Piano Concerto in A Minor, Op. 54 Symphony Orchestra/ Sir Eugene Goossens, Conductor/Peter Katin, Piano

1 I. Allegro affetuoso 14:46

2 II. Intermezzo - Andante grazioso 05:01

3 III. Allegro vivace 11:22

César Franck London Symphony Orchestra/ Sir Eugene Goossens, Conductor/Peter Katin, Piano

4 Variations Symphoniques for Piano and 15:10 Orchestra, M. 46 SCHUMANN: Concerto for Piano and Clara was a devoted sweetheart, and later, fledged, three-movement Piano Concerto in Orchestra in A Minor, Op. 54 an even more devoted and cooperative wife. A Minor, though at its first performance it But in those early days she must have been was billed as Allegro affettuoso, Andantino FRANCK: Variations Symphoniques afraid that Schumann’s music, not yet famil- and Rondo. for Piano and Orchestra iar to her audiences, would be too difficult for them to understand. The still struggling Considering that she had asked for such a Peter Katin, piano, with the London young composer, on the other hand, may work more than six years earlier, it is hardly Symphony Orchestra, conducted by have been just the least bit hurt that she was surprising that Clara Schumann was herself Sir Eugene Goossens playing so few of his works in public. Now, the piano soloist when the Concerto in A at last, he was to be given the opportunity of Minor had its world premiere in the Hall of writing something especially for her use. the Hotel de Saxe in Dresden on December 4, 1845. The orchestra on that occasion was Recording engineers and hi-fi enthusiasts It wasn’t until the spring of 1841, some under the direction of another noted pian- are in general agreement that possibly the six months after they were married, that ist, the Schumann’s close friend Ferdinand most difficult of all musical instruments to Schumann found the time and inspiration Hiller, to whom the concerto is dedicated. reproduce on records is the piano. Nothing is to write the requested work. It turned out to too difficult for the Everest engineers, how- be a one-movement Phantasie for Piano and Though it had some success at this first per- ever, as you will discover when you listen to Orchestra in A Minor. formance, the new concerto took awhile to the extremely lifelike sound not only of the catch on with the public. Clara was a staunch solo piano but also that of all the orchestral In April, 1841, Schumann tried over his propagandist for her husband’s new work. In instruments in this pair of beautifully con- new First Symphony at a rehearsal of the the years that followed its completion, she certed works from the nineteenth century. Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra. At that played it all over Europe. At its initial pres- same rehearsal, Clara ran through the new entation in Vienna, on New Year’s Day, 1847, Phantasie twice with the orchestra. Her ver- Clara was again the soloist, and this time Schumann: Concerto for Piano and dict was that it was magnificent. On August Schumann himself conducted. But the audi- Orchestra in A Minor, Op. 54 13th, she gave a semi-public performance of ence was small, and the work was not well the Phantasie, again at the Gewandhaus. received. A few years later, a critic for the When he was a lad of seventeen, and again London Times called the concerto “a labored when he was twenty, Robert Schumann tried The Phantasie was considered by Schumann and ambitious work”, and referred to Mme. his hand at writing a piano concerto. Neither to be an entity in itself. But two years later, Schumann’s “praiseworthy efforts to make effort was successful. Then in 1839, his when he attempted to have the work pub- her husband’s rhapsody pass for music.” bride-to-be, Clara Wieck, not yet out of her lished under various titles – Phantasie, teens but already a highly successful concert Concert Allegro and Allegro affetuoso – no There was probably a good reason why early pianist, wrote to Schumann asking him to publisher would accept it. They just weren’t audiences and critics were somewhat hostile compose something brilliant for her to play interested in a one-movement work for piano to this concerto. They were used to hearing at her concerts. She stipulated that it should and orchestra. such a work begin with a long orchestral not be too long or too short - something, too, exposition, which was then repeated by the that the public could understand easily. At Nothing happened to the Phantasie for two soloist. Here, however, the piano enters right the same time, she apologized for asking a years. Then, early in the summer of 1845, at the outset and takes part in the unfolding genius to compromise his high standards. Schumann, who was then living in Dresden, of the music all the way through. There is composed an Intermezzo and Finale to go much closer integration between the piano with it. The finished product became the full- and orchestra in this concerto, too, whereas in the classical concertos the pianist and sandwiched the theme and six variations. orchestra were in competition with each Furthermore, neither the introduction nor other. the finale is based on the principal theme, and both of these sections assume equal The lack of proper recognition for the con- importance with the theme and variations certo annoyed Clara no end. But Schumann proper. Though there is ample opportunity calmed her with assurance that in ten years for the display of virtuosity, the solo piano all that would be changed. It surely was part has been so designed that it engages in changed. Within ten years the concerto won frequent intimate dialogues with the orches- wide acceptance – and its composer was tra. In this respect, the Symphonic Variations dead. bear a close relation to the Schumann Concerto.

Franck: Variations Symphoniques Original Liner Notes by PAUL AFFELDER for Piano and Orchestra

In 1884, Cesar Franck, impelled by a desire to revive some of the old forms of piano music in terms of modern keyboard tech- nique, began work on a series of compo- sitions for the piano. These included the symphonic poems Les Djinns, in which the piano was treated more as a member of the orchestra than as a solo instrument; the Prélude, Choral et Fugue and Prélude, Arie et Final, both for piano solo, and the Variations Symphoniques for piano and orchestra.

Franck wrote the Symphonic Variations in 1885, and they had their first hearing at a concert of the Societe Nationale de Musique on March 1st of that year, with Louis Dièmer as the piano soloist.

Though Franck used as his inspiration the variation movements of Bach and Beethoven, two of his greatest idols, he developed his Symphonic Variations along what were then new lines. No longer do we have the simple theme with a series of variations. Instead, there is a lengthy introduction and an even longer finale, in between which are Some notes on the history of Everest Below is a graphic representation of this new “wow and flutter” to an absolute minimum. recordings made anywhere in the world. By Records and the digital remastering material. What you see here, your ears will The film has another advantage in its great utilizing specially designed portable versions quickly verify when you listen to an EVER- tensile strength which effectively eliminates of EVEREST 35 mm equipment, EVEREST When Everest Records was founded by Harry EST recording. pitch changes due to “tape stretch”, a condi- engineers are able to make recordings and Belock in 1958 as a division of Belock Instru- tion heretofore almost impossible to control. maintain the rigid standards and excellence ment Corp., the aim was to produce a cata- Notice that now EVEREST engineers have of quality available in the Studios. logue of stereo recordings of the highest pos- over 3 times the normal space available Drawing on the extensive experience in the sible technical standard, with interesting and [than] on ¼” tape. This means distortion free, motion picture sound field BELOCK INSTRU- The advanced engineering and special equip- innovative classical repertoire played by some perfect sound. 35 mm magnetic film allows MENT (of which EVEREST is a division), ment, in addition to meticulous attention of the best artists and orchestras. EVEREST engineers to make recordings with requested Westrex Corporation to build spe- to detail, results in the EVEREST sound, a cial equipment to EVEREST’S exacting sound that has been acclaimed as superb by For the first Everest recording sessions in • No distortion from print through specifications in order to accomplish these critics and record enthusiasts throughout the 1958, an Ampex 300-3 half-inch three- • No distortion from lack of channel width advantages. This equipment includes the use world. channel recorder was used. Later on the label • Absolute minimum of “wow or flutter” of special recording heads which afford com- moved to use a Westrex 35 mm 3-track mag- • Highest possible signal to noise ratio plete wide band frequency response beyond netic film recorder, which had a wider possible • Greatest quality and dynamic range ever that normally specified in any present-day dynamic range, less print-through, less tape recorded motion picture recording. It is of interest to stretch and less ‘wow and flutter’, and which note, that when soundtracks of great motion Executive Producer: Mark Jenkins for Countdown was the basis for the highly acclaimed typical With 35 mm magnetic film, the base mate- pictures originally recorded on 35 mm mag- Media/Everest • Project Coordinator: Helge “Everest-sound”. rial on which the magnetic oxide is coated netic film are released as phonograph records, Jürgens for Countdown Media • Digital Transfer and Remastering: Lutz Rippe at Countdown Media using is five times thicker than conventional tape that normal technique is to re-record the the original master tapes • Artwork preparation: For the process of digital remastering of the and is similar to the film used for motion pic- sound from 35 mm magnetic film to conven- Eckhard Volk at Countdown Media • Digital Booklet: 35 mm master tapes an Albrecht MB 51 tures. This thickness permits the recording of tional tape. EVEREST, through its advanced Dirk Böing, Martina Grüthling • Original Cover machine was used for analog playback. The extremely high sound intensities without the processes and equipment, is the only record Artwork: Alex Steinweiss • Original Producer: Bert output was captured in highest digital reso- danger of layer-to-layer “print-through”. The company able to transfer all Master Records Whyte for Everest Records • Original Recording lution of 192 kHz sampling rate and 24 bit width of 35 mm magnetic film is such that directly from the 35 mm magnetic film to the Engineer: Aaron Nathanson • Recording Location word length using state-of-the-art convert- it can accommodate three channels, each of recording heads. and Date: Walthamstow Assembly Hall, London (May 1959) • Original Recording on 35 mm 3-track ers. In the digital domain the recording was which is as wide as the standard ¼” record- magnetic film, released in October 1959 as SDBR carefully restored and remastered using top- ing tape. Because of this great channel width, To assure maintaining the high quality of 3036 • Analog playback of original master tapes quality mastering and restoration equipment. it is possible to produce stereo recordings in EVEREST sound on every EVEREST record- on an Albrecht MB 51 • Digital restoration and which the usual background noise is inaudi- ing, the same equipment that is used in the remastering using Algorithmix software products …from the original LP release: ble. Another similarity of magnetic film to BELOCK Recording studios is utilized for ℗ & © Countdown Media GmbH motion picture is that it has sprocket holes “The remarkable EVEREST sound on this cut along each edge. The drive mechanism is record is the result of a revolutionary new also similar to motion picture cameras in that method of magnetic recording developed by sprocket gears engage these sprocket holes EVEREST utilizing 35 mm magnetic film. affording a smoothness of motion that reduces EVEREST is recorded on tape 35 mm wide

½” Tape used for Conventional stereo recording Standard ¼” Recording Tape Below is a listing of the currently available Everest albums in this series. For more information and an updated listing please visit www.everestrecords.com

SDBR-3001 Prokofiev : Chout (“The Buffoon”), Ballet Suite, Op. 21a SDBR-3022 Kodály: Psalmus Hungaricus - Bartók: Dance Suite London Symphony Orchestra & Sir Eugene Goossens, London Philharmonic Orchestra & János Ferencsik, Conductor Conductor

SDBR-3003 Antill: Corroboree - Ginastera: Panambi SDBR-3023 Strauss: Till Eulenspiegel / Salome / Don Juan London Symphony Orchestra & Sir Eugene Goossens, Stadium Symphony Orchestra of New York & Leopold Conductor Stokowski, Conductor

SDBR-3005 Mahler: Symphony No. 1 in D Major “Titan” SDBR-3025 Waltz Masterpieces London Philharmonic Orchestra & Sir Adrian Boult, Stadium Symphony Orchestra of New York & Raoul Conductor Poliakin, Conductor

SDBR-3006 A Memorial Tribute to : SDBR-3026 Rimsky-Korsakov: Scheherazade Symphony No. 9 in E Minor London Symphony Orchestra & Sir Eugene Goossens, London Philharmonic Orchestra & Sir Adrian Boult, Conductor Conductor SDBR-3027 Raymond Paige’s Classical Spice Shelf SDBR-3007 Shostakovitch: Symphony No. 6 in B Minor, Op. 54 Stadium Symphony Orchestra of New York & Raymond London Philharmonic Orchestra & Sir Adrian Boult, Paige, Conductor Conductor SDBR-3028 Strauss: A Night in Venice SDBR-3008 Hindemith: Symphony in E-flat Original Cast & Thomas Martin, Conductor London Philharmonic Orchestra & Sir Adrian Boult, Conductor SDBR-3031 Wagner: Parsifal - Good Friday Spell “Karfreitagszauber” & Symphonic Synthesis Act 3 SDBR-3009 Stravinsky: Ebony Concerto & Symphony in Houston Symphony Orchestra & Leopold Stokowski, 3 Movements Conductor Woody Herman and his Orchestra / London Symphony Orchestra & Sir Eugene Goossens, Conductor SDBR-3032 Scriabin: The Poem of Ecstasy - Amirov: Azerbaijan Mugam SDBR-3011 Tchaikovsky: Francesca da Rimini & Hamlet Houston Symphony Orchestra & Leopold Stokowski, Stadium Symphony Orchestra of New York & Leopold Conductor Stokowski, Conductor SDBR-3033 Stravinsky: Petrouchka SDBR-3012 Charles K. L. Davis sings Romantic Arias from Favorite London Symphony Orchestra & Sir Eugene Goossens, Operas Conductor Stadium Symphony Orchestra of New York, Wilfred Pelletier, Conductor & Charles K. L. Davis, Tenor SDBR-3034 Prokofiev: Symphony No. 5 London Symphony Orchestra & Sir Malcolm Sargent, SDBR-3015 Copland: Billy The Kid & Statements for Orchestra Conductor London Symphony Orchestra & Aaron Copland, Conductor SDBR-3035 Tchaikovsky: Manfred Symphony SDBR-3018 Copland: Symphony No. 3 London Symphony Orchestra & Sir Eugene Goossens, London Symphony Orchestra & Aaron Copland, Conductor Conductor

SDBR-3021 Arnold: 4 Scottish Dances / Symphony No. 3 SDBR-3036 Schumann: Piano Concerto in A Minor, Op. 54 & Franck: London Philharmonic Orchestra & Malcolm Arnold, Variations Symphoniques Conductor London Symphony Orchestra, Sir Eugene Goossens, Conductor & Peter Katin, Piano SDBR-3037 Berlioz: Symphonie Fantastique SDBR-3051 Respighi: The Fountains of Rome & The Pines of London Symphony Orchestra & Sir Eugene Goossens, Rome Conductor London Symphony Orchestra & Sir Malcolm Sargent, Conductor SDBR-3038 Richard Strauss: Ein Heldenleben London Symphony Orchestra & Leopold Ludwig, SDBR-3052 Khatchaturian: Gayne (Ballet Suite) Conductor London Symphony Orchestra & Anatole Fistoulari, Conductor SDBR-3039 Tchaikovsky: Symphony No. 5 in E Major, Op. 64 London Symphony Orchestra & Sir Malcolm Sargent, SDBR-3053 Mussorgsky: Pictures at an Exhibition & Night on Conductor Bald Mountain London Symphony Orchestra & Sir Malcolm Sargent, SDBR-3040 Hindemith: Violin Concerto & Mozart: Violin Concerto Conductor No. 3 London Symphony Orchestra, Sir Eugene Goossens, SDBR-3054 Shostakovich: Symphony No. 9 / Lieutenant Kijé Suite Conductor & Joseph Fuchs, Violin London Symphony Orchestra & Sir Malcolm Sargent, Conductor SDBR-3041 Villa-Lobos: The Little Train of the Caipira (from Bachianas Brasileiras No. 2) SDBR-3055 Khatchaturian: Concerto for Piano and Orchestra in Ginastera: Estancia & Panambi (Ballet Suites) D-flat Major London Symphony Orchestra & Sir Eugene Goossens, London Symphony Orchestra, Hugo Rignold, Conductor & Conductor Peter Katin, Piano

SDBR-3044 Grofé: Grand Canyon Suite & Concerto for Piano and SDBR-3056 Dvoˇrák: Symphony No. 9 in E Minor, Op. 95 “From the Orchestra in D Minor New World” Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra & Ferde Grofé, London Symphony Orchestra & Leopold Ludwig, Conductor Conductor

SDBR-3045 Sibelius: Violin Concerto in D Minor & Tapiola, SDBR-3057 De Falla: The Three Cornered Hat (Complete Ballet) Tone Poem, Op. 112 London Symphony Orchestra & Enrique Jordá, Conductor London Symphony Orchestra, Tauno Hannikainen, Conductor & Tossy Spivakovsky, Violin SDBR-3058 Irving Berlin: Great Man of American Music - A New Interpretation SDBR-3046 Schubert: Symphony No. 8 in B Minor, D 759 Raoul Poliakin and his orchestra “Unfinished” - Mozart: Symphony No. 40 in G Minor, K. 550 SDBR-3059 Works of Lili Boulanger: Du fond de l’abîme London Symphony Orchestra & Leopold Ludwig, (Psaume 130), Psaume 24, Psaume 129, Vieille Prière Conductor Bouddhique & Pie Jesu Lamoureux Concert Association Orchestra, Elisabeth SDBR-3047 Stravinsky: The Rite of Spring (“Le Sacre du Brasseur Choir & Igor Markevitch, Conductor Printemps”) London Symphony Orchestra & Sir Eugene Goossens, SDBR-3060 Debussy: Iberia - Ravel: La Valse & Rhapsodie Conductor Espagnol Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra & Theodore Bloomfield, SDBR-3049 Tchaikovsky: Violin Concerto in D Major, Op. 35 & Conductor Melody, Op. 42/3 London Symphony Orchestra, Walter Goehr, Conductor & SDBR-3061 A Memorial Album: Ernst von Dohnányi Plays His Own Tossy Spivakovsky, Violin Music for Piano Ernst von Dohnányi, Piano SDBR-3050 Mahler: Symphony No. 9 in D Minor London Symphony Orchestra & Leopold Ludwig, SDBR-3062 Jorge Bolet playing the music of : Piano Conductor Concerto No. 1 in E-Flat Major & Mephisto Waltz No. 1 Symphony of the Air, Robert Irving, Conductor & Jorge Bolet, Piano SDBR-3063 Bennett: A Commemoration Symphony to Stephen Foster & A Symphonic Story of Jerome Kern Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, Mendelssohn Choir of Pittsburgh & William Steinberg, Conductor

SDBR-3064 A Liszt Recital: Piano Sonata in B Minor / Funerailles / Mephisto Waltz No. 1 Jorge Bolet, Piano

SDBR-3067 Gershwin: Rhapsody in Blue & An American in Paris Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, William Steinberg, Conductor & Jesus Maria Sanroma, Piano

SDBR-3068 Sibelius: Symphony No. 5 in E-Flat Major, Op. 82 & Finlandia, Op. 26 Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra & Theodore Bloomfield, Conductor

SDBR-3069 Bartók: Concerto for Orchestra Houston Symphony Orchestra & Leopold Stokowski, Conductor

SDBR-3070 Wagner: Magic Fire Music & Wotan’s Farewell – Chopin: Mazurka, Op. 17/4, Prelude, Op. 28/24 & Waltz, Op. 64/2 – Canning: Fantasy on a Hymn Tune by Justin Morgan Houston Symphony Orchestra & Leopold Stokowski, Conductor

SDBR-3074 Beethoven: Symphony No. 6 in F Major, Op. 68 “Pastoral” London Symphony Orchestra & Josef Krips, Conductor

SDBR-3079 A Chopin Piano Recital Jorge Bolet, Piano

SDBR-3086 Beethoven: Symphony No. 5 in C Minor, Op. 67 London Symphony Orchestra & Josef Krips, Conductor

SDBR-3087 Beethoven: Symphony No. 3 in E-flat Major, Op. 55 London Symphony Orchestra & Josef Krips, Conductor

SDBR-3088 Beethoven: Symphony No. 7 in A Major, Op. 92 London Symphony Orchestra & Josef Krips, Conductor

SDBR-3089 Beethoven: Symphonies No. 1 & 8 London Symphony Orchestra & Josef Krips, Conductor

SDBR-3110 Beethoven: Symphony No. 9 in D Minor, Op. 125 “Choral” London Symphony Orchestra & Josef Krips, Conductor

SDBR-3113 Beethoven: Symphonies No. 2 & 4 London Symphony Orchestra & Josef Krips, Conductor