Alfred Grünfeld (1852-1924): Brahms - Waltzes op.39

Grünfeld was the first great pianist to make any kind of commercial recordings, which he commenced in 1899.

He left recordings of works by Bach, Chopin, Schumann, Grieg, Debussy, Liszt, Brahms and others; but Grünfeld was known primarily as a provider of light entertainment music in Vienna, and his arrangements of Strauss's music are his most famous and enduring legacy.

His expertise at performance of other more serious music is not widely appreciated: even in his own time he was deprecated as not being a performer of "serious" music. Only those who knew him best wrote of his great skill at performing the music for which he was not generally well known. He was in fact the foremost pianist in Vienna in the later 1800s and into the early 20th century.

Here I hope a few recordings may convince that this was a very fine pianist indeed, fully expressing many 19th century techniques (eg. the rubato and non-synchronisation of the hands) and expressive attitudes to the music. Note especially the very particular facility Grünfeld had at producing elegant, lilting rhythms.

This recording is of a set of Brahms's Viennese-style waltzes (op.39 nos. 1, 2, 3, 5, 4, 6, 7, 8 and 15). They were recorded in 1910.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Alfred
• Grünfeld
• piano
• classical
• recording
• brahms
• liebeslieder
• waltz
• op.39

[kjw163]

What a pleasure! Can't really enjoy Kissin playing some of this, after hearing such colorful, finely nuanced performances.

[Noshirm]

I'm so glad this post was sent on to me. Grunfeld was not just an elegant stylist but a substantial musician with a repertoire that included such works as the Grieg Ballade and the difficult Etudes Symphoniques of Schumann; his work with the great teacher Kullak further honed his gifts. The unusually harsh critic Hanslick had high praise for him. More Grunfeld, please! (:-D)

[gerardbedecarter]

Wonderful playing!

[paulostroff99]

@kjw163 -Absolutely right on.

[manueladn95]

Hahaha Is exquisite!

[RemovdSande11]

ah I love this waltz. And i love Grunfeld's playing. Makes my inner face smile.

[Edi7oR]

Was he playing with little use of pedal? It sounds dry but i like it.

[SteinwayMan13]

Ah True Art :D

[WatchBlueSkies]

great old record !

[Msouvais]

bravo

[antoinezygfryd]

"plus Brahms que ça tu meurs!"

extraordinaire!!!!!!!!!