111115 bk Moisei9 6/8/06 11:11 AM Page 4 BEETHOVEN: 0 Andante in F major, WoO 8:31 ADD Sonata No. 8 in C minor, Op. 13 16:09 (Andante favori) ‘Pathétique’ Great Pianists • Moiseiwitsch 9 1 I Grave - Allegro di molto e con brio 6:51 Recorded 25th October 1950 8.111115 2 II Adagio cantabile 4:44 in Studio No. 3, Abbey Road 3 III Rondo allegro 4:33 Matrices 2EA 1516-17; Catalogue C 4099 Recorded 11th September 1941 in Studio No. 3, Abbey Road ! Rondo in C major, Op. 51 No. 1 4:50 BEETHOVEN Matrices 2EA 9466-69; Catalogue C 3246-47 Recorded 15th June 1942, in Studio No. 3, Abbey Road Sonata No. 14 in C sharp minor, 12:48 Matrix 2EA 9878; Catalogue C 3291 Sonata No. 8 Op. 27 No. 2 ‘Moonlight’ 4 I Adagio sostenuto 5:51 5 II Allegretto 2:01 D. SCARLATTI arr. TAUSIG: ‘Pathétique’ 6 III Presto agitato 4:55 @ Pastorale in E minor 1 6:05 and Capriccio in E major 2 Recorded 6th October 1941 Arr. from Sonata in D minor, K.9 (L.413)1 in Studio No. 3, Abbey Road and Sonata in E major, K.20 (L.375)2 Sonata No. 14 Matrices 2EA 9484-86; Catalogue C 3259-60 Recorded 21st February 1927, ‘Moonlight’ Studio C, Queen’s Small Hall Sonata No. 21 in C major, Op. 53 21:08 Matrices Bb 9946-47; Catalogue E 528 ‘Waldstein’ 7 I Allegro con brio 8:15 Sonata No. 21 8 II Introduzione - Adagio molto 3:53 WEBER: 9 III Rondo - Allegretto moderato 9:00 # Sonata No. 1 in C major, J.138: 3:56 ‘Waldstein’ Perpetuum mobile Recorded 20th February 1942 in Studio No. 3, Abbey Road Recorded 25th October 1950, Matrices 2EA 9852-56; Catalogue C 3289-91 in Studio No. 3, Abbey Road Matrix 2EA 15161; Catalogue C 4101 Benno Moiseiwitsch Discographic information has been taken from Benno Moiseiwitsch: An HMV Discography by Bryan Crimp Historical Recordings (Appian Publications & Recordings, 1990, Hexham, Northumberland, UK) 1927, 1941, 1942 and 1950 8.111115 4 111115 bk Moisei9 6/8/06 11:11 AM Page 2 Great Pianists: Benno Moiseiwitsch (1890-1963), Volume 9 a rather disproportionate amount of weight to the Trio. 20th February where he set down Beethoven’s Piano BEETHOVEN: Piano Sonatas Nos. 8, 14 and 21 A most interesting reading. If the first movement is Sonata in C major, Op. 53 ‘Waldstein’ for HMV. taken more slowly than usual the last movement Again, it was a straightforward session with all five Benno Moiseiwitsch was born in ‘the cradle of Russian Concerto in A minor, Op. 16, by Grieg and Brahms’s certainly goes more quickly. It rushes along excitedly, sides issued from first takes with second takes being pianism’ Odessa, in 1890. At the age of nine he won the Paganini Variations again. In between these dramatically, and, having regard to its opening tune, held in reserve. At the Brighton concert the following Anton Rubinstein prize, and after being told by the appearances Moiseiwitsch went to the HMV studios at explosively. Moiseiwitsch’s fine sense of rhythm day he played Beethoven’s ‘Pathétique’ and Guildhall School of Music in London that they could Abbey Road in London where on 11th September he prevents incoherence and nothing is scamped though ‘Moonlight’ Sonatas and on 25th February played the teach him nothing, he went, at the age of fourteen, to recorded Beethoven’s Piano Sonata in C minor, Op. 13 the pace is so hot.’ ‘Waldstein’ Sonata in a recital at Leeds Town Hall. Vienna where he studied with the great teacher ‘Pathétique’. It appears to have been an easy session – On 11th October 1941 Moiseiwitsch played both Moiseiwitsch was constantly on tour for the next few Theodore Leschetizky. At first Leschetizky told the all four of the 78 rpm sides were issued from first takes the ‘Pathétique’ and ‘Moonlight’ Sonatas at Rushworth months and was not able to return to the studio until the young Benno that he could play better with his feet, but although second takes of parts 1, 2 and 4 were made and Philharmonic Hall in Liverpool as well as works by middle of June when he recorded a fill-up for the sixth young Benno was undeterred and spent nearly two held in reserve in case of technical problems with the Chopin, Rachmaninov, Debussy and Brahms. The side of the ‘Waldstein’ set of discs. The work was years in Vienna perfecting his art with the great master. production of the discs. This is an exceptionally fine following day he returned to HMV’s studio to record Beethoven’s Rondo in C major, Op. 51 No. 1. The His British début was in Reading in 1908 and his performance of the ‘Pathétique’ sonata with part 3 of the Moonlight Sonata again, but the side was recordings of the ‘Pathétique’ and ‘Moonlight’ sonatas international career took him to every corner of the Moiseiwitsch’s full tone at the beginning being released from the first take. Two days after that are some of the most satisfying versions on disc and one world. faithfully captured by the engineers. The tempo of the Moiseiwitsch played Chopin’s Piano Concerto No. 1 in can only regret that Moiseiwitsch was not asked to Moiseiwitsch worked hard during the Second Allegro di molto e con brio is urgent and fast while E minor, Op. 11, and Paderewski’s Polish Fantasy for record more Beethoven. The only other works recorded World War constantly touring Britain and raising Moiseiwitsch’s sublime tonal qualities can be heard to piano and orchestra, Op. 19, at London’s Cambridge for HMV were the Third and Fifth Piano Concertos money for Lady Churchill’s Aid to Russia Fund and the full advantage in the Adagio which never degenerates Theatre at a memorial concert for Paderewski, who had (Naxos 8.110776) and the Kreutzer Sonata with Jascha Red Cross. An example of his work-load and repertoire into sentimentality. died at the end of June 1941. Heifetz. At the end of his career three LPs were made can be gained from noting that in December 1941 he A few days later on 16th September 1941 In January 1942 Moiseiwitsch ventured to Belfast for American Decca for which Moiseiwitsch recorded played Rachmaninov’s Piano Concerto No. 3 in Moiseiwitsch gave a recital at the Winter Gardens for two different recital programmes at University Hall the ‘Moonlight’ Sonata again, but also the Piano Sonata D minor, Op. 30, on the 6th in Brighton, on the 7th he Pavilion in Weston-super-Mare where he played the in one day. During the rest of the month he performed in E flat, Op. 81a, ‘Les Adieux’. played Beethoven’s ‘Emperor’ Concerto, Op. 73, in Beethoven sonata he had just recorded for HMV as well in Dublin, Dundee, Glasgow, Edinburgh, Newcastle, At a recording session on 25th October 1950 London, Rachmaninov’s Third Concerto again on the as the composer’s Andante favori. He performed both of Grimsby, Halifax, Tunbridge Wells and London, often Moiseiwitsch recorded Beethoven’s Andante Favori, 13th in London, a solo recital in Hull on the 14th, and these works for the BBC on 3rd October, played playing on consecutive nights. Repertoire included the Prokofiev’s Suggestion Diabolique and Weber’s on the 17th Tchaikovsky’s Piano Trio, Op. 50, and Schumann’s Piano Concerto in A minor, Op. 54, with Suite Fantastique for piano and orchestra by Ernest Perpetuum mobile. The Weber is included here by way Rachmaninov’s Cello Sonata, Op. 19. Saturday 20th Leslie Heward and the Royal Philharmonic the next Schelling (1876-1939) which he performed on of an encore to the Beethoven programme as is the December had him playing Rachmaninov’s Rhapsody afternoon and repeated his Weston-super-Mare President Roosevelt’s birthday and on 7th February in arrangement of Scarlatti by Carl Tausig recorded in on a theme of Paganini, Op. 43, with Adrian Boult and programme at Eastbourne on the day after that. The next Liverpool he played Beethoven’s third, fourth and fifth 1927. It was Moiseiwitsch’s second recording of the the London Philharmonic Orchestra at London’s Albert day he was back at HMV’s Studio No. 3 in Abbey Road piano concertos in one concert. work; he made his first of it in June 1919. Hall. The following afternoon he was in Preston with to record Beethoven’s Piano Sonata in C sharp minor, Between a recital on 12th February 1942 and one at the Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra and Herbert Op. 27 No. 2 ‘Moonlight’. Again, this is a superlative the Dome in Brighton on 21st Moiseiwitsch had a break Menges playing the ‘Emperor’ again. On Christmas performance of depth and understanding, the first from performing, but went to the recording studio on © 2006 Jonathan Summers Day 1941 he gave a recital for the BBC which was movement’s melody heard in high relief, the second broadcast from the Paris Cinema in London. movement played with charming simplicity and the Two months earlier, on 7th September 1941, third with ferocious power and speed. Of this recording Moiseiwitsch played Rachmaninov’s Piano Concerto the critic of the Gramophone wrote, ‘Moiseiwitsch has No. 2, Op. 18, and Brahms’s Variations on a theme of surely never made such a good recording as this. He Paganini, Op. 35, in Malvern. A week later, on 14th puts a remarkable amount of colour into the first September at De Montfort Hall in Leicester he gave a movement, which he takes very slowly….The pianist Sunday afternoon concert where he played the Piano gives grace and a certain wit to the Scherzo and perhaps 8.111115 23 8.111115 111115 bk Moisei9 6/8/06 11:11 AM Page 2 Great Pianists: Benno Moiseiwitsch (1890-1963), Volume 9 a rather disproportionate amount of weight to the Trio.