one thought..... cannot understand why they used such an out of tune piano, Horowitz would have NEVER played on that instrument

AB

[Bozo]

Sine qua non: Gershwin/Wild,Seven Virtuoso Etudes,Wild,pianist,Chesky cd I believe, audio with scores here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wYJY2glnyL0

[gggg gggg]

On Saturday, September 12, 2015 at 7:02:27 PM UTC-7, MickeyBoy wrote:
> I just finished Earl Wild's memoirs, an engaging 800-page tome entitled A Walk on the Wild Side. I had only thought of him as the Gershwin pianist who also recorded the four Rachmaninov concertos with Horenstein (unfortunately bad sound quality.) He must have known everybody in NY radio, TV, and classical circles starting in the 1930s. His favorite conductors are Stokowski and Toscanini. His opinions about other pianists are very interesting and gossipy. A thoroughbred concert pianist he cultivated a singing, full, and varied tone with a lyrical pianism like that of Rachmaninov, Paderewski, and others whom he heard in youth. Tone should be projected to the last row of seats. The chapter, Banging is for the Bedroom, explains his attitude towards much contemporary pianism as well as his predilection for language as coarse as his Chopin Nocturnes are elegant and refined. He inveighs against pianists who grimace like rock singers and stare at the heavens to communicate profundity. Music making should be detoxified of this phony reverence. It is alive, the product of very hard preparation and innate talent. "Everything in music is a device or a tune." Play with feeling and an idea in mind. Wild was famous for his transcriptions and improvisation. A man of very definite opinions and no little self regard, he must have been the life of the party. A recommended read.

Any reactions to this Grieg/Liszt recording?:

https://www.discogs.com/release/10695689-Edvard-Grieg-Franz-Liszt-Earl-WildRoyal-Philharmonic-Orchestra-Earl-Wild-Plays-Two-Favorite-Concerto