Pianophilia

Liking the Schattmann Klavierstücke, Alfor: A pretty nice piece.

Also thanks for posting the Lewenthal Preface. If it were not for Lewenthal I fear Alkan would have remained an obscure composer for many more years. His initial Alkan recording made real musical history and created a sensation. His thoughts on Alkan are worth preserving.

fleubis wrote:Also thanks for posting the Lewenthal Preface. If it were not for Lewenthal I fear Alkan would have remained an obscure composer for many more years. His initial Alkan recording made real musical history and created a sensation. His thoughts on Alkan are worth preserving.

Agreed. His initiial recording was the first I heard. I also a while ago posted a link to his 1963 broadcast - here: viewtopic.php?f=20&t=252&p=5465&sid=a3e ... e1ca#p5465

Regards
Fred

Thanks for all the scores you post, Alfor, and the fugues most recently. The Lewenthal preface is very interesting reading as well; I know a few people who'd like to see it, and it'll pass the airplane trip to my cousin's wedding well.

Best,
Curtis

fleubis wrote: If it were not for Lewenthal I fear Alkan would have remained an obscure composer for many more years. His initial Alkan recording made real musical history and created a sensation. His thoughts on Alkan are worth preserving.

I agree about the historical significance of his recordings and commentaries, but I would like to think that Ronald Smith's efforts in promoting Alkan's music would have rescued the composer from complete obscurity if Lewenthal hadn't been around

4candles wrote:

fleubis wrote: If it were not for Lewenthal I fear Alkan would have remained an obscure composer for many more years. His initial Alkan recording made real musical history and created a sensation. His thoughts on Alkan are worth preserving.

I agree about the historical significance of his recordings and commentaries, but I would like to think that Ronald Smith's efforts in promoting Alkan's music would have rescued the composer from complete obscurity if Lewenthal hadn't been around

It was through Ronald Smith that I first heard Alkan's music. I guess that's true for most Brits and Lewenthal would be the one for most Americans.

The unknown composer:

Kurt BÖRNER (1877-??; German pianist and composer, probably pupil of Heinrich Barth;
lived and taught in Berlin)
Balladen op. 14 & 15Variationen für Pianoforte über ein polnisches Lied op. 6(I very much would appreciate a judgement on this - traditional, Brahms-Schumann influenced - music by Frank!)

Posted as example for the piano style of this lesser known French composer:
Claude ARRIEU
Trois Pieces:
Marche
Etude
Choral
(post-Saint-Saens/post-Debussy or pre-"jeune France" style) P.S.
Heinrich Neal: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aJv_d490fNU

fredbucket wrote:His initiial recording was the first I heard. I also a while ago posted a link to his 1963 broadcast - here: viewtopic.php?f=20&t=252&p=5465&sid=a3e ... e1ca#p5465

Regards
Fred

Dear Fred,

thank you very much for re-posting this broadcast - I am at this moment listening to it with much pleasure!

best regards

alfor

Dear Alfor,

I must say that the works of Kurt Borner which you posted today are (imho) absolutely superb. Another completely unknown, and wonderfully talented composer for the piano! To my ears his style is highly Brahms-Schumann influenced. My favorite of the 3 works is Op. 15, the Ballade in D minor, which shows very strong Brahms-ian influence. It seems like there is almost no end to the number of post-Romantic piano pieces published in Germany during the late 19th & early 20th centuries. Beautiful melodies..highly pianistic yet still much fun to play!

Thanks once again for unearthing more treasures for us!

Alles Gute,

Frank

I second Frank's sentiments... the Börner Ballade in d minor is absolutely gorgeous... somehow reminiscent of the Brahms Op.10 No.4 Ballade. Very juicy... any information about Mr. Kurt Börner? All I can see online is that he was born in 1877...

Thanks,
Parag

Posted as an example for the piano style of this forgotten
US-American pianist & composer:

Radie BRITAIN
Prelude op. 2A Western Suite op. 5
(pretty rare, published in Munich; probably composed when she studied in Germany in the 1920s,
late-romantic style) More
Hans von BÜLOW
Lacerta (Lizard) Impromptu pour le piano op. 27
the best Bülow piece I know! Influenced by (early) Chopin and
(in one or two spots) Liszt; makes a very fine study for sensitive legato (legatissimo) touch!Innocence
this "watercolor" reflects better quality sensitive salon-music (the one for the fainting young ladies ) Königsmarsch op. 28
dedicated to the "Kini" (the famous König Ludwig II. von Bayern) P.S. Thank you for your comments, dear Frank & parag!
P.P.S. No further info on Börner found!