1942 Vintage Film David Smith playing Chopin

David Smith, Dr. Karol Liszniewski and Eugene Goossens. 1942 film of David Smith, at age 17, playing Chopin E-Minor Concerto. David Edward Smith studied piano from the age of 12 (1936) until age 20 (1944) with Dr. Karol Liszniewski of the Cincinnati Conservatory of Music. My father wrote: "All the Polish celebrities knew Dr. Liszniewski (who speaks Polish besides the Poles?). Arthur Rubinstein and Mieczyslaw Munz often stopped by when they were on tour. So did Rachmaninoff and Paderewski. I would be allowed to sit right next to them--only inches from the keyboard--to watch them practice by the hour--preparing for their solo recitals and concerto performances. They would give me lessons and sometimes, when I was practicing in my room upstairs, they would open the door at the bottom of the stairs and yell such things as 'Practice SLOWLY' or, for example, 'Who told you to do that crescendo in the left hand' (I had done something terrible, no doubt). 'That's good-don't ever change that!' (What a pleasant surprise). Sometimes they would come to my room to watch me practice--stopping me to show better fingering, a more beautiful interpretation, or how to solve some difficult problem 'at hand'. To an artist there is nothing quite so satisfying as the solving of an 'aesthetic problem'."

Category:

Film & Animation

Tags:

• Eugene
• Goossens
• Thor
• Johnson
• David
• Smith
• Chopin
• E-Minor
• Concerto

[gbv23]

This guy sent a cassette to Univ of Texas and they instantly offered him a job. He's considered better than Horowitz by some of the experts.

[jkircher314]

Hard to believe this is from a 17 year old.

Gorgeous.  Thank you.

[stringph]

Whatever he is playing in the video, it is nothing like the bit of the Concerto that we hear over the top ...

[kasyapa]

there are downloads available on his son's website mentioned in the details on the various videos.

[acortot]

amazing performance.

are there recordings available?

please PM me if you have any clues.

[wborgstro]

Literally too stunning a performance for anyone not as well accomplished to even critique.

[kasyapa]

right hand in this video, in particular, shows some likenesses to the young horowitz - very low wrist, some specific finger mechanics. fascinating.

[Reynartthefox]

I agree, this is a special and beautiful reminiscence, and obviously put together with real love. Thank you.

[ejasiewicz]

Thanks for posting this rare, beautiful material.