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Wilhelm KEMPFF (1895-1991) ADD ^ Wachet auf, ruft uns die Stimme (“Sleepers, Wake!”), BWV 645 5:01 Transcribed and played by Wilhelm Kempff, pianist (Recorded in Berlin, January 1936) Great Pianists 8.111119 (Polydor 67086B (589 3/4 GS (67392B)) Jeanne BEHREND (1911-1988) and Alexander KELBERINE (1903-1940) Johann Sebastian & Nun kommt, der Heiden Heiland (“Now comes the gentiles’ Saviour”), BWV 659a 3:50 (Transcribed by Alexander Kelberine) Jeanne Behrend and Alexander Kelberine, Duo-pianists (Recorded in New York, 27th August 1936) BACH (Victor 14208-B (2), from Set M330, Side 12)

Ray LEV (1912-1968) Concerto No. 5 in D minor after Vivaldi’s Opus 3, No. 11, BWV 596 12:45 Piano * I. Introduction; Fugue 6:49 ( II. Siciliana 2:42 Transcriptions ) III. Finale: Non allegro 3:14 Transcribed and played by Ray Lev, pianist (Recorded in New York, 1946) Volume 2 (Concert Hall Society Release AH (1052-2; 1053-3; 1054-1)) Egon Petri Edwin Fischer Ossip Gabrilowitsch Wilhelm Kempff Vitya Vronsky • Victor Babin Percy Grainger Previously Released: J.S. Bach Piano Transcriptions Ethel Bartlett • Rae Robertson Vol.1 (Rare Historical Recordings) Naxos Historical 8.110658 [Includes performances by Sergey Rachmaninov, Emma Boynet Alfred Cortot, Winifred Christie, Ethel Bartlett & Rae Robertson, Olga Samaroff, George Copeland, Harriet Cohen, Alexander Kelberine, Walter Gieseking, Wilhelm Backhaus, Byron Janis and Artur Rubinstein] Walter Rummel In Preparation Ray Lev

J.S. Bach Piano Transcriptions, Vol. 3 Naxos Historical 8.111222 Harriet Cohen Rare Historical Recordings 1925-1950 8.111119 8 111119 bk Bach2 EU 11/1/06 1:58 PM Page 2

Great Pianists Percy GRAINGER (1882-1961) Bach Piano Transcriptions 0 “Blithe Bells” (Ramble on Bach’s Aria “Sheep May Safely Graze”; “Schafe können sicher weiden") 3:39 from Cantata BWV 208 The Russian-American violinist and composer Arcady follows her with his own 1935 recording of his Transcribed and played by Percy Grainger, pianist (Recorded in New York, October 1931) Dubensky (1890-1966) was passionate when it came to transcription of a Bach Menuet, which is in reality an (Columbia 68006-D (98759) from Set 166) the music of Johann Sebastian Bach. Dubensky interplay of the three Menuets, BWV 841-843, from the considered Bach the greatest of modernists, in his Wilhelm Friedemann Bach Notebook. daring modulations, harmonies, and in the complexity One of the great interpreters of Bach’s music is Ethel BARTLETT (1896-1978) and Rae ROBERTSON (1893-1956) of his ideas. Albert Schweitzer seemed to agree, when without doubt Edwin Fischer (1886-1960). His ! “Little” Fugue in G minor, BWV 578 (Transcribed by Nicolai Mednikoff) 3:13 he wrote: “Bach’s music seems to us modern in so far as extraordinary performance of all of Bach’s 48 preludes Ethel Bartlett and Rae Robertson, duo-pianists (Recorded in London, 12th May 1947) it makes a strong effort to get beyond the natural and fugues of the “Well-Tempered Clavier” stands as (Columbia DB2371 (CA20387-1)) indefiniteness of musical sound.” Schweitzer continued, one of the great recordings of all time [Naxos Historical “The unique thing in Bach is the clearness and 8.110651-52 (Book I) and 8.110653-54 (Book II)]. A Theodore SAIDENBERG (1908-1986) and Edward REBNER (1910-1993) completeness of his musical language.” This is perhaps master of shading and expression, Fischer’s 1933 the reason why Bach’s compositions remain the most performance of Ferruccio Busoni’s transcription of @ “Jesu bleibet meine Freude” (“Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring”), 2:41 performed, the most recorded, the most studied, and the Bach’s Prelude and Fugue in E flat major (“St Anne”), from Cantata No.147, “Herz und Mund und Tat und Leben”, BWV 147 most transcribed. BWV 552, is marked by a wonderful blend of power (Transcribed by Edward Rebner) In this second volume in the continuing Naxos and delicacy of feeling. Theodore Saidenberg and Edward Rebner, duo-pianists (Recorded in Los Angeles, in 1946) series devoted to historic recordings of piano Berlin-born Walter Rummel (1887-1953) began his (Standard Program Library T-295 (SRR-2544-3)) transcriptions of Bach’s music, fifteen works are studies with his father. In 1901 his family moved to expertly transformed for the modern piano. Opening the Washington, D.C., where he continued his studies with Pierre LUBOSCHUTZ (1891-1971) and Genia NEMENOFF (1905-1989) disc is Bach’s Sonata No. 5 in C major, BWV 529, in a Samuel Monroe Fabian. By 1904 Rummel had returned transcription for two pianos, four hands by Victor Babin to Berlin to study with Leopold Godowsky. He became # Siciliano 3:21 (1908-1972). Babin transcribed all six of Bach’s sonatas an American citizen in 1908, and a year later moved to (from Sonata No. 2 in E flat major for Flute and Clavier Obbligato, BWV 1031) for two manuals and obbligato pedal. According to the Paris where he became friends with Ezra Pound and (Transcribed by Guy Maier) German music historian Johann Nikolaus Forkel, Bach Claude Debussy. During the 1920s Rummel performed Pierre Luboschutz and Genia Nemenoff, duo-pianists (Recorded in New York, 12th September 1939) intended these sonatas to serve as exercises for his in all the major capitals of Europe, specialising in (Victor 17552-B (17548-B, DO42671-I) from Set DM-724) oldest son Wilhelm Friedemann, “who, by practising single-composer programmes. Two years later he began them had to prepare himself to become the great publishing his series of 25 transcriptions of Bach’s Ellen BALLON (1898-1969) performer on the organ that he afterward was.” Babin’s organ works and cantata extracts. One of these, Vom transcription takes full advantage of both pianos to Himmel hoch da komm’ ich her, BWV 248, he recorded $ Organ Prelude in G minor, BWV 535 (Transcribed by Alexander Siloti) 3:37 emulate the writing for the organ. Vitya Vronsky (1909- in Berlin in 1930. Ellen Ballon, pianist (Recorded in London, 25th July 1950) 1992) and Victor Babin in their 1940 recording of this The Italian composer, cellist and pianist, Luigi (London LPS306 (DRL 571-1B)) work provide a joyous and enchanting beginning to this Perrachio (1883-1966) is not well known today, yet he historic recital. was an influential teacher of piano and composition at the Ossip GABRILOWITSCH (1878-1936) British pianist Harriet Cohen (1895-1967) was one Turin Conservatory (1925-1955), and left a remarkable % Bourrée 2:42 of Tobias Matthay’s most brilliant students. She was and interesting catalogue of original works. In 1931 he (from Partita No. 1 in B minor for Solo Violin, BWV 1002) (Transcribed by Camille Saint-Saëns) admired as a Bach interpreter, presenting in 1925 the published a set of six piano transcriptions of Bach’s very first all-Bach programme to be performed in organ chorale preludes. The French pianist Emma Ossip Gabrilowitsch, pianist (Recorded in New York, 13th May 1925) Queen’s Hall, London. In 1931 she was invited by the Boynet (1891-1974) (an Isidor Philipp student at the (Victor BVE-32701-2 (Unissued)) Bach Gesellschaft to perform at Bach’s birthplace in Paris Conservatoire) is heard in Perrachio’s transcription Eisenach. Her recording of the Fantasia No. 4 in C of Allein Gott in der Höh’ sei Ehr’ , BWV 711, in a rare minor, BWV 906, is her contemporary tribute to fellow recording made in New York in 1934. pianist and transcriber Egon Petri (1881-1962). Petri The Australian Percy Aldridge Grainger (1882- 8.111119 2 7 8.111119 111119 bk Bach2 EU 11/1/06 1:58 PM Page 6

1961) saw himself as an innovator. Writing about what Hollywood that he met the pianist Theodore BACH: Piano Transcriptions • Volume 2 he called “Free music”, he said: “It is my only important Saidenberg, a much sought-after accompanist and contribution to music”. Only in the last decade has there partner in chamber music. He appeared in concert with Vitya VRONSKY (1909-1992) and Victor BABIN (1908-1972) been a comprehensive assessment of Grainger’s Louis Kaufman, Erica Morini, Jascha Heifetz, Rose Sonata No. 5 in C major for Organ (2 Claviers and Pedal), BWV 529 (Transcribed by Victor Babin) 11:48 pianistic and compositional art, with numerous Bampton, Emmanuel Feuermann, Mischa Mischakoff, 1 I. Allegro 3:48 recordings of his works and reissues of some of his most Raya Garbousova, Helen Jepson, Lily Pons, Richard 2 II. Largo 5:24 important historic recordings. Grainger arranged and Tucker and Isaac Stern. A native of Baltimore, 3 III. Allegro 2:36 transcribed many of the works of J.S. Bach. Among the Maryland and a graduate of the Curtis Institute in most extraordinary of these is his Blithe Bells, which he Philadelphia, Saidenberg had also a successful career in Vitya Vronsky and Victor Babin, duo-pianists (Recorded in New York, 29th November 1940) subtitled, “Ramble on Bach’s Aria ‘Sheep May Safely radio, motion picture recording and on the concert (Victor 13634-B (13627-B, 057687) 13633-B (13628-A, 057688), and 13632-B (13628-B 057689) in Set DM-778) Graze’”. “The ramble,” wrote Grainger, “is coloured by stage. the thought that Bach, in writing the melody in thirds Pierre Luboschutz (1891-1971) and Genia Harriet COHEN (1895-1967) that open and close the number, may have aimed at Nemenoff (1905-1989) offer a sensuous and sensitive 4 Fantasia No. 4 in C minor, BWV 906 (Transcribed by Egon Petri) 3:15 giving a hint of the sound of sheep bells”. The delicious performance of Guy Maier’s transcription of the flute Harriet Cohen, pianist (Recorded in London, 22nd March 1935) jazzy moment at the end of the piece is pure gold. He Siciliano, BWV 1031. Guy Maier (1892-1956) together (Columbia 68388-D (and LX400) (CAX-7498)) recorded the “ramble” in 1931 in New York on his with the pianist Lee Pattison (1890-1966) were among favoured piano of the time, the Mason & Hamlin. the early twentieth-century duo-piano teams and Nicolai Mednikoff (1890-1942) was a student at the pioneers in the recording studio. Pierre Luboschutz was Egon PETRI (1881-1962) Petrograd Conservatory. At fourteen he made his Berlin a student of Felix Blumenfeld and Edouard Risler. His 5 Menuet 3:47 recital début. He came to the United States in 1914. He sister, Lea Luboschutz, was an accomplished violinist. (Menuet in G major, BWV 841, Menuet in G minor, BWV 842, Menuet in G major, BWV 843; concertised and recorded with Pablo Casals, and in Genia Nemenoff studied at the Paris Conservatoire with from the Wilhelm Friedemann Bach Notebook) 1929 established the Westchester Conservatory. He Isidor Philipp. The two pianists met in 1929 and Transcribed and played by Egon Petri, pianist (Recorded in London, 12th December 1935) died in White Plains, New York on 19th April, 1942, as married in 1931. After their first and very successful (Columbia LX508 (CAX-7700-1)) the result of suicide by shooting himself through the American tour in 1937, they decided to establish heart in his Conservatory office. His transcription of themselves as a permanent two-piano team. Considered Bach’s “Little” Fugue in G minor, BWV 578, is among the greatest duo-piano teams of all time, their Edwin FISCHER (1886-1960) beautifully executed by the British-American duo team playing was marked by beautiful coordination, Prelude and Fugue in E flat major (“St. Anne”), BWV 552 (Transcribed by Ferruccio Busoni) 15:07 of Ethel Bartlett (1896-1978) and Rae Robertson (1893- buoyancy, and musical grace. 6 Prelude 8:39 1956). Alexander Siloti (1863-1945) was a student of 7 Fugue 6:28 Two other duo piano teams follow. Theodore Nikolay Rubinstein, Tchaikovsky and Franz Liszt. Edwin Fisher, pianist (Recorded in London, 25th April, 1933) Saidenberg (1908-1986) and Edward Rebner (1910-1993) Sergey Rachmaninov was his first cousin and also his (Victrola 7960 A & B and 7961 A & B (2B-6647 (III), 2B-6648 (II), 2B-6649 (II), 2B-6650 (I)) who teamed up on radio, perform in 1946 a two-piano student. As a pianist, Siloti was a colourist with version of “Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring”, BWV 147, a extraordinary technique and virtuosity. One critic work that is best known in Myra Hess’s extraordinary remarked that Siloti had “brains as well as fingers and Walter RUMMEL (1887-1953) two-hand transcription. Wolfgang Edward Rebner was wrists, and subtle but indesputable temperament as well 8 Vom Himmel hoch da komm’ ich her, BWV 248 2:14 the son of the violinist Adolph Rebner, teacher of the as brains”. Siloti published many Bach transcriptions Transcribed and played by Walter Rummel, pianist (Recorded in Berlin, 12th November 1930) composer Paul Hindemith. When Rebner left Germany in and the Organ Prelude in G minor, BWV 535, is among (Disque “Gramophone” P-858 (BG-1136-1 (50-1090-G)) 1939 he pursued a career in Hollywood as a pianist. He his finest creations. The Siloti transcription is often performed in Los Angeles for Peter Yates’s performed by the Canadian pianist Ellen Ballon (1898- Emma BOYNET (1891-1974) “Evenings on the Roof” which evolved into the famous 1969), a student of Josef Hofmann, Wilhelm Backhaus, “Monday Evening Concerts”. After World War II he Rafael Joseffy, and Alberto Jonas. 9 Allein Gott in der Höh’ sei Herr, BWV 711 (Transcribed by Luigi Perrachio) 2:47 became more involved with the music of his homeland, Camille Saint-Saëns (1835-1921) was a master Emma Boynet, pianist (Recorded in New York, 26th October 1934) finally returning to Germany permanently to teach at the craftsman who had an unerring musical sense and an (Victor 4336-A) Richard Strauss Conservatory in Munich. It was in astonishing ability to produce masterpiece after 8.111119 63 8.111119 111119 bk Bach2 EU 11/1/06 1:58 PM Page 4

masterpiece. He left a substantial volume of work transcription of Wachet auf, ruft uns die Stimme Producers’ Note including thirteen operas (of which Samson et Dalila is (Sleepers, Wake!), BWV 645, which he recorded in considered one of the greatest works of the French lyric Berlin in 1936. Continuing our survey of Bach transcriptions from the rich 78rpm era, we have attempted to assemble a stage), ten concertos (including the delightful Carnival Russian-born Alexander Kelberine (1903-1940) historically interesting and musically rewarding listening experience. Although the paramount goals were to find of the Animals for two pianos and orchestra), seven studied with Busoni, Leo Sirota and Alexander Siloti. brilliant performances of historic interest, we also always strove to find the best sounding recordings from the first symphonies, numerous choral works, over a hundred Kelberine was married to Jeanne Behrend (1911-1988) half of the twentieth century. In anthologies such as this the sound becomes more problematic, since no two songs, symphonic poems, piano compositions and who was a student of Josef Hofmann, Rosario Scalero performers are the same, no two recording venues are the same, no two pianists are the same (nor are the pianos the chamber sonatas for violin, cello, clarinet, oboe and and Abram Chasins. They formed a duo-piano team and same). Some recordings with quiet surfaces had odd acoustics, while the presence of low-level rumble and variable bassoon. He also wrote works for military band, recorded together on the Victor label. Their 1936 set of quantity of surface noise made the process of production even more challenging. In all cases we gathered cadenzas to piano concertos of Mozart and Beethoven, Bach transcriptions (all by Kelberine) for solo and duo numerous copies of each of the selected performances in order to present the best possible musical results. and transcribed and arranged numerous works by Bach, performance is a collector’s item today. According to Keeping in mind that the newest recording assembled here is 57 years old, and the oldest is 82, we hope that the Gluck, Schumann, Mendelssohn, Berlioz, Mozart and Nicolas Slonimsky, “Kelberine was a victim of acute blemishes of time do not detract from the enjoyment and experience of the music. Since many of these recordings others. For some reason Bach’s Bourrée, from Partita depression… He programmed his last recital for pieces are scare and even rare in good condition, we have relied on musical colleagues and collectors who provided No.1 in B minor for Solo Violin, BWV 1002, in the in minor keys and of funeral connotations, concluding advice and their discerning ears, their rare collections and willingness to help in order to preserve and share Saint-Saëns piano transcription has always been a with Liszt’s Todtentanz, after which he went home and recordings not commonly available today. Many thanks to engineer and collector Richard Wahlberg, historian and favourite work of Russian piano teachers and Russian took an overdose of sleeping pills.” In Vol.1 [Naxos collector Lance Bowling, pianist William Corbett-Jones, and to archivist and discographer Michael Gray for pianists. Ossip Gabrilowitsch (1878-1936), was an Historical 8.110658] we presented Kelberine playing making sure that the historical data was accurate. Additional thanks go to Michael Gartz and Peter Ford for their extraordinary pianist and composer. He studied piano solo. In this volume he is heard in a two-piano, four- advice, and for searching and locating extra copies of some of the recordings. with Anton Rubinstein and Theodore Leschetizky, and hands (with Jeanne Behrend) transcription from the composition with Lyadov and Glazunov. Gabrilowitsch 1936 session in New York, of Nun kommt, der Heiden Marina A. Ledin, Victor Ledin and Anthony Casuccio. recorded the Bourrée, among his favourite encore Heiland (Now comes the gentiles’ Saviour), BWV 659a. pieces, in New York in 1925 but the recording was The Russian-born pianist Ray Lev (1912-1968) never commercially released during his lifetime. moved to the United States in 1913. Her father was a Played with verve and joy, the Bourrée comes alive in synagogue cantor, and her mother a concert singer. Gabrilowitsch’s performance. After studies in New Haven and New York, she was Wilhelm Kempff (1895-1991) came from a family awarded the Matthay Prize in London, then studying of organists. At the Berlin Hochschule für Musik he with Tobias Matthay from 1930 to 1933. After World studied with Heinrich Barth and Robert Kahn. He made War II she was signed by the Concert Hall Society his début in 1907 and continued performing until 1981. record company, for which she recorded many He recorded the complete Beethoven sonatas three significant firsts. Among these was her own transciption times in his long career. As a Bach player he was highly of Bach’s Concerto No. 5 in D minor after Vivaldi’s regarded. His intimate knowledge of the organ (he Opus 3, No. 11, BWV 596. In this recording made in continued to play the organ even after choosing a New York in 1946, Lev elicits from the piano an pianistic career) contributed to his sensitivity and amazing dynamic range, from loud to whisper soft. authority when playing Bach on the piano. His piano transcriptions of Bach’s music are among the finest for Marina A. Ledin and Victor Ledin the instrument. We hear Kempff perform his own

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J.S. Bach Piano Transcriptions, Vol. 3 Naxos Historical 8.111222 Harriet Cohen Rare Historical Recordings 1925-1950 8.111119 8 CMYK NAXOS Historical 8.111119 J. S. BACH Playing ADD Time DISC PROHIBITED. BROADCASTING AND COPYING OF THIS COMPACT TRANSLATIONS RESERVED. UNAUTHORISED PUBLIC PERFORMANCE, RIGHTS IN THIS SOUND RECORDING, ARTWORK, TEXTS AND ALL Piano Transcriptions • Volume 2 79:50 8.111119 & 1-3 Sonata No. 5 in C major for Organ (2 Claviers and Pedal), BWV 529 11:48 2007 Naxos Rights International Ltd. Transcribed by Victor Babin • Played by Vitya Vronsky and Victor Babin 4 Fantasia No. 4 in C minor, BWV 906 3:15 Transcribed by Egon Petri • Played by Harriet Cohen 5 Menuet (from the Wilhelm Friedemann Bach Notebook) 3:47 J. S. BACH: Transcribed and played by Egon Petri 6-7 Prelude and Fugue in E flat major (“St. Anne”), BWV 552 15:07 Transcribed by Ferruccio Busoni • Played by Edwin Fisher 8 Vom Himmel hoch da komm’ ich her, BWV 248 2:14 Transcribed and played by Walter Rummel 9 Allein Gott in der Höh’ sei Herr, BWV 711 2:47 Transcribed by Luigi Perrachio • Played by Emma Boynet 0 “Blithe Bells” (Ramble on Bach’s Aria “Sheep May Safely Graze”, from Cantata BWV 208) 3:39

Transcribed and played by Percy Grainger Piano Transcriptions • 2 ! “Little” Fugue in G minor, BWV 578 3:13 Transcribed by Nicolai Mednikoff • Played by Ethel Bartlett and Rae Robertson @ Jesu bleibet meine Freude (Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring, from Cantata BWV 147) 2:41 Piano Transcriptions • 2 Transcriptions Piano Transcribed by Edward Rebner • Played by Theodore Saidenberg and Edward Rebner # Siciliano (from Sonata No. 2 for Flute and Clavier Obbligato, BWV 1031) 3:21 Transcribed by Guy Maier • Played by Pierre Luboschutz and Genia Nemenoff $ Organ Prelude in G minor, BWV 535 3:37 Transcribed by Alexander Siloti • Played by Ellen Ballon % Bourrée (from Partita No.1 in B minor for Solo Violin, BWV 1002) 2:42 Transcribed by Camille Saint-Saëns • Played by Ossip Gabrilowitsch ^ Wachet auf, ruft uns die Stimme (“Sleepers,Wake!”), BWV 645 5:01 Transcribed and played by Wilhelm Kempff J. S. BACH: & Nun kommt, der Heiden Heiland (“Now comes the gentiles’ Saviour”), BWV 659a 3:50 MADE IN Transcribed by Alexander Kelberine • Played by Jeanne Behrend and Alexander Kelberine * ) THE EU - Concerto No. 5 in D minor after Vivaldi’s Opus 3, No. 11, BWV 596 12:45 Transcribed and played by Ray Lev

Archivists & Restoration Producers: Marina and Victor Ledin, Encore Consultants

Restoration Mastering Engineer: Anthony Casuccio 8.111119 www.naxos.com Cover Image: Johann Sebastian Bach and his family (circa XIX) (Private Collection) NAXOS Historical NAXOS