Beethoven "Kreutzer Sonata" Zimbalist-Bauer Rec.1926

I could not resist posting thia video before I moved on (albeit reluctently) to another pianist. Filmed in 1926,the then revolutionary invention of moving pictures with sound was in its infancy. Among the many artists that were invited to record their performances using this new medium were Harold Bauer and the eminent violinist Efrem Zimbalist. Bauer mentions this particular performance in his memoirs published in 1948. However, he also filmed a performance accompanying the tenor Giovanni Martinelli (which I have on VHS somewhere if I could find it) and as soloist performing Chopin's Polonaise in A fkat Op. 53. How I would love to get my hands on that as Bauer never recorded it in the traditional format. I understand that many of the Vitaphone 16 inch 33/1/2 RPM sound disks are in one archive while the films are in another. Many have not been put togther and,unfortunately, the Chopin Polonaise is one of them. Notice that Bauer plays the piano part of this sonata by memory.
Harold Bauer was born in London in 1873.Coming from a musical family,his aunt gave him his first piano lessons and his father became his first violin teacher. Thus it was that the violin became the instrument upon which Bauer concentrated his musical studies. His teachers were Adolf Politzer and later at Paderewski's suggestion, Gorski. He made his debut as a violinist at the age of ten amd by the age of twenty, his repertoire included the Mendelssohn,Beethoven and Mozart violin concertos. In his autobiography,"Harold Bauer:My Book," Bauer describes a program where he and his sister, who was the pianist of the family,presented a joint concert under the direction of the conductor August Manns at the Crystal Palace in London. She played the Saint Saens G minor concerto while her brother was asked to play the Vieuxtemps'Fantasia Appassionata which was considered to be an important composition for violin in those days. (Interestingly, the Saint Saens concerto became part of Bauer's repertoire after he switched instruments from violin to piano.He made a piano roll of the first movement in th 1920's,first recording the solo part and then recording the orchestral reduction on the ssme roll.) There is no doubt that Harold Bauer was a very fine violinist. But by the age of twenty, he realized that he would never be able to match the the playing of such violinists as Thibaud,Henri Marteau and the young Kreisler. He writes,"the truth,as far as my career was concerned,is that I could not hold a candle to to any of these great violinists,and I knew it--nevertheless. my ambitionn was by no means dampened ,although I was bitterly disappointed." It was about this time that Bauer was introduced to Paderewski. Bauer writes,"The great pianist expressed interest,inviting me to go and play for him the following day.I did so and also played something on the piano. He pulled my hair,saying 'You must become a pianist--you have such beautiful hair.'He ought to know,I thought,contemplating his yellow mane with respectful awe." But by this time,Bauer had already made up his mind that he would never have a great career as a violinist.While continuing to give violin recitals he began to concentrate more and more upon upon the piano as his chosen instrument. Paderewski would,when his busy schedule permitted.listen to Bauer as a pianist. And when Paderewski was preparing a concerto for performance, Bauer often played the orchestral reduction on a second piano.Paderewski gave Bauer advise and perhaps coached him,but he never gave Bauer lessons in the traditional sense of the word. It seems that Bauer was pretty much self taught as far as the piano was concerned. By 1900 ,Bauer had established as a pianist and as they say, the rest is history. Bauer retired from the concert stage in the mid 1940's.(He made his last recordings in 1942). Bauer writes in the Coda of his book,"Peace is over my soul. I have retired from public life. I am never going to practice the piano anymore. Gone is the searing ambition to succeed,gone the qualms of stage fright, gone the resentment against critics who failed to discover genius in everything I did and whose writings could not be used for propaganda;gone also the tedium of travel. the hideous fatique of submitting to journalistic interviews--and finally,God be praised,gone the feeling that I must pile up enough money to live in idle luxury whenever I chose to quit. The wars and taxes have taken care of the last item and I am still working,my interests being now entirely bound up by with matters of musical education." After retiring, Bauer taught at the Manhattan School of Music in New York and the Julius Hartt School of Music. He died on March 12,1951 at the age of 77 in Miami, Florida.
Harold Bauer-- a great pianist, a superb musician and a sincere human being.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Beethoven
• Kreutzer
• Sonata
• Zimbalist-Bauer

[snaaptaker]

According to Gregor Benko, " The 1926 Vitaphone sound film of Harold Bauer performing Chopin's A flat Polonaise is being restored by the Vitaphone Project, the soundtrack on a separate disc combined with the image from film, then transferred to digital format." It's being done at UCLA, "and a single copy of the restored version (wil be) deposited at the UCLA film library, where presumably it can be viewed soon."

Warner Brothers owns the Vitaphone rights and, so far, won't issue it on DVD. Pity.

[Beckmesser2]

Thank you for this information.

[danpincus]

Please...the Martinelli!-Bauer...

[nnamffohsaile]

incredible post. thank you so much!

[tomjlowe]

Having recently performed the Kreutzer, this was a real joy. I just wish they hadn't taken the cuts and eliminated the repeats, but I guess that the technology was the main limitation with respect to the total time. Also, I note that Bauer was not reading from the music and apparently neither was Zimbalist. Very impressive.

I first became aware of Bauer when I studied his edition of the Schumann Violin & Piano sonatas. Bauer completely rewrote them to make them compatible with the modern piano.

[plateaupiano]

I just love this piece! This recording is awesome too!

[naymelful]

Thanks for this video. Unmatched!! How can Beethoven be appreciated until he is heard in perfectiion! Trying IS enjoyable, though, for everyone.

[beautman1]

@snaaptaker There is a DVD listed in the Berkshire Record Exchange catalog that contains this film, Elman's vitaphone and others. I don't know the source, quality, or legitimacy of it.

[PolkRidgeAesthete]

What a thrilling, telling artifact! Seeing Bauer should enrich any pianist's relationship with the instrument. THIS is playing as it should be...

[xper2xper]

Getting too much excited about Bauer, I ignored Zimbalist..

I feel, he's a bit luckier than Bauer, in terms of being known as of today...

Interestingly, violin fans are far better loyal to the history of the performers than the piano fans...

Whatever.. You did a great job!

[xper2xper]

This is amazing... Exquisite post!!!

Bauer on film, howcome I've not seen this... Thank you so much for that, it's wonderful!

What a pity that, after 1.5 years, it has less than 4000 views... What a pity that no body is even aware of a name like Bauer...

His book should be read by everybody, he simply witnessed a lovely period of the piano history; and you've provided the opportunity that we see him on YT after 80 over years.. Amazing...

Thank you once again!

Cheers!

[laresoldo39]

5 Star

Recomend for every musicians around the world!!!