Among the various music industries, the classical genre remains unique compared to others. While there exists only one original recording of Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band by the Beatles, recordings by Bach, Beethoven and Chopin performing their own original compositions do not exist.
For perspective, imagine if John, Paul, George, and Ringo wrote down all of the material for Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, including tempos and other interpretive suggestions, but never recorded it. Instead, they sold the rights to a publisher, who then made it available to the public and in turn any hopeful, career-seeking musician to put down on record their own indelible imprint of the work. How many recordings of the Beatles’ crowning achievement would exist? Perhaps the number would eclipse the almost 150 currently available recordings of Chopin’s complete set of Preludes.
The result of this overabundance of auditory competition is that excellent albums, and at times along with them masterful musicians, get overlooked. While the reasons for this could be many, such as recording technology (or lack of), political climate (landlocked in their home country), bad managing and marketing, etc., in most cases there’s one common denominator: these albums and artists are all attempting to purchase real estate in your ear which might no longer be on the market.
For this article, we will try to shine a light on some of the top classical piano recordings which might get overlooked. To make this list, we are looking for the obscure pianist, surprising repertoire choice, or anything else that might be a pleasant surprise or new discovery for fans of classical piano music.
Raymond Lewenthal — Henselt: Piano Concerto; Liszt-lewenthal: Totentanz
Raymond Lewenthal (1923-1988) was an American virtuoso who first studied with Shura Cherkassky’s mother, before moving on to the famous pedagogue Olga Samaroff. He made his debut in 1948 with Dimitri Mitropoulos and the Philadelphia Orchestra performing Prokofiev’s Piano Concerto No.3. Throughout his career, he was perhaps most famous for championing the music of Charles Alkan. His life, career, and recording output was cut short by a chronic heart condition.
This album contains two gems, Henselt’s spirited but often neglected Piano Concerto in F Minor, Op.16, and then the showstopper: Franz Liszt’s Totentanz, S. 126. This particular recording is notable not only for Lewenthal’s fiery execution, but also for the fact that he performs his own version of the work which melds two completed versions into one, an earlier version published by Busoni, and the 2nd, later version which is often performed today and considered the standard.
In Lewenthal’s remix, the opening Dies irae theme is preceded by a soft, solitary church bell rather than the typical piano and drums collaboration. The quietude is abruptly ended by the orchestra, followed by a blistering cadenza from the piano.
Other notable changes are made by Mr. Lewenthal later on in the work, which he discusses in detail here.
Stephen Hough — Hummel: Piano Concertos
While Stephen Hough is a household name in the classical piano circles and widely regarded as the greatest living pianist, it is an early, lesser-known recording of his which fits the criteria for this list. Austrian pianist, composer, teacher and conductor Johann Nepomuk Hummel (1778-1837) was a child prodigy who studied with Mozart and Haydn. One famous pupil of his was Czerny, who would go on to teach arguably the world’s greatest virtuoso and showman Franz Liszt.
Among the composers influenced by Hummel was Chopin, who’s E Minor Op.11 Piano Concerto recalls to mind Hummel’s Piano Concerto No.2 in A Minor, Op. 85.
As an adult, Hummel published A Complete Theoretical and Practical Course of Instruction on the Art of Playing the Piano Forte (1828) which laid the groundwork (mostly good, some bad) for musical interpretation during his day up to the present. I blame him for my hazy understanding of trills.
While the beauty of the works on this recording is clearly evident at first listen, the technical demands for the soloist might not be immediately apparent. Using double-note figures throughout, a technical brilliance that pre-dated Franz Liszt, both of these piano concertos require the utmost virtuosity, which Hough has in spades.
Jorge Bolet — Live at Carnegie Hall
Jorge Bolet (1914-1990) was born in Havana, Cuba and raised in America. Among his teachers were notable pianists and pedagogues Moriz Rosenthal and Leopold Godowsky. After much hype early on in life, his career hit a lull in the 1940-1950 decades when almost suddenly his overly romantic musical style was considered old-fashioned by the public, and consequently managers had little interest in promoting him. During these down years, and perhaps after time spent growing as an artist, he experienced a revival when later in life, what was once out of fashion was suddenly accepted, and Bolet found the success he was deserving of.
In the 1970’s, Bolet gave a series of recitals in New York that caused a sensation, which this recording captures. The first half of the program begins with the Bach-Busoni Chaconne (a personal favorite), and ends with the complete set of Preludes by Chopin. The excitement is too much for some enraptured audience members who prematurely began applauding before the final notes of the concluding D Minor prelude were struck.
The 2nd half of the program opens with three Strauss paraphrases which transport the listener to a bygone era of pianism around the turn of the century, when these works were repertoire staples for the highest caliber virtuosos.
The program concludes with Liszt’s incredible (and incredibly demanding) transcription of Wagner’s Tannhauser Overture. No other composer was tied closer to Bolet throughout his career than Liszt, and this particular work, one of Bolet’s “war horses”, was recorded on multiple occasions in the studio and here in concert. A master pianist at the peak of his powers, performing repertoire he specialized in, live on a Monday at Carnegie Hall? Sign me up!
Glenn Gould — Brahms: 10 Intermezzi for Piano
Glenn Gould (1932-1982) was, and still is, one of the most celebrated and widely known classical pianists, a musician who even today maintains an almost cult-like following decades after his death. Perhaps no pianist is more synonymous with a composer than Gould is with Bach. His life was spent devoted mostly to the works of JS Bach, with little interest in the standard romantic repertoire which serves as the cornerstone for so many other classical pianists to build their careers on. He’s not only known for his technical proficiency, but also for his eccentricities and individualism.
So how does such a well known household name as Glenn Gould make this list? By focusing on a recording of a composer whom Gould is hardly associated with, from a musical period that he was hardly interested in.
Of this recording, Gould stated:
“I readily admit that what I like about this interpretation is its total introversion, with brief outbursts of searing pain culminating in long stretches of muted grief, its restraint in matters of dynamics and tempo, a restraint which extends to the frontiers of silence, and its slow and tentative groping towards such fragile music which, sustained by atmosphere of improvisation.”.
In true Gouldian manner, this album eschews the common approach of performing Brahms’ piano sets in their entirety, instead focusing on all of the Intermezzos from opus 76, 116, 117, 118 and 119. The end result is a recording that’s not only fresh for its inventiveness, but one which also contains some incredibly beautiful and inspirational playing.
William Kapell — Khachaturian: Piano Concerto; Prokofiev: Piano Concerto No. 3
William Kapell (1922-1953) was an American classical pianist whose life was tragically cut short when his plane crashed on a return flight home from an Australian concert tour. After winning the Naumburg competition in 1941, Kapell went on to dazzle the international public, winning them over with his honest and fiery technique, coupled with a forthright musical approach. In speaking of Kapell, fellow American Leon Fleisher gave the highest of praise to Kapell by stating that he was “the greatest pianistic talent that this country has ever produced.”
By 1960, just nine years after his death, all of Kapell’s commercial recordings were out of print, and the sensation that had just been started a little over a decade earlier began to evaporate. It wasn’t until 1998 that a renewed interest and appreciation for Kapell occurred, when RCA Victor released The William Kapell Edition, a nine CD survey which included all of his authorized recordings, including previously unreleased tracks, and an interview. The set was an international success, helping bring Kapell back from unfortunate obscurity.
In 1946, Kapell collaborated with Serge Koussevitzky and the Boston Symphony Orchestra to record Aram Khachaturian’s Piano Concerto (1936). Perhaps no other work was better suited for Kapell’s tone, temperament and motor than this concerto, and the result was a resounding success. So much so that Kapell eventually grew tired of the work, and the “Khachaturian Kapell” title which seemed to follow him after its release. Regardless of Kapell’s personal assessment of his association with this work, this recording is an absolute treat, a perfect marriage between a forgotten master pianist and a rarely performed masterpiece.
Alexander Brailowsky — Chopin Etudes
Alexander Brailowsky (1896-1976) was born in Russia, and made his debut in Paris in 1919. In 1926, he became a French citizen. Among the notable musicians he studied with are Theodor Leschetizky, Ferruccio Busoni, and Francis Plante.
Throughout his life, Brailowsky was closely tied to Chopin, whose works brought him worldwide acclaim. In 1924, Brailowsky accomplished a herculean feat by performing a cycle of the entire 169 piano works of Chopin over a span of 6 recitals, something he repeated on multiple occasions. One reviewer said “there are few enough pianists who have the prodigious memory, the physical strength, the comprehensive technique required for such an undertaking; there are far fewer who have—plus all these—the requisite musicianship.”
In 2018, Sony Classical did all classical pianophiles a favor by releasing a newly remastered edition of Brailowsky’s complete RCA Victor recordings of Chopin. This set marks the first time many of these recordings have been available in a digital format.
While Brailowsky’s interpretation of Chopin’s Waltzes received much critical acclaim during his life (he recorded them twice), it was his recording of the Etudes that especially impressed me. His playing is electric, a blend of Richter’s fiery motor (Op. 25 No. 12) and Rubinstein’s golden, pearly tone (Op. 10 No. 3). One particularly nice feature of this recording is the order in which the Etudes are played, which appears to be random per each set. After listening to this staple of the piano literature tens of dozens of times in order, this small change helps break up the monotony some listeners are used to, further adding to the freshness and excitement of this wonderful recording.
The remastered audio quality is excellent for 1950, with just enough spice.
Nadia Reisenberg — Carnegie Hall Recital
Nadia Reisenberg (1904-1983) was born in Vilna (now Vilnius, Lithuania) and when she was six, her family moved to Russia to allow her to study at St. Petersburg Conservatory. There, the famed composer Alexander Glazunov took a special interest in Reisenberg, while her primary teacher was Leonid Nikolaiev. In 1921, Reisenberg made her orchestral debut performing Rimsky-Korsakov’s Piano Concerto in C-sharp minor, Op. 30 with the Warsaw Philharmonic under Artur Rodzinski.
The name Nadia Reisenberg might not be familiar to most classical piano fans today, it took me over 20 years of listening and digging to first discover her. But during the 1939-1940 concert season, Reisenberg was a familiar name in America when she performed all 27 Mozart Piano Concertos over a series of weekly radio broadcasts with the WOR Symphony Orchestra conducted by Alfred Wallenstein.
By the 1950’s, tired of travelling on the concert circuit and beginning to feel insecure about her memory, Reisenberg transitioned from the concert stage to that of a highly respected teacher, first at the Curtis Institute in 1934, then Mannes in 1955, and finally at Julliard beginning in 1974. Richard Goode is one of her more well-known students.
This recording of Reisenberg’s complete Carnegie Hall recital from November 21, 1947 is an absolute treasure. In a varied programme ranging from Handel to Stravinsky, Reisenberg impresses with her effortless and masterful sounding technique, sensitive tone, and fiery eruptions when called upon. All classical piano fans should treat themselves to this impressive recording from a long forgotten master.
Oscar Levant — Chopin
Oscar Levant (1906-1972) wore many hats: concert pianist, composer, music conductor, author, quiz show panelist, talk show host, comedian and actor. But first and foremost, Levant was a classically trained pianist, and worked with the well-known pedagogue Zygmunt Stojowski. From 1935 to 1937, Levant studied composition with Arnold Schoenberg, widely considered one of the most influential composers of the 20th century.
Musically, Levant is most often associated with George Gershwin, a close friend of his and whose work he championed with great, and arguably definitive, success. With his 1945 recording of Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue, Levant achieved the ultimate: a top selling album, and overtaking the likes of Horowitz and Rubinstein as America’s highest-paid classical performer.
Levant’s celebrity came at a cost though, as he eventually battled personal and mental demons later in life (prescription drug addictions, nervous breakdowns, and manic depression to name a few). For whatever the reasons, Oscar Levant gets lost in the discussion of great 20th century classical pianists. Perhaps these personal struggles, which he was very vocal about, played a role. Or perhaps his other aforementioned career pursuits became a distraction.
Thankfully, in 2018 Sony Classical released A Rhapsody in Blue: The Extraordinary Life of Oscar Levant, a boxed set containing all of Levant’s complete piano recordings. This set was a revelation to me, as I had only known of Levant as one of the go-to’s for Gershwin, or as the pianist who had a decent sized role in the classic Gene Kelly film An American in Paris (one of my favorites). The entire set is excellent, showcasing Levant in a wide variety of repertoire ranging from Bach to Debussy to his own compositions. Levant’s Chopin was particularly eye (ear?) opening, as Levant’s signature rubato, which so perfectly suits Gershwin, finds another home with equal success.
This is excellent piano playing, and no doubt these recordings will help Oscar Levant get taken seriously for what he really was, one of the great forgotten classical pianists in the 20th century.
Keith Jarrett — Samuel Barber: Piano Concerto, Op. 38 / Bela Bartok: Piano Concerto No. 3
American jazz and classical pianist Keith Jarrett was born in Allentown, PA in 1945. He began music lessons at the age of 3, and gave his first formal piano recital at 7. In high school, he turned down an opportunity to study classical composition in Paris with Nadia Boulanger to instead pursue a career in jazz. While most of his fame and notoriety has come as a contemporary jazz pianist and improvisor, Jarrett has recorded a handful of albums consisting of works by classical composers such as Bach and Handel, as well as his own classical compositions.
This historic album was reissued in 2015 for Jarrett’s 70th birthday, and includes Samuel Barber’s incredibly exciting (and criminally underperformed) Concerto for Piano, Op. 38, and Bela Bartok’s Piano Concerto No. 3. Discovering this album for the first time was exciting, as I had only known of Jarrett as a jazz improviser up to that point, and this was a live recording of one of my favorite piano concertos. I admit, at first I listened intrepidly, not knowing what to expect, bracing for the worst (“why is a jazz pianist playing Samuel Barber?”). I can report that this recording hooked me after the first listen, it is a thrilling live account of a thrilling work by an incredibly complex musician. At the time of writing, this is the only live version of Barber’s piano concerto released commercially.
While John Browning’s recording with George Szell and the Cleveland Orchestra is considered to be the definitive reading (Browning did premier it after all), this release by Keith Jarrett is a welcomed addition to the unfortunately small discography of this 20th century masterpiece.
Walter Gieseking — Rachmaninoff Piano Concerto No. 2 & 3
Walter Gieseking (1895-1956) was born to German parents living in Lyon, France, and began playing the piano by the age of 4. By the time he was 11, he was studying at the Hanover Conservatory with Karl Leimer. He made his debut at 15, and later that year, performed all 32 Beethoven sonatas in a series of six recitals. A true wunderkind, known for memorizing works overnight and being an impressive sight-reader. He stated matter-of-factly that at the ripe old age of 16 he knew and played “the major part of Bach’s works, almost all Beethoven, all Chopin and Schumann, pieces by Mendelssohn and Schubert.”
While Gieseking’s repertoire was vast, extending from Bach to the contemporary composers of his day such as Korngold, Szymanowsky, Busoni, Hindemith, and Schoenberg to name a few, it was his association with Debussy which brought him his greatest fame. In Debussy, Gieseking’s most remarkable skill of tonal coloring and pedal effects found their match and flourished. Never before, and perhaps never since, were Debussy’s delicate dynamic markings more perfectly interpreted and presented to the listener, on record or in even the largest concert halls.
For this article however, we’ll turn our attention to repertoire Gieseking is typically not synonymous with, the forever famous piano concertos of Rachmaninoff. Recorded live in Amsterdam during 1940 with the Concertgebouw Orchestra led by Willem Mengelberg, these raw, unedited radio broadcasts have moments that are absolutely electric, and which (for me at least), paint Gieseking in a different light than the sensitive and subtle colorist. That’s not to say that Gieseking’s tonal and pedal mastery aren’t given a chance to shine in these works. Take for example the gorgeous ending of the second movement of concerto No. 2, where the piano plays LH arpeggios over a quiet, sustained melody from the orchestra. In my opinion, this is one of the absolute most beautiful moments in all of classical music, and never before have I heard it so delicately performed. This brief minute is alone worth the price of admission.
This isn’t a perfect recording by any means as Gieseking misses more than a few notes, something to be expected from an unedited live performance. But behind the missed notes, and the grungy 1940’s recording technology, a supreme pianist shines in repertoire he rarely performed. A worthwhile addition to any classical pianist’s library.