Chopin Etude Op 25 No 1 Aeolian Harp Godowsky Rec 1924.wmv

The Pianist's Pianist." Leopold Godowsky earned this title based upon the high esteem in which he was held by pianists such as Josef Hofmann. Godowsky was at his best when he played for his friends and colleagues in familiar surroundings. Large audiences and recording studios seemed to stifle him. Harold Schonberg in his book The Great Pianists writes, "His colleagues,who knew what Godowsky could really do,regretted this inhibition. Josef Hofmann once told Abram Chasins, after leaving Godowsky's home,'Never forget what you heard tonight; never lose the memory of that sound. There is nothing like it in the world."
David Saperton plays the Chopin Godowsky Study 25 on Op 25 No 1
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9TR5Yk1WjtI

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Chopin
• Etude
• Op
• 25
• No1
• Aeolian
• Harp
• Godowsky

[gerardbedecarter]

Beautiful playing!

[wilbur1960]

Poor guy got nervous as hell in the studio. Probably caused his stroke after the final recording session in 1930 due to elvated blood pressure from the stress.

Popsy was amazing nontheless for nerves.

[Noshirm]

He double-underlined this very plea in a letter!! Godowsky, an incomparable pianist, just didn't have faith in the ability of the larger listening public to understand the subtleties of his art. Large audiences likely inhibited him, and he could come across as reticent on some of his recordings - but yes, the ones you have mentioned are sublime. I also love his Op. 81a, his Liebestraume no. 3, his Debussy Reflets dans l'eau, and the Chopin, Op. 35. His Scherzo # 4 is the greatest ever, I think.

[pianopera]

Godowsky himself said: "Do not judge me by my records!". Many of them sound reserved and emotionally detached indeed...but there are a few of his recordings that are astonishing and give a fairly good representation of what he was capable of when he played for friends. IMO examples are Grieg's Ballade, Chopín's 4th Scherzo and some of the Nocturnes, two of his Schubert transcriptions, and the Verdi/Liszt Rigoletto paraphrase.

[paulprocopolis]

Yes, I can imagine that Godowsky played this better in private. It is of course very well executed here but sounds rather emotionally detached to me.