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Jan Paderewski enthralled the world with his artistry for more than half a century. Immensely popular as a recitalist (he played in Madison Square Garden to 20,000 people), he came to recording as late as 1911, leaving an important legacy.
These recordings, mostly from the 1920s and some unpublished on 78rpm, show Paderewski as a uniquely eloquent interpreter of Beethoven, his compatriot Chopin, Schubert, Mendelssohn, Schumann, Liszt, Wagner, Rachmaninov, Debussy and his own compositions.
Whether performing in grand Romantic style, with scintillating virtuosity, or as if confiding intimate secrets, Paderewski possessed what Henry James memorably described as “exhilarating goodness”.
“Systematic treatment of Paderewski's large discography is long overdue….it is bound to entice historic piano recording collectors.” Classics Today
Ludwig van Beethoven: Piano Sonata No. 14 in C sharp minor, Op. 27, No. 2, "Moonlight"
Piano Sonata No. 14 in C sharp minor, Op. 27, No. 2, "Moonlight": I. Adagio sostenuto
Franz Schubert: 4 Impromptus, Op. 142, D. 935
4 Impromptus, Op. 142, D. 935: No. 3 in B flat major
Franz Liszt: 12 Lieder von Schubert, S558/R243
Lieder von Schubert, S558/R243: No. 9. Standchen (Horch, horch! die Lerch)
Fryderyk Chopin: Waltz No. 5 in A flat major, Op. 42 *
Waltz No. 5 in A flat major, Op. 42
Fryderyk Chopin: Nocturne No. 5 in F sharp major, Op. 15, No. 2
Nocturne No. 5 in F sharp major, Op. 15, No. 2
Fryderyk Chopin: Mazurka No. 37 in A flat major, Op. 59, No. 2
Mazurka No. 37 in A flat major, Op. 59, No. 2
Fryderyk Chopin: Mazurka No. 38 in F sharp minor, Op. 59, No. 3
Mazurka No. 38 in F sharp minor, Op. 59, No. 3
Fryderyk Chopin: Etudes, Op. 25
Etude No. 19 in C sharp minor, Op. 25, No. 7
Etude No. 20 in D flat major, Op. 25, No. 8
Etude No. 21 in G flat major, Op. 25, No. 9, "Butterfly's Wings"
Felix Mendelssohn: Lieder ohne Worte (Songs without Words), Book 6, Op. 67
Lieder ohne Worte (Songs without Words), Book 6, Op. 67: No. 4 in C major, "Spinnerlied"
Robert Schumann: Fantasiestucke, Op. 12
Fantasiestucke, Op. 12: No. 3. Warum?
Franz Liszt: 3 Etudes de concert, S144/R5
3 etudes de concert, S144/R5: No. 2 in F minor, "La leggierezza"
Franz Liszt: Wagner - Spinnerlied aus dem Fliegenden Hollander, S440/R273
Wagner - Spinnerlied aus dem Fliegenden Hollander, S440/R273
Richard Wagner: Tristan und Isolde, Act I: Prelude (arr. by E. Schelling for piano)
Tristan und Isolde, Act I: Prelude (arr. by E. Schelling for piano)
Sergei Rachmaninov: Morceaux de fantaisie, Op. 3
Morceaux de fantaisie, Op. 3: No. 2. Prelude in C sharp minor
Sergei Rachmaninov: 13 Preludes, Op. 32
13 Preludes, Op. 32: No. 12 in G sharp minor
Claude Debussy: Preludes, Book 1
Preludes, Book 1: No. 12. Minstrels
Ignacy Jan Paderewski: Chants du voyageur, Op. 8
Chants du voyageur, Op. 8: No. 3. Melody in B major
Ignacy Jan Paderewski: Humoresques de concert, Op. 14
Humoresques de concert, Op. 14: No. 1. Menuet celebre
Recorded address on the observance of the golden anniversary of Ignace Jan Paderewski's American debut
Recorded address on the observance of the golden anniversary of Ignace Jan Paderewski's American debut
February 2009
*****
“The oddities were odd: the out-of-synch hands, the sometimes bemusing understatement. But what artistry and grace… Gorgeous tonal range too (as in Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata) from the ageing master-pianist - surprisingly good sound.”
2010
“A choice selection of the Polish master's prolific recorded output Despite (and often because of) such old-fashioned devices as the asynchronisation of hands and exaggerated rubato, there is playing of incomparable beauty on these 20 discs; many pianists today could learn much from listening to Paderewski's clarity of line, luminous tone and artful use of the pedals. These (mainly) electrical sides were the first to approach capturing successfully the pianist's unique sound (Ward Marston has done the audio restoration here) though the earliest, a 1914 acoustic of Schumann's “Warum?”, is astonishingly successful for its time. Producer Jonathan Summers has chosen short pieces representative of the more than 70 titles Paderewski recorded in America between 1914 and 1931. The most substantial works are Schubert's B flat Impromptu (9'06”), lyrical and heartfelt, and of the Prelude to Tristan und Isolde (7'38”) arranged by Paderewski's pupil Ernest Schelling. Elsewhere there are the celebrated recordings of the Wagner-Liszt Spinnerlied and one of many of the pianist's own ubiquitous Minuet in G; of particular interest are the two Chopin studies and Rachmaninov titles unpublished on 78rpm, the first (and only) movement of the Moonlight in which bars 34-42 are played with an accelerando and crescendo – an interesting idea – and Rachmaninov's famous Prelude the final page of which is executed with surprising ferocity. All in all, much to treasure.”
March 2009
“Despite (and often because of) such old-fashioned devices as the asynchronisation of hands and exaggerated rubato, there is playing of incomparable beauty on these 20 discs; many pianists today could learn much from listening to Paderewski's clarity of line, luminous tone and artful use of the pedals. All in all, much to treasure...”
Click on any of the works listed above for alternative recordings.
Piano Sonata No. 14 in C sharp minor, Op. 27, No. 2, "Moonlight": I. Adagio sostenuto
