SCHUBERT
Moment musical in F minor D780/3 1954
12 Deutsche Ländler D790 1951
Litanie (arr. Cortot) 1953
LISZT
Hungarian Rhapsody No 11 in A minor S244/11 1953
SCHUMANN
Carnaval Op 9 1953
CHOPIN
Nocturne No 5 in F sharp major Op 15/2 1954
Etude in G flat Op 10/5 1954
Etude in F minor Op 25/2 1954
Etude in G flat Op 25/9 1954
Sonata No 2 in B flat minor Op 35 - Marche funèbre 1953
Tarantelle in A flat Op 43 1954
Sonata No 3 in B minor Op 58 - Largo 1954
Waltz No 7 in C# minor Op 64/2 1954
This fourth volume of late Cortot completes APR’s survey of the post-war recordings which the pianist made for EMI in the UK. We are now entering the era of tape recording, and apart from the Deutsche Ländler of 1951, all the other titles, which date from 1953-54, were recorded in this new medium. This gave the artist new freedom, as he was not restriced to the length of a 78rpm side for each take, and Cortot tackled much of his ‘big’ repertoire again. Sadly, by this time his failing health meant that many works remained unissued as they did not meet the standards of his earlier magnificent versions, however some old warehorses did stand the test of time, as can be heard in the Carnaval featured here. His playing may have become technically more fallible but the performances fully support the claim of the late Thomas Manshardt, one of Cortot's last pupils, that this period of Cortot's career "is his greatest in thought and warmth and mastery’.
The booklet contains a discography of all Cortot’s HMV sessions from 1953 to 1955.
APR5574 Available on Compact Disc, as a Digital Download and to Stream