Alfred Grünfeld (1852-1924): Chopin - Mazurka in B min op.33

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 of Chopin's Mazurka in B minor op.33 no.4 was made in 1905.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Alfred
• Grünfeld
• piano
• classical
• recording
• chopin
• mazurka
• minor
• op.33
• no.4

[gerardbedecarter]

Grunfeld was born within three years of Chopin's death and it is noted that he recorded this disc in 1905. It is, therefore, an important link in the search for an "authentic" Chopin mazurka tradition. Notice the strong lilt on the second beat. Is this uniquely Viennese or is it Polish? The fact that Malcuzynski did it would tend to support it as Polish. Many others have done it too! Chopin is reported to have done it in one of his C major mazurkas. Could I get a discussion going on this?

[d60944]

Some of Grunfeld's waltz recordings (Chopin, not so much Brahms) threaten to break out into the same kind of lilt. I am inclined to think that this is more likely to be a "Viennese" thing - cf. the Strauss lilt as played by him & the VPO to this day. Then again - maybe there is no real difference between the lilt of the Polish mazurka and the Austrian-Croat-Hungarian triple time dances. There have been experiments adding this lilt to the symphonic minuets of Haydn. Convincingly in my opinion...

[saunsnaen]

One of the characteristics of the mazurek is the emphasis on the second beat which Chopin taught his pupils. Meyerbeer once happenedin during Chopin's lesson with his pupil Lenz who was playing a mazurka. Meyerbeer proclaimed it in duple rhythm. Chopin almost yelled "it's 3/4" and played it 3 times. Meyerbeer insisted it was 2/4 and Chopin, inflamed, stormed out of the room.

[antoinezygfryd]

Merci pour ce beau document si émouvant.

[callenishss]

hey this is pretty cool. it has a depth and realness no reached by horowitz, but i believe that in our day horowitz should appeal more

[pjioayncoe]

Aha, here we have another stripper and a huge crowd cheering. Bravo for this "elegant" and "evocative" performance!

[ProfessorSuckMah]

thanks for posting!

[paulostroff99]

Ankhsnammon- Unfortunately-I don't.

P.S.-Les Sylphides-based on piano pieces, (Chopin)was orchestrated by Alexander Glazunov!

[Ankhsnammon]

Sir Paulostroff...do you have a registration of that famous Brahms' cylinder?

Nina

[paulostroff99]

Ankhsnammon-Hope that you enjoyed Grunfeld as well. Best wishes.