Agustin Anievas: a pianist for (almost) all seasons
td
had provided the most listening pleasure through the years, it would
be impossible to overlook the name of Agustin Anievas. The other
automatic names would be Van Cliburn, of course, Ivan Davis (for the
sheer fun and flair and wit of his playing), Leon Fleisher, Charles
Rosen (for his intellectual depth if not for his pianistic prowess)
and Byron Janis.
But Gus Anievas has often been overlooked by piano aficionados,
probably because of the fairly early abandonment of his concert career
in favour of the quieter life of a teacher and family man. In error,
in my opinion.
I have recently taken down his many EMI recordings for another listen.
Again, I am won over by the total naturalness of the playing, the easy
romantic phrasing, the lack of fakery and sheer plainness of the
playing. The composer, whatever composer - Chopin, Rachmaninoff,
Liszt, Schubert - becomes the real star of an Anievas recording. It is
not that he lacks individuality or temperament, just that this does
not leap out at you in the first instance, as it does, say, with
Martha Argerich, for example.
The Chopin Etudes (reissued in a Forte twofer 574290-2 which seems to
have been deleted, alas) are a case in point. I first purchased these
in the 1960s on a budget EMI issue from the UK. They have always been
among my very favourite recordings of this music, although many others
have come along since to seduce my ears. The CD issue reveals a few
finger slips which could easily have been caught by the producer, but
they only humanise Anievas in my opinion. Although I have not actually
seen the mastertape, I feel that there were probably very few edits
here, unlike the famed Pollini recording on DG made a few years later,
where the yellow tape flits by incessantly, indicating that his was
truly a manufactured perfection. Anievas comes across as very real,
very true. Also true in the feeling behind his playing. He doesn't
milk the famous tunes, he just plays them beautifully and sensitively.
The way Adele Marcus taught him to do, I would add. Something of a
shrew in the teaching room, but boy did she get results. As for
technique, just listen to his double thirds etude and then tell me he
has to give way to Mr. Lhevinne. Not one single whit.
I do believe Anievas' recorded repertoire has almost all appeared on
CD.
However, I have yet to see the Brahms Handel and Paganini Variations
appear on CD (on Seraphim 60049 recorded in 1966 about the same time
as the Chopin Etudes). The Liszt Paganini Etudes will appear along
with the already reissued Liszt Sonata any moment now in the UK. But I
suppose we won't get the Mephisto Waltz, Consolation No. 3, Un Sospiro
and Hungarian Rhapsody No. 12 which also appeared on EMI 1C 063-02221.
The previously mentioned Chopin twofer also eliminated his Four Chopin
Impromptus. And then there is his debut recording on ST/AND SLS 7407
of Liszt (the Sonata, TE in F minor, Petrarch Sonnetto 104, and HR #
12). The TE in F minor is one of the greatest performances I have ever
heard of that music.
The rest, the Chopin Etudes, Ballades, B minor sonata, and Waltzes,
the Rachmaninoff Concerti and Preludes, the Liszt Sonata, the Schubert
Impromptus, these we have all seen at one time or another on CD.
And they all continue to give enormous pleasure, I think. Sure there
are other versions of all this music, but Anievas' stand right up
there with the best, in my opinion.
TD
td
Correction: the new Liszt recital on EMI from the UK WILL include all
the items on that original recording from 1972, leaving only the
Brahms Variations from 1966 and the 4 Chopin Impromptus from Anievas'
EMI repertoire.
TD
The Historian
> Again, I am won over by ....the lack of fakery....
After getting burned in Hattogate, I'm sure you now look for 'lack of
fakery.'
graham
"The Historian" <neil.the...@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:70907005-d891-4743...@s14g2000vbp.googlegroups.com...
____________________________________________________
Oh FFS, let sleeping bitches lie!!
Matthew B. Tepper
following letters to be typed in news:70907005-d891-4743-ad46-
88c056...@s14g2000vbp.googlegroups.com:
I have never had any reason to suspect Anievas of fakery. His Seraphim LP of
Brahms' Handel and Paganini variations (the latter done in its discrete two
books, as written, and not combined as Michelangeli and others have done) is
superb, and while I have a private transfer of that LP on my iPod, I'd love
to have the whole thing properly done for CD.
--
Matthew B. Tepper: WWW, science fiction, classical music, ducks!
My personal home page -- http://home.earthlink.net/~oy/index.html
My main music page --- http://home.earthlink.net/~oy/berlioz.html
To write to me, do for my address what Androcles did for the lion
Opinions expressed here are not necessarily those of my employers
gperkins151
> had provided the most listening pleasure through the years, it would
> be impossible to overlook the name of Agustin Anievas. The other
> automatic names would be Van Cliburn, of course, Ivan Davis (for the
> sheer fun and flair and wit of his playing), Leon Fleisher, Charles
> Rosen (for his intellectual depth if not for his pianistic prowess)
> and Byron Janis.
I assume you have heard Anievas's Rachmaninoff preludes, Tom? They
were my first set of these works and remain one of my favorites. For
some reason (poor reviews, I think) I have not purchased his
Rachmaninoff Concertos on EMI. Have you heard them? Are they better
than the reviews indicate?
Rugby
>
> Correction: the new Liszt recital on EMI from the UK WILL include all
> the items on that original recording from 1972, leaving only the
> Brahms Variations from 1966 and the 4 Chopin Impromptus from Anievas'
> EMI repertoire.
>
> TD
I have the Seraphim Brahms variations lp, and agree with many of your
comments. My Seraphim claims to be his debut recording,so indeed
puzzling the Brahms pieces not reissued on cd yet, unless these
Barhams pieces are low sellers generally ?
While certainly well- played, his 1966 Paganinis are not the
individual, inspired variety of Backhaus or ABM. But then, in fairness
to Anievas, whose are ?! Anievas was perhaps a bit too self-effacing
in his performance style (?), although these Barhms pieces are the
only recordings of his I have.
I thought his Handels were the more impressive set. I do also recall
fondly a live performance of the Handels by Charles Rosen on the MPR
"Saint Paul Sunday" radio program with Bill McLaughlin several years
ago; McLaughlin lauding Rosen for having the guts to play them "out
loud". Wonder if that programe was archived ( and I shall now search).
Then there is Ernst Levy's slam-bang approach to the Handels, and
Arnoldo Cohen's good effort. Did ABM record,play the Handels ?
I do believe I read or heard, perhaps from you (?), that Anievas was
practicing up for a "come-back", but I may be hallucinating from the
results of our so far awful Winter here; or a new additive to my
Corbett Canyon California jugwine.
Regards, Rugby
Rugby
The Rosen live Handels do not appear to be archived in an available
manner to all Internet comers.But maybe I missed.
Here is a 1981 NYT review of an Anievas' recital which is perhaps
telling :
http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9C01E4DB153BF931A15752C0A967948260
Regards, Rugby
td
The Paganini and Rach 2 came out first, I seem to recall, as a
separate venture. Then later, for some anniversary of SR, EMI asked
Anievas to record the other concerti, which he did. They first
appeared in a three LP boxed set, I think, and then, more recently on
twofers or threefers coupled with his Preludes, which were also part
of those anniversary celebrations.
The problem with this set is the variety of conductors, recording
dates, venues, recording philosophy etc. They do not seem as much "of
a piece" as, say, Ashkenazy/Previn, for example. Or Ashkenazy/Haitink.
Or Kocsis/De Waart. Or Wild/Horenstein. And so on.
They are unfailingly musical and not at all idiosyncratic in the best
possible meaning of the word.
Certainly they are a worthy version of this music. If you only ever
owned them, you would not miss much in SR's music, although you would
miss the extras that
Ashkenazy, Wild and Kocsis bring to the music, without even venturing
into the Argerich 3, etc.
TD
td
There were indications many years ago that he was thinking of "going
for it". I think he may have decided that discretion is the better
part of valour.
Incidentally, ABM did NOT record the Paganini Variations in their
entirety. He actually omits several variations, alters the order of
the ones he retains and altogether destroys the whole sense of how
this music was written. Thrilling, in its way, but hardly a model for
others.
Backhaus? Oh, my, my. Interesting, of course. But nobody on God's
green earth could ever match Backhaus for dry efficiency. Largely a
heartless example of pure piano-playing, I think. I prefer Anievas to
either of these "great pianists".
TD
td
Well, it does tell us a great deal about Mr. Rothstein, I would say,
but precious little about Anievas and his interpretation of Bach,
Chopin and Schumann.
Rosen recorded the Paganini Variations for Decca in the early 1950s.
That elusive 10" LP does reside somewhere in my library. The problem
is where, of course.
The Handels are also a difficult piece. Rosen, circa the 1980s, could
well have given a decent reading of this music. He always fancied
himself a "virtuoso" and often played virtuoso repertoire, even
recently, alas. Frankly, I never saw him as a virtuoso. Certainly a
tremendous musical mind, often opening himself up to a modicum of
poetry, particularly in recital, but not a really natural virtuoso.
His Don Juan Fantasy, even in the studio, is somewhat laboured and his
LP "Virtuoso" actually begs the question completely. A real virtuoso
would toss all that music off as though it was easy. Think Earl Wild.
Or Cherkassky. Or Horowitz. Or Argerich. Rosen conquers the notes but
misses the ease which this music has to have in order to make its
point. Virtuoso, indeed!
TD
gperkins151
Thanks, Tom. I'll pick it up at some point.
John Thomas
couple of years ago and have to agree that his is easily the reference
recording for these. I'll have to start looking for his others.
-John Thomas
td
Glad you enjoy it, John. With Anievas you really can buy with
confidence, in my opinion.
TD
grobbe...@gmail.com
> On Jan 4, 2:13 pm, gperkins151 <gperkins...@yahoo.com> wrote:
> > I assume you have heard Anievas's Rachmaninoff preludes, Tom? They
> > were my first set of these works and remain one of my favorites. For
> > some reason (poor reviews, I think) I have not purchased his
> > Rachmaninoff Concertos on EMI. Have you heard them? Are they better
> > than the reviews indicate?
> The problem with this set is the variety of conductors, recording
> dates, venues, recording philosophy etc.
Indeed. All three concertos defended by the law firm of de Burgos,
Atzmon, & Ceccto
Dil.
grobbe...@gmail.com
Thanks for the interesting post, Tom. The Anievas Rach Preludes have
always been my favorite of the complete sets. I'll have to investigate
those Chopin Etudes -never heard them previously.
Dil.
Steve Emerson
<21ef763b-e73d-4d29...@u18g2000pro.googlegroups.com>,
td <tomde...@mac.com> wrote:
> If I had to choose from among the many TYAPs of the 1950s the ones who
> had provided the most listening pleasure through the years, it would
> be impossible to overlook the name of Agustin Anievas. The other
> automatic names would be Van Cliburn, of course, Ivan Davis (for the
> sheer fun and flair and wit of his playing), Leon Fleisher, Charles
> Rosen (for his intellectual depth if not for his pianistic prowess)
> and Byron Janis.
I don't know what a TYAP is but this looks like a list from which Julius
Katchen has been inadvertently omitted.
Anievas's Liszt and Rachmaninoff are attractive, ditto his Chopin Sonata
3, but I'm afraid his Etudes are something I dislike intensely -- they
strike me as a caricature of American Chopin playing, worse than Kapell.
Matter of taste, I guess.
SE.
abac...@att.net
> The Chopin Etudes (reissued in a Forte twofer 574290-2 which seems to
I have had the LP for many years, and yes, his playing is excellent
and it is true, without musical distortions such as one hears with
Cziffra or labored as one hears with Cherkassky.
I had the honor of studying with him for a year(hardly an honor for
him) :-)). He once played for me the opening of the Tchaikovsky PC
1. I was amazed at the clarity and power of the arpeggios. It was
playing
at the highest level just a few feet away!!!
After reading this tribute to Anievas, I went back to a cassette which
contains the 4 Chopin ballades and impromptus. Unfortunately, my
original impressions still stand.
Only in the 4th ballade is there evidence of the big talent he is
capable of demonstrating... he tosses off some extremely difficult
passages with complete ease. But he also at times is rather careless
about phrasing, articulation and voicing of chords and a lot of the
playing seems to lack genuine feeling........ the piano sound is
shallow. Wonder if he is playing on a Bladwin????
Again, in the impromptus his playing is uneven, even techincally not
always clean and not very inspired musicially..
I also just re-listened to the Brahms Paganini and Handel Variations.
The Paganini is competent technically though a bit lacking in grandeur
IMO. The Handel variaitons has some
truly beautiful passages, especially exquisetly controlled quiet
sections. But again, there are some unclear, rushed moments, played
too fast for comfort.
BTW, he is the nicest of individuals, seemingly free of excessive ego.
He treated my modest talents with utmost tact and did not hesitate to
praise the few times where I exhibited some competency!!
AB
Rugby
> Backhaus? Oh, my, my. Interesting, of course. But nobody on God's
> green earth could ever match Backhaus for dry efficiency. Largely a
> heartless example of pure piano-playing, I think. I prefer Anievas to
> either of these "great pianists".
My Backhaus Paganinis are the early,abridged acoustic version and the
electric from the late 20's. Not dry.Altered or not, I'd take ABM's
1955 live Warsaw Paganinis to the desert island,neither Anievas nor
anyone else I've heard recently close.
Rugby
Rugby
> BTW, he is the nicest of individuals, seemingly free of excessive ego.
> He treated my modest talents with utmost tact and did not hesitate to
> praise the few times where I exhibited some competency!!
I shall have to send my wife to him for "lessons".
Rugby
Misha
"live Warsaw Paganinis": now there are three words that one doesn't
expect to fall together.
Regards,
MN
td
> In article
> <21ef763b-e73d-4d29-838c-9c3ef67f5...@u18g2000pro.googlegroups.com>,
>
> td <tomdedea...@mac.com> wrote:
> > If I had to choose from among the many TYAPs of the 1950s the ones who
> > had provided the most listening pleasure through the years, it would
> > be impossible to overlook the name of Agustin Anievas. The other
> > automatic names would be Van Cliburn, of course, Ivan Davis (for the
> > sheer fun and flair and wit of his playing), Leon Fleisher, Charles
> > Rosen (for his intellectual depth if not for his pianistic prowess)
> > and Byron Janis.
>
> I don't know what a TYAP is but this looks like a list from which Julius
> Katchen has been inadvertently omitted.
Not really.
I am very much aware of Katchen's abilities. See the GPE.
Katchen was American born, but actually - from about age 18 -
considered a French pianist. He made his home in Paris for decades. He
made all his recordings for a British label, Decca, and made fairly
rare appearances on this side of the Atlantic once he had moved to
France.
I never did hear him in Toronto throughout my childhood and youth, for
example, whereas I heard all the others in question, and regularly.
> Anievas's Liszt and Rachmaninoff are attractive, ditto his Chopin Sonata
> 3, but I'm afraid his Etudes are something I dislike intensely -- they
> strike me as a caricature of American Chopin playing, worse than Kapell.
> Matter of taste, I guess.
Indeed. Very much so. I consider them a standard of sorts.
Unexceptional, perhaps, but also unexceptionable. Anievas is a pianist
I much prefer to WK, for example, whose playing never really matured
and then he died.
TD
td
And we have been similarly generous, Arri, congratulating you on the
rare occasions when you are able to hear sufficiently well to agree
with us. You did say it correctly, however, modest talents. Now, if
only you were similarly modest in your musical opinions.
TD
td
Fortunately, I do not live on a desert island. I prefer to hear what
Brahms wrote rather than how ABM decided to make them in order to
achieve some spurious climax.
TD
Rugby
> The way Adele Marcus taught him to do, I would add. Something of a
> shrew in the teaching room, but boy did she get results.
My Seraphim liner notes also indicate studies with Olga Samaroff and
Ernest Hutcheson, both at Julliard. Quite a pedigree.
Rugby
Kip Williams
> My Seraphim liner notes also indicate studies with Olga Samaroff and
> Ernest Hutcheson, both at Julliard. Quite a pedigree.
My teacher in Colorado, Wendel Diebel, studied with Samaroff. I wish I'd
been able to study with him longer -- he only had time to partially
un-teach me some of the horrible things I'd taught myself in the
preceding few years without lessons.
Kip W
Rugby
I have a recording of Hutcheson in the "Emperor", one of the "best"
versions I have.Did Samaroff record ?
Regards, Rugby
Rugby
>> Fortunately, I do not live on a desert island. I prefer to hear what
> Brahms wrote rather than how ABM decided to make them in order to
> achieve some spurious climax.
I believe I read somewhere Brahms did not reccomend playing them all
in recital, and did not do so himself, but I may be hallucinating
again.Otjhers here have any such info ? Thanks.
Glad to hear you do not live on a desert island, TD, but you do live
in Canada in Winter ? Not sure which would be worse, but maybe you're
a "lion" in Winter.
Regards, Rugby
Gerard
> Now, if
> only you were similarly modest in your musical opinions.
>
> TD
Can't that be learned from you?
Matthew B. Tepper
be typed in news:e3c0339b-3a7f-4023-b201-703841a474c9
@a29g2000pra.googlegroups.com:
> Glad to hear you do not live on a desert island, TD, but you do live
> in Canada in Winter ? Not sure which would be worse, but maybe you're
> a "lion" in Winter.
Ah, the joy of homophones! (Note: "n" and not "b"!)
td
No.
My immodesty comes after long and arduous practise.
TD
JohnGavin
How is it that Einstein was a basically modest and humble man then?
abac...@att.net
>
> - Show quoted text -
but I never did agree with your ignorant opinions about the "great"
Hatto....... do I deserve some kind of congratulations for that acumen
as well??
AB
Kip Williams
> On Jan 5, 2:00 pm, td <tomdedea...@mac.com> wrote:
>> My immodesty comes after long and arduous practise.
>
> How is it that Einstein was a basically modest and humble man then?
Perhaps that was a pose. After all, he developed atomic weapons and
listened to (and played!) classical music. Along with the hair, he had
the makings of a movie villain.
Tangentially, has anybody here seen or read "The Physicists" (die
Physiker) by Friedrich Duerrenmatt? Terrific play, and it brought the
playwright to my attention as well.
Kip W
Kip Williams
Wikipedia says she did some sides for Victor in the 1920s. I have a dim
impression I've seen her name on some player piano recordings as well,
if roll performances count and if my impression is valid.
Kip W
if & if
Matthew B. Tepper
letters to be typed in news:gjtr6p$1hs$1...@news.motzarella.org:
> [Albert Einstein] developed atomic weapons and listened to (and played!)
> classical music. Along with the hair, he had the makings of a movie
> villain.
Of course, he didn't develop the weapons; he just signed the letter to FDR,
because he was regarded somebody that the president's crowd would not ignore.
I still wonder if there exist any sound recordings of Einstein playing the
violin. Newsreels, perhaps, of his performances with Martinu?
td
Einstein was also very obviously autistic, from recent analyses of his
behaviour over his lifetime.
One should not be brave enough to determine why or even if he was a
"humble man". Perhaps he had a lot to be humble about? I simply don't
know. Surely he had no reason to be humble about his mathematical or
scientific imagination, which was second to none, even in his own
time. But perhaps he was a lousy cook? Or a stumblebum? Who knows? Not
I, for sure. Do you?
TD
Gerard
> JohnGavin wrote:
> > On Jan 5, 2:00 pm, td <tomdedea...@mac.com> wrote:
>
> > > My immodesty comes after long and arduous practise.
> >
> > How is it that Einstein was a basically modest and humble man then?
>
> Perhaps that was a pose. After all, he developed atomic weapons and
> listened to (and played!) classical music. Along with the hair, he had
> the makings of a movie villain.
>
And did you see how he was on the beach?
td
If scepticism deserves a prize, you get it, along with Mr. Lumpkin.
However, I do hope you will describe "her" playing as mediocre now
that we know precisely WHO was playing in her stead. Frankly, I stand
by my opinions of the recordings in question as presented to the
public as "her" work. You, on the other hand, didn't listen; you were
just sceptical.
So, bravo for that. Happy now?
TD
abac...@att.net
I have in my collection and DID listen to "Hatto's" Chopin sonatas.
they are not very good and I said so, I dont want to take credit from
Lumkin who certainly deserves all the credit for exposing this
business... what I pointed out was that some of the recordings were
lousy....... YOU praised ALL of them....... your judgement is shit, as
we all know......
AB
AB
Kip Williams
I guess they had his number.
Kip W
(it was the Number of the Beach)
Kip Williams
> Kip Williams <k...@rochester.rr.com> appears to have caused the following
> letters to be typed in news:gjtr6p$1hs$1...@news.motzarella.org:
>
>> [Albert Einstein] developed atomic weapons and listened to (and played!)
>> classical music. Along with the hair, he had the makings of a movie
>> villain.
>
> Of course, he didn't develop the weapons; he just signed the letter to FDR,
> because he was regarded somebody that the president's crowd would not ignore.
Darn it, I was trying to phrase that so as not to imply that he was
involved in the actual work, and then hit 'send' before it was fully baked.
Well... a hundred years from now, who's going to know?
Kip W
grobbe...@gmail.com
> Matthew B. Tepper wrote:
> > Kip Williams <k...@rochester.rr.com> appears to have caused the following
>
> >> [Albert Einstein] developed atomic weapons and listened to (and played!)
> >> classical music. Along with the hair, he had the makings of a movie
> >> villain.
>
> > Of course, he didn't develop the weapons; he just signed the letter to FDR,
> > because he was regarded somebody that the president's crowd would not ignore.
>
> Darn it, I was trying to phrase that so as not to imply that he was
> involved in the actual work, and then hit 'send' before it was fully baked.
>
> Well... a hundred years from now, who's going to know?
>
> Kip W
A hundred years or a few days...give ot take....
Dil.
Kip Williams
Here's a twofer: Samaroff plays a Hutcheson transcription of "Ride of
the Valkyries."
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XasmhRkwlZY
Five minutes ago, I didn't know this transcription existed. Thanks,
internet!
Kip W
Kip Williams
> Here's a twofer: Samaroff plays a Hutcheson transcription of "Ride of
> the Valkyries."
>
> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XasmhRkwlZY
>
> Five minutes ago, I didn't know this transcription existed. Thanks,
> internet!
ps: The score is available at IMSLP.org as well.
Kip W
td
No, we don't, Arri. I never had ALL of them. Did not comment upon MOST
of the ones I had, only certain ones which seemed extraordinary then
and still do today.
TD
Rugby
> And they all continue to give enormous pleasure, I think. Sure there
> are other versions of all this music, butAnievas' stand right up
> there with the best, in my opinion.
I must say it is always good to engage one's ears before opening one's
mouth.
And admit errors. And that Canadians can be correct, at times.
Relistened today to my Seraphim debut lp of Anievas in Brahms'
Variations.
My reference Handels are Arnoldo Cohen,Ernst Levy,Charles Rosen.
Anievas brings an almost light-hearted yet animated,colorful,
nostalgiac,sweeping,and where needed, dramatic scope to these which is
quite impressive and seems more in keeping with Brahms' intent here
than the more heavy-handed, "serious" other readings. Bravo Anievas !
My Paganini references are the Backhaus acoustic,and 1929 electric;
and ABM's 1955 Warsaw,1973 Lugano. Here again, Anievas can stand with
ABM 1955 and brings a Brahmsian warmth and color I dont find in the
admittedly impressive ABM.
Highly subjective, of course. Might change my mnd next time I listen
to ABM.1955 ABM fans should acquire the Anievas and vice versa. All
should acquire Anievas' debut Handels.
And yet this debut lp has not been re-issued in cd ?! Quell dommage.
Regards, Rugby
Misha
About the Ride, this from the Naxos site: "Although she had a ten-year
contract with Victor, Samaroff made only twenty-two sides, and most of
these were recorded by the acoustic process. Her earliest discs,
dating from 1921, are of encores and were recorded on an out-of-tune
baby grand piano. For her sessions from 1923 she took her own piano to
the Victor studios in Camden, New Jersey and there is a marked
improvement in the sound quality of these discs, the acoustic horn
capturing Debussy’s Clair de lune and Grieg’s Nocturne Op. 54 No. 4
with remarkable fidelity. She was also allowed to record more
substantial works such as Chopin’s Ballade No. 3 in A flat, the last
movement of his B minor Sonata, and Liszt’s Hungarian Rhapsody No. 12.
Samaroff was known for her programming of unusual repertoire and
Victor permitted her to record works by Paul Juon, Lecuona and Griffes
as well as her popular encore, Wagner’s Ride of the Valkyries in an
arrangement for piano by Ernest Hutcheson, a work she had played at
the White House."
td
I feel sure we would all love to hear all of Ms. Hickenlooper's
playing on 78s.
Perhaps you can persuade that rehash master who frequents this place
to do something useful for a change.
A Rose in this way would have quite a different smell.
TD
gperkins151
> The Chopin Etudes (reissued in a Forte twofer 574290-2 which seems to
> in the 1960s on a budget EMI issue from the UK. They have always been
> among my very favourite recordings of this music, although many others
> have come along since to seduce my ears. The CD issue reveals a few
> finger slips which could easily have been caught by the producer, but
> they only humanise Anievas in my opinion. Although I have not actually
> seen the mastertape, I feel that there were probably very few edits
> here, unlike the famed Pollini recording on DG made a few years later,
> where the yellow tape flits by incessantly, indicating that his was
> truly a manufactured perfection. Anievas comes across as very real,
> very true. Also true in the feeling behind his playing. He doesn't
> milk the famous tunes, he just plays them beautifully and sensitively.
> The way Adele Marcus taught him to do, I would add. Something of a
> technique, just listen to his double thirds etude and then tell me he
> has to give way to Mr. Lhevinne. Not one single whit.
> And they all continue to give enormous pleasure, I think. Sure there
> there with the best, in my opinion.
>
Hi Tom,
I listened to Anievas's Chopin Etudes today, As it turns out, I owned
a copy of the two-fer. I don't share your enthusiasm for the Etudes
(or the Ballades, haven't heard the Waltzes yet.) I don't have a
problem with his technical prowess and the slower etudes sound lovely.
I just miss the excitement heard elsewhere in the faster etudes. I
realize that you cite his plainness as being a pro, but for me, I
would like these works to get the blood boiling a bit more. As I very
much enjoy his Rachmaninov preludes, I would suspect the difference
here comes down to interpretation.
George
td
You look for "etudes" in Chopin's pieces. I tend more to look for
"music", and that is what he makes.
Excitement? Boiling blood? I suggest you listen to the Polonaises if
you want that.
TD
gperkins151
I don't much care for the Polonaises, actually.
Not sure why you said I was looking for the etude, as I said the
excitement was missing, not the etude. To me excitement is part of
music, I don't see the two as mutually exclusive.
I realize we are arguing a personal preference here so there's no need
for us to agree. I will say that my intention of tonight's post was
not to pick a fight, but rather share my impression of Anievas's
Etudes/Ballades.
The last time I sat down with the Etudes was with Ashkenazy's later
set. I was on the edge of my seat the whole time, a thrilling
performance. I don't expect everyone's interpretation to be like
that,but I do expect to be impressed in one way or another by a
pianist's interpretation of a work. I would never say it was his fault
if I am not impressed, though. Sometimes the chemistry just isn't
right.
Steve Emerson
<3fd19350-6432-43d5...@o4g2000pra.googlegroups.com>,
gperkins151 <gperk...@yahoo.com> wrote:
> > You look for "etudes" in Chopin's pieces. I tend more to look for
> > "music", and that is what he makes.
> >
> > Excitement? Boiling blood? I suggest you listen to the Polonaises if
> > you want that.
> >
> > TD
>
> I don't much care for the Polonaises, actually.
>
> Not sure why you said I was looking for the etude, as I said the
> excitement was missing, not the etude. To me excitement is part of
> music, I don't see the two as mutually exclusive.
And it is most certainly a vital ingredient in a number of the etudes;
Op 10/1 and 12 and, from Op 25, Winter Wind come instantly to mind.
I don't think it's possible to make the Revolutionary Etude seem too
fierce. (To have heard Liszt play it....)
> I realize we are arguing a personal preference here so there's no need
> for us to agree. I will say that my intention of tonight's post was
> not to pick a fight, but rather share my impression of Anievas's
> Etudes/Ballades.
>
> The last time I sat down with the Etudes was with Ashkenazy's later
> set. I was on the edge of my seat the whole time, a thrilling
> performance. I don't expect everyone's interpretation to be like
> that,but I do expect to be impressed in one way or another by a
> pianist's interpretation of a work.
In the Etudes, Anievas is -- interpretively -- a lightweight. Too many
of them are just pat, first-level, Hallmark-card-like takes on the
gestalt of the piece. Like seeing your average television actress try to
portray Anna Karenina.
Vulgar is not the first word that comes to mind, and I guess there's
more of real music in his Etudes than in, say Gavrilov's, but if
Anievas's Etudes were actually the emotional plateau that Chopin existed
on, FC be a much lesser composer than he is.
So I think pretty much the opposite of TD here. As pure Etudes,
Anievas's aren't bad. As music, they're lukewarm.
SE.
td
> In article
> <3fd19350-6432-43d5-a328-9d0aaa6ba...@o4g2000pra.googlegroups.com>,
>
> gperkins151 <gperkins...@yahoo.com> wrote:
> > > You look for "etudes" in Chopin's pieces. I tend more to look for
> > > "music", and that is what he makes.
>
> > > Excitement? Boiling blood? I suggest you listen to the Polonaises if
> > > you want that.
>
> > > TD
>
> > I don't much care for the Polonaises, actually.
>
> > Not sure why you said I was looking for the etude, as I said the
> > excitement was missing, not the etude. To me excitement is part of
> > music, I don't see the two as mutually exclusive.
>
> And it is most certainly a vital ingredient in a number of the etudes;
> Op 10/1 and 12 and, from Op 25, Winter Wind come instantly to mind.
>
> I don't think it's possible to make the Revolutionary Etude seem too
> fierce. (To have heard Liszt play it....)
Of course not.
And when you listen to IF you realize just how much passion is in this
music.
And you are correct about the Winter Wind. I disagree about Op. 10 No.
1. This is more of an etude than many. But if you want something
extra, just listen to Martha Argerich in Warsaw in 1965.
> > I realize we are arguing a personal preference here so there's no need
> > for us to agree. I will say that my intention of tonight's post was
> > not to pick a fight, but rather share my impression of Anievas's
> > Etudes/Ballades.
>
> > The last time I sat down with the Etudes was with Ashkenazy's later
> > set. I was on the edge of my seat the whole time, a thrilling
> > performance. I don't expect everyone's interpretation to be like
> > that,but I do expect to be impressed in one way or another by a
> > pianist's interpretation of a work.
>
> In the Etudes, Anievas is -- interpretively -- a lightweight. Too many
> of them are just pat, first-level, Hallmark-card-like takes on the
> gestalt of the piece. Like seeing your average television actress try to
> portray Anna Karenina.
Well, we hear these things differently, is all I can say. To me
Anievas brings winning musicality to his recording of the Chopin
Etudes.
> Vulgar is not the first word that comes to mind,
Nor even the last, I would suggest.
and I guess there's
> more of real music in his Etudes than in, say Gavrilov's,
That is like saying that Florida isn't as cold as Siberia.
I have to wonder why, Steve, you use such extreme comparisons.
but if
> Anievas's Etudes were actually the emotional plateau that Chopin existed
> on, FC be a much lesser composer than he is.
Which is an underhanded way of saying that Anievas makes Chopin seem
like, say, Moscheles?
REALLY!
> So I think pretty much the opposite of TD here. As pure Etudes,
> Anievas's aren't bad. As music, they're lukewarm.
It is not they which are lukewarm.
It is rather you who are lukewarm to their charms. No?
Sometimes the inability to hear is one's own responsibility.
> > I would never say it was his fault
> > if I am not impressed, though. Sometimes the chemistry just isn't
> > right.
And that chemistry takes two to tango.
TD
JohnGavin
> of them are just pat, first-level, Hallmark-card-like takes on the
> gestalt of the piece. Like seeing your average television actress try to
> portray Anna Karenina.
>
that's personal preference, but my take on Anievas is not so much that
he's lightweight, but that his Chopin is of the more classical strain
- closer to Mozart in spirit than Liszt.
I recently read an essay on Italian romanticism. Here is a short
excerpt:
"Italy never totally absorbed Romanticism with its emphasis on
excessive emotions, irrationalism, free form etc. A sense of grace,
elegant beauty and formal perfection together with a preference for
simplicity over complexity have often been among the components of the
Italian attitude in Arts."
This actually describes IMO Anievas' approach to the Etudes.
Connecting Chopin with the Italian school is not entirely
inappropriate, considering his influences.