Alfred Grünfeld (1852-1924): Chopin - Waltz in C#minor op.64

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 Waltz in C sharp minor op.64 no.2 was made in 1911.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Alfred
• Grünfeld
• piano
• classical
• recording
• chopin
• waltz
• C#
• minor
• sharp
• op.64
• no.2

[d60944]

I just revisited my own post.... I'm charmed (again) by the way he commnences the main theme with a strong Viennese lilt (similar to the Mazurka lilt), then drops out of it for the second half of the main theme. A kind of stylistic game?

[gerardbedecarter]

Thanks for uploading this historic recording!

[Turned713]

@IGOLDBERGI I could hardly agree more man! I still love hearing it played lilting, with all the grace of his Nocturnes (see Op.9 No.2, the similarities to the "Pui lento" section are clear), but seeing as this is NOT a Nocturne, hearing this interpretation is just wonderful, filled with originality... I can't wrap my head around what he's doing in the last few bars of the main theme

[kalpubinc]

Grünfeld plays this waltz as if dancing with a most beautiful lady, and thus, his rubato, leading to an accelerated tempo, are all integrated in the joyful and romantic rhythms of a graceful dance. Since waltz is a ballroom & folk dance, Grünfeld, a Viennese himself, does not over intellectualize waltz. Bravo!

[camaysar222]

Love it!

[IGOLDBERGI]

This is arguably the best interpretation of Chopin's waltz no. 64 in c# minor, in my opinion. It's absolutely magical and magnificently effective in terms of rhythm. This is one of my top interpretations for this piece, if not, the top itself.

[smithsherman]

Dear Steve,Persecuting you?...why would I do that to the soul of congenial wit such as your self."Structural Accelerando" is an acceleration built in to a repetitive motif and therefore used as a part of the structure.

For me however...Grünfeld(That Ü umlaut is just for you,Steve)...is very affected...and therefore so am I ...by it.Regards,Me