When I asked Tarnowsky which of his pupils was best, he didn't mention Uninsky, Kitain or anyone else, just straight forwardly said Horowitz. H didn't care for Godowsky's contrapuntal excess. G's music is often more difficult to play than it sounds. H was pragmatically interested in effect above effort. Kitain is excellent: a decided persona, mood projecting, incised finger work, evocative murmuring in dolcissimo sections, doesn't make listeners struggle along (most pianists do in this piece).
Holy Cow! I'd seen Kitain's name before but never heard him. Thanks for this revelation. Spectacular playing, and with the marvelous sense that he's not working too hard to do it - a distraction in many other performances of this repertoire. If you're going to play this stuff, you have to be able to just "shake it out of your sleeves" as I forget who said! IMO, Kitaien's abridgement improves this piece, just as Lhevinne's does for Danube. Both originals are too long winded. Fantastic.
What incredible artistry! Kitain was born in the glorious year of 1903, the same year as Nyiregyhazi, Kadosa, Arrau, Horowitz, and Serkin. I think this recording is from the period 1936-1939. I wish he had been far better known.
It must be from the late 1930s - that's my guess. When I look at Kitain in this picture, he looks very much like a Parsee! He spent several years in Mexico, I think - about a decade. I know he was a demanding and dedicated teacher, but I do not think he worked to 'set himself up' once he got to the West, as did Horowitz. Kitain seemed to have no association in the States with 'big names', nor was he as savvy as was Horowitz when it came to publicity. Am I right here?
His surname 'Kitain' seems derived from 'Kitai', 'China' in Russian, thus has Indo-Chinese origins, possibly. In public concerns, like all the white emigres, he had timely political judgement, at least; however, Horowitz's social finesse appeared unmatched.
This seems plausible. Yes, he left, as did Vengerova, the Lhevinnes, Rachmaninoff, Horowitz, and so on. But he never seemed to get the publicity Horowitz did. It's really unfortunate. Some artists, no matter how gifted they are, and no matter what their musical pedigree, just get left in the wings. The pianists Etelka Freund, Iren Marik, and so on, should also have been far better known of, far more widely recorded and listened to. Does the press have some responsibility in this regard, maybe?!
@pianopera Sir E....been thinking. Horowitz was an incredible pianist, and had an amazing technique...yet he never tackled the labyrinthine complexity of a Godowsky transcription. He claimed not to care for these works...but is it that all there was to it? Your thoughts? And after a year, Kitain's playing thrills me yet further; it's a crying shame this post has had so view listeners and commentators. >:-(
When I asked Tarnowsky which of his pupils was best, he didn't mention Uninsky, Kitain or anyone else, just straight forwardly said Horowitz. H didn't care for Godowsky's contrapuntal excess. G's music is often more difficult to play than it sounds. H was pragmatically interested in effect above effort. Kitain is excellent: a decided persona, mood projecting, incised finger work, evocative murmuring in dolcissimo sections, doesn't make listeners struggle along (most pianists do in this piece).
palmerplantagenet 2 months ago
Comment removed
palmerplantagenet 2 months ago
Holy Cow! I'd seen Kitain's name before but never heard him. Thanks for this revelation. Spectacular playing, and with the marvelous sense that he's not working too hard to do it - a distraction in many other performances of this repertoire. If you're going to play this stuff, you have to be able to just "shake it out of your sleeves" as I forget who said! IMO, Kitaien's abridgement improves this piece, just as Lhevinne's does for Danube. Both originals are too long winded. Fantastic.
gtimny 1 year ago
Comparing Kitain to Horowitz is like comparing Toscha Seidel to Jascha Heifetz.
palmerplantagenet 1 year ago
@palmerplantagenet here's a fun fact... Kitain and Horowitz were classmates in Kiev :)
toni8675 1 year ago
Abridged version ?
rugby52732 1 year ago
Seems it's an abridged version ?
rugby52732 1 year ago
Pity this is abriged.
rugby52732 1 year ago
Marvelous! I've never heard of him, but this is right up there with Moiseiwitsch's recording. Bravo!
snaaptaker 3 years ago 2
What incredible artistry! Kitain was born in the glorious year of 1903, the same year as Nyiregyhazi, Kadosa, Arrau, Horowitz, and Serkin. I think this recording is from the period 1936-1939. I wish he had been far better known.
Noshirm 3 years ago
Great playing!
From what year is this recording?
pianopera 3 years ago 3
It must be from the late 1930s - that's my guess. When I look at Kitain in this picture, he looks very much like a Parsee! He spent several years in Mexico, I think - about a decade. I know he was a demanding and dedicated teacher, but I do not think he worked to 'set himself up' once he got to the West, as did Horowitz. Kitain seemed to have no association in the States with 'big names', nor was he as savvy as was Horowitz when it came to publicity. Am I right here?
Noshirm 3 years ago
His surname 'Kitain' seems derived from 'Kitai', 'China' in Russian, thus has Indo-Chinese origins, possibly. In public concerns, like all the white emigres, he had timely political judgement, at least; however, Horowitz's social finesse appeared unmatched.
Villeggiatura 3 years ago
This seems plausible. Yes, he left, as did Vengerova, the Lhevinnes, Rachmaninoff, Horowitz, and so on. But he never seemed to get the publicity Horowitz did. It's really unfortunate. Some artists, no matter how gifted they are, and no matter what their musical pedigree, just get left in the wings. The pianists Etelka Freund, Iren Marik, and so on, should also have been far better known of, far more widely recorded and listened to. Does the press have some responsibility in this regard, maybe?!
Noshirm 3 years ago
@pianopera Sir E....been thinking. Horowitz was an incredible pianist, and had an amazing technique...yet he never tackled the labyrinthine complexity of a Godowsky transcription. He claimed not to care for these works...but is it that all there was to it? Your thoughts? And after a year, Kitain's playing thrills me yet further; it's a crying shame this post has had so view listeners and commentators. >:-(
Noshirm 1 year ago