Claudio Arrau in Germany: Pre-War Recordings

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
Along with Marston's invaluable reissue of Arrau's early studio recordings, these radio broadcasts from the late 1930s add to our knowledge of one of the century's greats. The younger Arrau was a more overtly virtuosic pianist than the later, more philosophical one on his Philips recordings, but the seriousness of his interpretive approach shines through. The Beethoven sonatas, for example, are weightier in his later recordings, but we can still revel in his unique depth of tone and refusal to settle for surface glitter, a rare trait in a virtuoso of Arrau's technical accomplishments. His Chopin, too, while still in the Germanic tradition, has more air and lightness. The Liszt solo pieces are played with transcendent beauty. He makes light of the Liszt Concerto's difficulties, but it's roughly recorded and doesn't match his mid-1950s version with Eugene Ormandy on Sony. Despite some noisy originals, most tracks have surprisingly fresh and vital sound. An important release. --Dan Davis

Tracks:

Ballade Op. 23 In G Minor: Largo - Moderato
Sonata No. 7, Op. 10 No. 3 In D: Mvt. 1 Presto
Sonata No. 7, Op. 10 No. 3 In D: Mvt. 2 Largo e mesto
Sonata No. 7, Op. 10 No. 3 In D: Mvt. 3 Menuetto - Trio. Allegro
Sonata No. 7, Op. 10 No. 3 In D: Mvt. 4 Rondo. Allegro
Sonata In D: Mvt. 1 Allegro
Sonata In D: Mvt. 2 Adagio
Sonata In D: Mvt. 3 Allegretto
Sonata No. 3 Op. 2 In C Major: Mvt. 1 Allegro con brio
Sonata No. 3 Op. 2 In C Major: Mvt. 2 Adagio
Sonata No. 3 Op. 2 In C Major: Mvt. 3 Scherzo. Allegro
Sonata No. 3 Op. 2 In C Major: Mvt. 4 Allegro assai

Tracks:

Andante con Variazioni In F, Op. 83: Andante
Sonetto 104 del Petrarca From Annees de Pelerinage: Agitato assai - Adagio
Concerto No. 1 In Eb Major For Piano: Mvt. 1 Allegro maestoso. Tempo giusto
Concerto No. 1 In Eb Major For Piano: Mvt. 2 Quasi adagio - Allegretto vivace - Allegro animato
Concerto No. 1 In Eb Major For Piano: Mvt. 3 Allegro marziale animato
Harmonies Du Soir From Etudes D'Execution transcendante: Andantino
Scherzo (No. 3) Opus 39, In C Minor: Presto con fuoco
Les jeux d'eaux a la villa d'Este From Annees de Pelerinage: (Troisieme annee) Allegretto

Amazon.com

Along with Marston's invaluable reissue of Arrau's early studio recordings, these radio broadcasts from the late 1930s add to our knowledge of one of the century's greats. The younger Arrau was a more overtly virtuosic pianist than the later, more philosophical one on his Philips recordings, but the seriousness of his interpretive approach shines through. The Beethoven sonatas, for example, are weightier in his later recordings, but we can still revel in his unique depth of tone and refusal to settle for surface glitter, a rare trait in a virtuoso of Arrau's technical accomplishments. His Chopin, too, while still in the Germanic tradition, has more air and lightness. The Liszt solo pieces are played with transcendent beauty. He makes light of the Liszt Concerto's difficulties, but it's roughly recorded and doesn't match his mid-1950s version with Eugene Ormandy on Sony. Despite some noisy originals, most tracks have surprisingly fresh and vital sound. An important release. --Dan Davis

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