LISZT CHOPIN WALTON BALAKIREV Louis Kentner

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11 and Balakirev’s Rêverie, Sixth Mazurka, Islamey, due as a virtuoso: “The appalling difficulties of the issued concurrently with the ballet’s performances colours the dramatic and emotional elements of the ADD and the Sonata in B flat minor 4-7. Sponsored by Tarantella leave the player neither paralysed nor and was reviewed enthusiastically in The music with sure instinct and often with superb effect, the Maharaja of Mysore’s music foundation in 1949, struck down with tetanus, and those who like the art of Gramophone (May 1940): “Kentner has never done particularly in the use of brass and percussion.” The Great Pianists • Kentner Balakirev’s 1905 Sonata received its very first the virtuoso from a sporting aspect will have a grand anything so absolutely first-rate in every way as this Lambert/Kentner recording of the “Dante Sonata” 8.111223 recording by Kentner. The musicologist Gerald time hearing him take his fences… Kentner keeps the very vivid interpretation. His rapid wrist work in the was the only version of the work available for a Abraham found the Balakirev Sonata, a work of course with unfailing vigour and accuracy and ends many repeated semiquaver groups is admirably clear, number of years, until 1945, when György Sandor’s “strikingly unconventional design”. Vernon Duke triumphant and unwearied. It is at once a magnificent the big moments most powerfully done, but most solo version was released. found the second movement, a mazurka, “a zestful feat of pianism and an empty exhibition of musical memorable of all is his beautiful cantabile playing in contrast to the melancholy, Northern Russian histrionics.” the slow sections… Constant Lambert’s extraordinary Marina A. Ledin and Victor Ledin landscape feeling of the opening movement, and the Liszt’s second volume of the Années de apt and picturesque orchestration might have been LISZT subdued Intermezzo is a perfect lead-in to the Pèlerinage, “Italy”, consists of seven pieces, among dictated to him by Liszt in a dream. It heightens and exuberant finale”. The Balakirev recording was which is the so-called “Dante Sonata”. Although the enthusiastically reviewed in the August 1951 issue of title Après une lecture de Dante (Fantasia quasi The Gramophone: “Louis Kentner plays the work Sonata) (After a Reading of Dante) is taken from a CHOPIN superbly, with all the requisite virtuosity yet without poem of Victor Hugo, there is no doubt that in the so- any lack of delicate poetic insight.” called “Dante Sonata” Liszt expressed his own When Kentner recorded Chopin’s Bolero in C reactions to the “strange tongues, horrible cries, words major, Opus 19 8 in 1949, there had been only two of pain, tones of anger” which Dante describes in his previous 78rpm recordings – Lily Dumont’s 1928 Inferno. When Constant Lambert and choreographer WALTON Polydor and Edouard Isaacs’ 1929 Regal. The Frederick Ashton combined their talents to present Gramophone (April 1950) reviewer was somewhat Liszt’s “Dante Sonata” as a ballet in 1940, it was unconvinced by the music but complimentary to Louis Kentner who was asked to join the Sadler’s Kentner. “Kentner seems to find a sufficiently robust Wells Orchestra to record the work. The Times BALAKIREV yet amusing sensibility for the beguilements of this by (London) provided a review of the ballet after its no means tiresome essay – for its variety is première: “Symbolizing the struggles of the children considerable, and its basic rhythm engaging. The of light and the children of darkness, the ballet is a excellent recording gracefully brings off strokes both moving picture, showing skill and imagination in strong and delicate. I like the colour well.” designing groups of writhing and contorted figures… Among the few early recordings by Kentner The dancers go barefoot with hair unbound, the released in America was his 1938 set of Liszt’s lighting is from the side and adds shadows to the Venezia e Napoli 9-0. As a supplement to the whirling forms; the décor and costumes, in their Italian book of the Années de Pèlerinage, Liszt wrote simplicity, are at once effective and beautiful. Mr. a collection of pieces called Venezia e Napoli (Venice Constant Lambert has rearranged the music for piano and Naples). The three pieces, Gondoliera, Canzone and orchestra, which makes it better for dancing but and Tarantella were published in 1859. When emphasizes the claptrap that lurks in it… There are no Kentner’s recording was issued in 1938, the sole definite characters, but the leading members of the existing recording of the two movements, albeit with company were able to characterize their parts, Miss a brief cut, was Edward Kilenyi’s French Pathé June Frey as a veritable Fury, for instance, and Mr. recording. A complete recording of the second Robert Helpman maintaining steadily a glassy Acknowledgements movement, the Canzone played by Sigfried Grundeis, expression of evil, while among the white-robed souls Louis Kentner was finally issued by the German Odeon label in Miss Pamela May and Miss Margot Fonteyn depicted Louis Kentner’s recordings on British Columbia discs had limited distribution and, unfortunately, also a short 1941. The Gramophone (September 1938) reviewer purification and hope. The ballet, which certainly catalogue life. Historic restoration projects are often a team effort, and as such, a number of collectors and seemed to find the music “not very interesting”, enlarges once more the expressive possibilities of archivists contributed their copies for this release, including Richard Wahlberg, Lance Bowling, and Michael comparing one section of the music to “a whole row dancing and is pictorially satisfying to the eye, was Gartz. Special thanks go to Peter Bromley, Hayden Jones and Michael Gray for their discographic research and of defective water closets!” while giving Kentner his received with great enthusiasm.” The recording was assistance in locating rare press clippings quoted above. (1938-1951 recordings)

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William WALTON: Façade Fryderyk CHOPIN: Great Pianists: Louis Kentner (1905-1987) been delayed so long… Mr. Kentner’s musicianship is Kodály, and Brahms, but had limited distribution in 1 Valse (Transcribed by Kentner) 3:25 8 Bolero in C Major, Op. 19 8:18 solidly complemented by technical gifts of the first England, Slovakia and Hungary. Upon emigrating to Recorded in London, 7th March, 1939 Recorded in London, 13th October, 1949 Walton, Liszt, Balakirev, and Chopin (1938-1951) order. He can do just about whatever he wishes at the England, Kentner began a life-long association with Columbia DX932 (CAX8513-2) Columbia DX1640 (CAX10633-1 and CAX10634-1) “Louis Kentner is one of the most generously complete Beethoven sonatas, all of the sonatas of keyboard. His fingers are fleet and accurate, and his British Columbia and later with His Master’s Voice, cultivated of men, for whom the sharing of life’s Schubert and the complete Well-Tempered Clavier of tone is susceptible to both wide and subtle gradients.” making his first Columbia recordings in 1937 in blessings is ideally reserved for a chosen few Bach. He soon became a familiar presence on the The praise was echoed by Paul Henry Lang in the EMI’s Studio 3, Abbey Road, London. The Franz LISZT: Franz LISZT: Venezia e Napoli New York Herald Tribune: “Mr. Kentner is beyond recordings featured on this disc were recorded 2 Csárdás Macabre (S.224/R.46) 6:57 (Après une lecture de Dante) (S.162/R.10c) initiates, or another chosen few awaiting initiation. BBC, performing the complete Années de Pèlerinage He is a musician gifted with enormous talent, both by Liszt and many other works. He made lasting doubt one of the finest pianists heard here in a long between 1938 and 1951. Recorded in London, 10th November, 1951 9 Gondoliera 5:51 time. His technique and keyboard security are The opening work is Kentner’s own transcription creative to composer and executive – a wonderful friendships with Sir Thomas Beecham (with whom he 1 Columbia DX1813 (CAX11488-2 and CAX11489-2) 0 Tarantella 9:09 pianist.” performed a number of memorable Mozart concerti), phenomenal, but this surely is the result of perfect of the Valse, from William Walton’s Façade . The Recorded in London, 28th and 30th March, 1938 - Yehudi Menuhin (1987) Sir Adrian Boult (with whom he gave the European rapport between mind and fingers.” reviewer, writing in The Gramophone (August 1939) (Columbia DX864 (CAX8220-1 and CAX8221-1), premiére of Bartók’s Third Piano Concerto), and Kentner returned frequently to perform in stated: “The explosive and jerky Valse, played wittily Franz LISZT: America. In 1960, he devoted seven recitals to the 32 by Kentner, is a mildly amusing caricature of the 3 En Rêve (Nocturne) (S.207/R.87) 2:22 DX865 (CAX8222-1 and CAX8223-1) and Louis (Lajos) Kentner was born in Karwin, composer/conductor Constant Lambert. Kentner had Silesia on 19th July 1905. Established some time in works by several British composers in his repertoire, Beethoven piano sonatas at New York’s Judson Hall, typical “concert-waltz”, or those garnished versions Recorded in London, 10th November, 1951 Columbia Set X-105 (69313-D and 69314-D) whose intimate setting (the hall only accommodated of Strauss waltzes which some pianists affect and Columbia DX1822 (CAX11491-1) the thirteenth century, Karwin was then part of the including Walton’s Violin Sonata (1950), written for Austro-Hungarian Empire, situated near its border Yehudi Menuhin and Kentner, Arnold Cooke’s Piano 275 people) was a perfect venue for his cycle. The welcome.” In listening to this short musical morsel, Franz LISZT with Poland. After the Czecho-Slovak Republic was Concerto, of which Kentner gave the première with sonatas were arranged in a performing order that one imagines Kentner immensely enjoying himself, as Mili BALAKIREV: Sonata in B Flat Minor (Orchestrated by Constant LAMBERT): founded following World War I, Karwin was renamed the BBC Symphony Orchestra in 1942, Alan Kentner believed was stylistically and musically he tosses off this music. Kentner’s timing, phrasing 4 I. Andantino 6:12 ! Dante Sonata 16:53 Karviná and gained city status by governmental Rawsthorne’s First Piano Concerto, introduced by superior to mere chronology. Writing in the New York and verve make this short work particularly 5 decree in 1923. The city today lies in the Czech Kentner at a 1942 Promenade Concert, and Michael Times, Raymond Ericson, commented: “Mr. tantalising. II. Mazurka (Moderato) 4:44 Sadler’s Wells Orchestra • Constant Lambert Kentner’s pianism is wonderfully vital, a quality so When Kentner gave an all-Liszt recital at the 6 III. Intermezzo (Larghetto) 4:46 Recorded in London, 20th March, 1940 Republic. Tippett’s Piano Concerto, which the pianist played in Louis Kentner received his first piano lessons both Britain and America. Among Kentner’s closest essential to Beethoven’s music… His artistic vigor, as Aeolian Hall in London in October 1936 7 IV. Allegro non troppo, ma con fuoco 8:20 Columbia DX967 (CAX8760-1 and CAX8761-1) much in his mind as in his fingers, brought what (commemorating the fiftieth anniversary of the and DX968 (CAX8762-1 and CAX8763-2) from his mother and by the age of seven had been musical colleagues was his brother-in-law, Yehudi Recorded in London, 2nd June, 1949 accepted as a student at the Royal Franz Liszt Menuhin, with whom he toured India in 1954 and seemed to be new life to the fast movements. It also composer’s death), Constant Lambert was in the Columbia LX8810 (CAX10536-1 and CAX10541-1), Academy of Music in Budapest, where he studied who partnered him in many recordings, including the infused the slow movements and gave them an audience. Writing in The Sunday Referee, Lambert LX8811 (CAX10537-1 and CAX10540-1) and with Arnold Székely (piano), Zoltán Kodály complete violin sonatas of Beethoven. immediacy and aliveness no matter how quiet the placed Kentner “among the first half-dozen masters of LX8812 (CAX10538-1 and CAX10539-1) (composition) and Leo Weiner (chamber music). In a While Kentner’s concert tours eventually took tempo or mood, that should be a lesson to all his instrument, while as interpreter of Liszt he is only memoir published in 1987, Kentner wrote: “Leo him to six continents, his American début did not take pianists.” Alas, Kentner’s repeated offers to record the second to Petri”. High praise, indeed! Over a period of Weiner’s was the earliest and strongest of influences place until 1956, when the pianist performed music by complete Beethoven sonatas were gently rebuffed by some fifty years, Kentner proved to be a devoted and on me as a musician. He was a really ‘great’ master- Bach/Liszt, Beethoven, Bartók and Kodály, together His Masters Voice, leaving us no audible evidence untiring advocate for Liszt’s music, recording dozens pedagogue who was also a significant creative artist, a with the twelve Etudes Opus 25 of Chopin, at Town preserving his Beethoven sonata cycle. of works for British Columbia, HMV, Qualiton and Louis Kentner was an active teacher and scholar. VOX/Turnabout. Liszt’s Csárdás Macabre 2 and En penetrating musical intelligence, self-taught in Hall in New York City. Writing in the New York 3 playing the piano (which he did with a cat-like Times, Edward Downes commented that Kentner In Britain he was president of The Liszt Society and Rêve were the very first recordings of these two instinctive physical skill but also an inability of “waited until he was 51 to make his North American The Chopin Society. He also composed piano pieces, works to appear on disc. Unfortunately these rare late- sustained concentration), in short, a universal début. His Town Hall audience was startled to realize chamber music, orchestral works, and songs. Kentner era 78rpm discs had an extremely short catalogue life. musician.” Regarding Kodály, Kentner said: “Where that an artist of his caliber could have remained died on 23rd September, 1987. The reviewer, writing in The Gramophone (March Weiner was outgoing, laughter-loving, sardonic, almost unknown in this country for so long.” Howard Louis Kentner began his recording career in the 1952), spoke glowingly of the Csárdás Macabre: communicative, Kodály was slow-moving, given to Taubman, reviewing the concert in the same late 1920s, first with HMV in Germany in “How “modern” is the opening! The piece is one not few words and long silences, and had a sustained air publication, wrote: “The first impression Louis collaboration with violinist Erica Morini (recordings much heard in public until our day. Kentner has done of inviolable spirituality…” Kodály wrote for him his Kentner makes is that he is a musician with the were made between November 1927 and December first-rate work for Liszt, in bringing out the unfamiliar Dances of Marosszék, of which Kentner gave the capacity to illuminate freshly whatever he touches as 1929 of music by Bach/Franko, Hubay, Kreisler, and in handling all the works so notably, with firm, première in 1927. a pianist. It is also the last impression one takes away Mozart Tchaikovsky/Kreisler, Valdez/Robert, and unsentimental hold upon their basic moods.” In 1935 Kentner moved to Britain where he from a long program… His performances were so Viotti), and in Hungary, which yielded recordings that Kentner championed two Russian composers – quickly distinguished himself for his daring and imaginative and exhilarating that one could not were issued under the Edison Bell label. The Edison Sergey Lyapunov and Mili Balakirev. He recorded monumental piano recitals, which included the understand why his introduction to this country had Bell discs featured repertoire by Chopin, Dohnányi, Lyapunov’s complete Transcendental Études, Opus 8.111223 2 3 8.111223 4 8.111223 111223 bk Kentner EU 7/10/07 12:40 PM Page 2

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8.111223 5 6 8.111223 NAXOS Historical KENTNER: Liszt, Chopin, Balakirev, Walton 8.111223

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2007 Naxos Rights International Ltd. International Rights Naxos 2007 & BROADCASTING AND COPYING OF THIS COMPACT DISC PROHIBITED. DISC COMPACT THIS OF COPYING AND BROADCASTING

TRANSLATIONS RESERVED. UNAUTHORISED PUBLIC PERFORMANCE, PUBLIC UNAUTHORISED RESERVED. TRANSLATIONS ALL RIGHTS IN THIS SOUND RECORDING, ARTWORK, TEXTS AND TEXTS ARTWORK, RECORDING, SOUND THIS IN RIGHTS ALL Restoration MasteringEngineer: Anthony Casuccio Producers and Audio RestorationEngineers:MarinaandVictor Ledin Cover Photograph:LouisKentner[The Tully PotterCollection] www.naxos.com ! 0 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 8.111223 at oaa16:53 9:09 5:51 4:44 6:12 15:00 4:46 Recorded inLondon,20thMarch, 1940 Sadler’s Wells Orchestra •ConstantLambert 8:20 Dante Sonata (Orchestrated byConstantLAMBERT): 8:18 Franz LISZT Recorded inLondon,28thand30thMarch, 1938 Tarantella Gondoliera (Après unelecture deDante)S162/R 10c Franz LISZT: Venezia eNapoli Recorded inLondon,13thOctober, 1949 24:02 Fryderyk CHOPIN:Bolero inCmajor, Op.19 2:22 Recorded inLondon,2ndJune,1949 IV. Allegro nontroppo, maconfuoco 6:57 III. Intermezzo(Larghetto) II. Mazurka I. Andantino (1905) Mili BALAKIREV: SonatainBflatminor Recorded inLondon,10thNovember, 1951 Franz LISZT: EnRêve(Nocturne) (S207/R87) Recorded inLondon,10thNovember, 1951 Franz LISZT: CsárdásMacabre (S224/R46) William WALTON:“Façade”: Recorded inLondon,7thMarch, 1939 ADD IZ •CHOPIN WALTON •BALAKIREV LISZT Valse (transcribedbyKentner) oi ete (1905-1987) Louis Kentner (1938-1951) 3:25 Gramophone, lack ofdelicatepoeticinsight”( requisite virtuosityyetwithoutany the worksuperbly, withallthe plays first recording: “LouisKentner Sonata inBflatminor championed MiliBalakirev whose also ondisc.Kentner first toappear Macabre Liszt. Hisrecordings of themusicof and untiringadvocatefor these recordings testify, wasadevoted Bartók’s gave theEuropean première of and monumentalpianorecitals. He hisdaring distinguished himselffor settled inBritainwhere hequickly wonderful pianist”,LouisKentner andexecutive–a creative tocomposer gifted withenormoustalent,both cultivated ofmen…Heisamusician as “oneofthemostgenerously Described in1987by Yehudi Menuhin Third PianoConcerto and August 1951). En Rêve Playing here receives its were thevery 76:59 Time Csárdás and, as

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KENTNER: Liszt, Chopin, Balakirev, Walton Walton Balakirev, Chopin, Liszt, 8.111223 l l a a c c i i r r o o t t s s i i H H S S O O X X A A N N