Vintage Chopin E-Minor Piano Concerto & Berceuse, Op.57

1981 performance by David Edward Smith of Chopin E-Minor Piano Concerto and "Cradle Song", Berceuse, Op.57. See his 1951 review of a concert at the National Gallery of Art, Washington DC where critic Glen Dillard Dunn, of the Times-Herald said his playing "belongs in the same category with Solomon, Curzon, and even the venerable Arthur Rubenstein".
http://www.drslawfirm.com/natlgallery51review.pdf
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:

Music

Tags:

• Piano
• Classical
• Chopin
• Concerto
• EMinor
• Berceuse
• Cradle
• Song

[Frenchandproudofit]

Splendid videos, these. Too bad you have a ridiculous piano monkey like "Cziffra1980" (not the real, great Cziffra, only a fraud attempting to confiscate a name which doesn't belong to him) comment positively on them. He doesn't know how to produce one decent sound. What a difference from the videos offered here, wonderful playing from David Smith. Thank you.

[creativebna]

Now now. My father (David Smith) loved to say "Comparisons are odious." The point here is that the beauty of music is transcendent and universal. Let's welcome everyone who listens and appreciates the beauty of the these composers, these notes and the musicians.

[gulfgypsy]

Magical. Losing oneself in music like this, is like casting yourself into a river of stars ...... Who knows where the journey may take you; only that it will open your soul to a world you could only dream of, before ......... 

[AquaCherokee27]

I so enjoy the cradle song. I can't remember the last time I heard it. It has been many years. Thank you for posting the video.

[uhartchristian]

a great pianist

a true follower of Rubinstein

brilliant technique and sound

good taste and musicality

[libetta]

that's the most enchanting trills i've ever heard @ 5:45. it's as close to the keyboard as anyone could get

[prongated]

Very beautiful and, dare I say, artistic...but, just as well there's no orchestra's accompanying him there, because they wouldn't stand a chance of following him!

[gisuona]

After listening to this I desire to study and play more! Thanks Chopin, thanks Smith, thanks creativebna.

Gianfranco Cavallaro

[raanan17]

Great playing.Thanks from Raanan.

[jkircher314]

Great response. Like a true peacemaker.

[nico22059]

What an amazing artist! Thanks for posting these videos of your father!

[Doomy23]

T.T Because it is.