4CDs
COMPACT DISC 1 (73’02)
1. BEETHOVEN Piano Concerto No 2 in B flat major Op 19 BBC SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA / SIR MALCOLM SARGENT Recorded on 6 August 1962
4. LISZT Piano Concerto No 2 in A major S125 BBC SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA / SIR MALCOLM SARGENT Recorded on 6 August 1962
8. PROKOFIEV Piano Concerto No 4 in B flat major for the left-hand Op 53 BBC SCOTTISH ORCHESTRA / NORMAN DEL MAR Recorded on 21 January 1962
COMPACT DISC 2 (78’13)
1. LYAPUNOV Piano Concerto No 1 in E flat minor Op 4 BBC SCOTTISH ORCHESTRA / NORMAN DEL MAR Recorded on 21 January 1961
6. RUBINSTEIN Six Études Op 23 Recorded in January 1966
12. ALKAN Allegretto alla Barbaresca Op 39 No 1 Recorded in April 1966
13. ALKAN Capriccio alla soldatesca Op 50; 14. Le tambour bat aux champs Op 50bis Recorded in April 1966
COMPACT DISC 3 (66’16)
1. MEDTNER Sonata-Ballade in F sharp major Op 27 Recorded on 29 September 1976
4. MEDTNER Sonata Minacciosa in F minor Op 53 No 2 Recorded on 29 September 1976
5. MEDTNER 4 Skazki Op 26 Recorded on 29 September 1976
9. MEDTNER Sonate-Idylle in G major Op 56 Recorded in 1991
COMPACT DISC 4 (73’02)
1. CHOPIN Études Op 10 Recorded on 13–15 July 1995
13. CHOPIN Études Op 25 Recorded on 13–15 July 1995
25. CHOPIN Nouvelles Études Recorded on 13–15 July 1995
28. GLINKA/BALAKIREV The Lark Recorded on 14–16 July 2000
Malcolm Binns (born 29 January 1936) was for half a century one of the UK’s most significant pianists. He retired aged 80, but let’s not forget his hugely eclectic career which ranged from giving the UK premiere of Prokofiev’s 4th Piano Concerto in 1961 (and UK broadcast premiere, included here) to being the first pianist to record the complete Beethoven piano sonatas on original instruments. For this celebration we focus on his early career with several uniquely preserved BBC concerto recordings from the pianist’s own collection, including a Proms performance featuring two concertos with Sir Malcolm Sargent, a rare LP on the Concert Artist label featuring works by Rubinstein and Alkan which were premiere recordings at the time, and, from much later, two of his most acclaimed recordings from the no longer active Pearl label.
APR7405
Available on Compact Disc, as a Digital Download and to Stream
3CDs
COMPACT DISC 1 (75’06) The unpublished 1931-1931 Columbia recordings & Beethoven Appassionata Sonata
1. MEDTNER Skazka in E minor Op 14 No 2 (March of the Paladin)
2. MEDTNER Skazka in B minor Op 20 No 2 (Campanella)
Recorded in Central Hall, Westminster, London, on 31 March 1930
3. MEDTNER Skazka in A major Op 51 No 3 (take 1)
4. MEDTNER Skazka in A major Op 51 No 3 (take 3)
5. MEDTNER Skazka in F sharp minor Op 51 No 5
6. MEDTNER Skazka in B flat minor Op 20 No 1
Recorded in Central Hall, Westminster, London, on 1 April 1930
7. MEDTNER Skazka in F minor Op 26 No 3
8. MEDTNER Skazka in E flat major Op 26 No 2
9. MEDTNER Skazka in A major Op 51 No 3
Recorded in Petty France Studios, London, on 11 February 1931
10. MEDTNER Hymn in praise of toil Op 49 No 1 (Before work)
11. MEDTNER Danza jubilosa No 4 of Forgotten Melodies III, Op 40
12. MEDTNER Skazka in A minor Op 51 No 2
13. MEDTNER Danza festiva No 3 of Forgotten Melodies I, Op 38
14. MEDTNER Canzona matinata No 4 of Forgotten Melodies II, Op 39
Recorded in Petty France Studios, London, on 25 February 1931
15. MEDTNER Skazka in C minor Op 8 No 1
16. MEDTNER Novelle in G major Op 17 No 1 (Daphnis and Chloe)
Recorded in Petty France Studios, London, on 26 February 1931
17-19. BEETHOVEN Sonata in F minor Op 57 (Appassionata)
Recorded in Studio 3, Abbey Road, London,on 20–21 November & 9 December 1946
COMPACT DISC 2 (76’14) The 1936 & 1947 HMV recordings & Violin Sonata No 1
1. MEDTNER Novelle in G major Op 17 No 1
2. MEDTNER Skazka in B flat minor Op 20 No 1
3. MEDTNER Skazka in B minor Op 20 No 2 (Campanella)
Recorded in Studio 3, Abbey Road, London, on 21 April 1936
4. MEDTNER Skazka in A minor Op 51 No 2
5. MEDTNER Danza festiva No 3 of Forgotten Melodies I, Op 38
6. MEDTNER Skazka in A minor Op 34 No 3 (Wood Goblin)
7. MEDTNER Arabesque in G minor Op 7 No 3 (Tragedy Fragment)
8. MEDTNER Danza jubilosa No 4 of Forgotten Melodies III, Op 40
Recorded in Studio 3, Abbey Road, London, on 22 April 1936
9. MEDTNER Skazka in A major Op 51 No 3
10. MEDTNER Skazka in E minor Op 14 No 2 (March of the Paladin)
11. MEDTNER Skazka in E flat major Op 26 No 2
12. MEDTNER Skazka in F minor Op 26 No 3
13. MEDTNER Skazka in E minor Op 34 No 2
Recorded in Studio 3, Abbey Road, London, on 8 May 1936
14. MEDTNER Russian Round-Dance Op 58/1 with BENNO MOISEIWITSCH piano
Recorded in Studio 3, Abbey Road, London, on 24 October 1946
15. MEDTNER Improvisation Op 31 No 1
Recorded in Studio 3, Abbey Road, London, on 28 October 1946
16-18. MEDTNER Violin Sonata No 1 in B minor Op 21 with CECILIA HANSEN violin
Recorded in Studio 3, Abbey Road, London, on 25 April 1947
COMPACT DISC 3 (62’23) The 1947 HMV recordings
1. MEDTNER Canzona matinata No 4 of Forgotten Melodies II, Op 39
2-4. MEDTNER Sonata tragica in C minor No 5 of Forgotten Melodies II, Op 39
Recorded in Studio 3, Abbey Road, London, on 19 March 1947
5. MEDTNER Arabesque in A minor Op 7 No 2 (Tragedy fragment)
Recorded in Studio 3, Abbey Road, London, on 21 March 1947
6-8. MEDTNER Sonata-Ballada in F sharp major Op 27
Recorded in Studio 3, Abbey Road, London, on 24, 25 & 27 March 1947
9. MEDTNER Hymn in praise of toil Op 49 No 1 (Before work)
Recorded in Studio 3, Abbey Road, London, on 25 March 1947
10. MEDTNER Novelle in C minor Op 17 No 2
Recorded in Studio 3, Abbey Road, London, on 27 March 1947
11. MEDTNER Skazka in D minor Op 51 No 1
Recorded in Studio 3, Abbey Road, London, on 21 & 31 March 1947
12. MEDTNER Skazka in F minor Op 26 No 3
Recorded in Studio 3, Abbey Road, London, on 31 March 1947
13. MEDTNER Primavera No 3 of Forgotten Melodies II, Op 39
Recorded in Studio 3, Abbey Road, London, on 19 September 1947
APR’s landmark issue on three CDs of Nicolas Medtner’s complete solo recordings, which included fifteen 78-rpm sides of previously thought lost Columbia recordings from 1931 and an unpublished HMV recording of his Violin Sonata No 1, are here reissued as a set. Medtner was a magnificent pianist, and these are definitive performances of many of his most important compositions.
We can also hear him in Beethoven’s Appassionata Sonata, the only music other than his own, he was to record.
For this reissue we have added a track – his recording of the Russian Round Dance for two pianos where he is joined by Benno Moiseiwitsch – and made some further refinements to the sound quality of the transfers.
APR7315
Available on Compact Disc, as a Digital Download and to Stream
2CDs
COMPACT DISC 1 (80.05)
1. MacDOWELL Piano Concerto No 2 in D minor Op 23
BOSTON POPS ORCHESTRA/ARTHUR FIEDLER recorded on 1 July 1936
4. PADEREWSKI Piano Concerto in A minor Op 17
BOSTON POPS ORCHESTRA/ARTHUR FIEDLER recorded on 30 June 1939
JUAN MOREL CAMPOS Puerto Rican Dances
7. Felices días 8. Maldito amor 9. Alma sublime 10. Tormento 11. ¡No me toques! 12. Vano empeño 13. Laura y Georgina 14. Buen humor recorded on 9 August 1939 & 1 July 1941
COMPACT DISC 2 (75.34)
1. MENDELSSOHN Piano Concerto No 1 in G minor Op 25
BOSTON POPS ORCHESTRA/ARTHUR FIEDLER recorded on 29 June 1938
4. LISZT Totentanz – Paraphrase über ‘Dies irae’ S126
BOSTON POPS ORCHESTRA/ARTHUR FIEDLER recorded on 30 June 1937
5. GERSHWIN Rhapsody in Blue
BOSTON POPS ORCHESTRA/ARTHUR FIEDLER recorded on 1 July 1935
6. GERSHWIN Concerto in F for piano and orchestra
BOSTON POPS ORCHESTRA/ARTHUR FIEDLER recorded on 22 March 1940
The Puerto Rican pianist JESÚS MARÍA SANROMÁ (1902–1984) came to the USA to study and subsequently built his career there. He had a very wide repertoire and gave the US premieres of many contemporary works, including Ravel’s G major Concerto, but was equally at home in the classics or Gershwin. He had a long association with the Boston Symphony Orchestra and their summer festival brand the ‘Pops’, resulting in the series of concertos reproduced here. All are conducted by Arthur Fiedler (1894-1979) who conducted the ‘Pops’ for an astonishing 50 years from 1930. Their Gershwin Rhapsody was a huge hit, and the MacDowell and Paderewski were first recordings. We’ve filled out the set with Sanromá’s first recording of a selection of dances by Juan Morel Campos, his 19th century Puerto Rican fellow countryman.
APR6045
Available on Compact Disc, as a Digital Download and to Stream
3CDs
COMPACT DISC 1 (78’12)
1. CHOPIN Piano Concerto No 2 in F minor Op 21
SIR EUGENE GOOSSENS / VIENNA STATE OPERA ORCHESTRA
4. CHOPIN Nocturne in D flat major Op 27/2
5. CHOPIN Scherzo No 1 in B minor Op 20
6. CHOPIN Scherzo No 2 in B flat minor Op 31
7. CHOPIN Scherzo No 3 in C sharp minor Op 39
8. CHOPIN Scherzo No 4 in E major Op 54
COMPACT DISC 2 (68’43)
1. WEBER/TAUSIG Invitation to the Dance
2. MEDTNER Danza festiva Op 38/3
3. ERNESTO HALFFTER Danza de la Pastora from the ballet Sonatine
4. BARTÓK Romanian Folk Dances Sz56
10. BIZET/RACHMANINOV Minuet from L’arlésienne suite No 1
11. CHOPIN Waltz in D flat major ‘Minute’ Op 64/1
12. CHOPIN Mazurka in A flat major Op 59/2
13. CHOPIN Mazurka in F sharp minor Op 59/3
14. CHOPIN Polonaise-Fantasy in A flat major Op 61
15. CHOPIN Étude in A flat major Op 25/1; 16. Étude in F minor Op 25/2
17. Étude in F major Op 25/3; 18. Étude in G flat major ‘Butterfly’ Op 25/9
19. Nouvelle étude in A flat major KKIIb/3; 20. Étude in C sharp minor Op 10/4
21. Étude in A flat major Op 10/10; 22. Étude in C major Op 10/7
23. Étude in F major Op 10/8 24. Étude in C minor ‘Revolutionary’ Op 10/12
COMPACT DISC 3 (65’29)
1. DEBUSSY Étude ‘Pour les arpèges composés’ L143/11
2. SZYMANOWSKI Étude in B flat minor Op 4/3
3. MOSZKOWSKI Étude de virtuosité in F major Op 72/6
4. SCRIABIN Étude in B flat minor Op 8/11
5. SCRIABIN Étude in C sharp minor Op 2/1
6. LISZT Gnomenreigen S145/2
7. RACHMANINOV Étude-tableau in E flat minor Op 33/6
8. RACHMANINOV Piano Concerto No 3 in D minor Op 30
SIR EUGENE GOOSSENS / VIENNA STATE OPERA ORCHESTRA
The American pianist ANN SCHEIN (born 1939) has had a long and distinguished career as both a performer and latterly, as a teacher. She studied with Busoni pupil Mieczysław Munz and then with both Myra Hess and Arthur Rubinstein. She had early success in romantic repertoire, and her Rachmaninov 3rd concerto became a sensational calling card as can be heard in its subsequent recording. For those ‘in the know’ her most impressive recordings are those she made in her youth between 1958 and 1960 for the US KAPP label in its short-lived entry into the classical world. These five long-unavailable LPs are reissued here together for the first time.
APR7320
Available on Compact Disc, as a Digital Download and to Stream
2CDs
COMPACT DISC 1 (79.26)
1. BEETHOVEN Sonata No 8 in C minor ‘Pathétique’ Op 13 Recorded on 9 January 1931
4. BEETHOVEN Sonata No 14 in C sharp minor ‘Moonlight’ Op 27 No 2
Recorded on 19 August 1930
7. BEETHOVEN Sonata No 15 in D major ‘Pastoral’ Op 28 Recorded on 17 April 1931
11. BEETHOVEN Piano Concerto No 4 in G major Op 58
BERLIN STATE OPERA ORCHESTRA / FRIEDER WEISSMANN
Recorded on 4 November & 6 December 1926
14. SCHUBERT/LISZT Ständchen von Shakespeare ‘Horch, horch! die Lerch’’ S558/9
Vox acoustic disc, recorded in November 1923
15. CHOPIN/ALEKSANDER MICHAŁOWSKI Paraphrase on the Waltz in D flat major Op 64/1 Vox acoustic disc, recorded in November 1923
COMPACT DISC 2 (76.01)
1. SCHUMANN Carnaval Op 9 Recorded on 6 May & 15 October 1931
22. LISZT Hungarian Rhapsody No 12 in C sharp minor S244/12 Recorded on 20 May 1927
23. LISZT Liebesträume No 3 S541/3 Recorded on 22 August 1928
24. MENDELSSOHN Scherzo in E minor Op 16 No 2 Recorded on 22 August 1928
25. GRIEG Norwegian Dance in A major Op 35 No 2 Recorded on 22 August 1928
26. GRIEG Anitra’s Dance from Peer Gynt, Op 46 Recorded on 22 August 1927
27. GRIEG March of the Dwarfs No 3 from Lyric Pieces, Op 54 Recorded on 22 August 1927
28. SAUER Boîte à musique (Spieluhr) Recorded on 22 August 1928
29. STRAUSS/GRÜNFELD Soirée de Vienne Op 56 Recorded on 6 December 1926
30. STRAUSS/GRÜNFELD Frühlingsstimmen Op 57 Recorded on 22 August 1927
31. STRAUSS/SZRETER Wiener Blut Recorded on 12 May 1928
32. STRAUSS/SZRETER Künstlerleben Recorded on 12 June 1928
33. STRAUSS/SZRETER Die Fledermaus waltzes Recorded on 12 June 1928
A generation before the now iconic Dinu Lipatti died of cancer at the age of 33, a much less remembered Polish pianist, KAROL SZRETER (1898–1933), died of the same disease at almost the same age. A pupil of Egon Petri, so of the Busoni school, his brief career began in central Europe and by the time of his death he was becoming acknowledged as a major figure in the pianistic world. His first recordings were made acoustically for VOX, where he recorded both as accompanist and soloist, and we have included one example. He was then taken up by the sister labels Parlophon and Odeon and the majority of these recordings are presented here. Of note is the first electrical recording of Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No 4 and three further sonatas, and – reflecting a different side of his art – five brilliant Strauss transcriptions where he reveals his stupendous technique.
This is the first of a new APR series featuring Polish pianists.
APR6048
Available on Compact Disc, as a Digital Download and to Stream