Simon Barere: Live Recordings at Carnegie Hall, Vol. 1 (1946)

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
Simon Barere (1896-1951) is the great pianist to whom critics most condescend. Harold Schonberg's evaluation in his The Great Pianists is typical: "Barere was not one of the remarkable musical minds, but a playing mechanism startling for speed, accuracy, and disregard of difficulties." The release of the first volume in a series devoted to Barere's live recordings at Carnegie Hall in the 1940s makes it clear, however, that Barere was more than merely a great virtuoso. This CD makes available for the first time the pianist's performances of Beethoven's Sonata No. 31 and Chopin's Ballade in F Minor--repertory that can scarcely be called superficial. His approach to the late Beethoven sonata is essentially Romantic. But his extremely flexible tempos pay strict attention to line and to the shaping of phrases, thus investing the performance with a naturalness of pulse and expression that keeps it from sounding old-fashioned. Barere's F Minor Ballade belongs among the greatest. (Unfortunately, the first 14 bars are missing.) His remarkable technique allows him to reach tremendous climaxes achieved elsewhere only by the likes of Hofmann and Horowitz. But Barere's emotional commitment to the music is such that his effects never seem mere outbursts of temperament (as Hofmann's do) or merely calculated (as with Horowitz). The other works on this disc, whether Bach's "Chromatic Fantasy and Fugue" or Liszt's "Gnomenreigen," also receive persuasively dazzling readings. --Stephen Wigler

Tracks:

Pno Con No.1 in E flat, S.124: Allegro Maestoso
Pno Con No.1 in E flat, S.124: Quasi Adagio
Pno Con No.1 in E flat, S.124: Allegretto Vivace
Pno Con No.1 in E flat, S.124: Allegro Marziale Animato
Chromatic Fantasia & Fugue in d, BWV.903: Fantasia
Chromatic Fantasia & Fugue in d, BWV.903: Fugue
Pno Son No.31 in A flat, Op.110: Moderato Cantabile Molto Espressivo
Pno Son No.31 in A flat, Op.110: Allegro Molto
Pno Son No.31 in A flat, Op.110: Adagio, Ma Non Troppo
Pno Son No.31 in A flat, Op.110: Fuga. Allegro Ma Non Troppo
Fant in f, Op.49 (Opening)
Etude in C, Op.31/1
Etude De Concert, S.145/2
Valse De L'opera Faust
Pno Son No.1 in C, J.138: Presto (Perpetuum Mobile)
Ballade No.4 in f, Op.52 (Minus Opening 14 Bars)

Amazon.com

Simon Barere (1896-1951) is the great pianist to whom critics most condescend. Harold Schonberg's evaluation in his The Great Pianists is typical: "Barere was not one of the remarkable musical minds, but a playing mechanism startling for speed, accuracy, and disregard of difficulties." The release of the first volume in a series devoted to Barere's live recordings at Carnegie Hall in the 1940s makes it clear, however, that Barere was more than merely a great virtuoso. This CD makes available for the first time the pianist's performances of Beethoven's Sonata No. 31 and Chopin's Ballade in F Minor--repertory that can scarcely be called superficial. His approach to the late Beethoven sonata is essentially Romantic. But his extremely flexible tempos pay strict attention to line and to the shaping of phrases, thus investing the performance with a naturalness of pulse and expression that keeps it from sounding old-fashioned. Barere's F Minor Ballade belongs among the greatest. (Unfortunately, the first 14 bars are missing.) His remarkable technique allows him to reach tremendous climaxes achieved elsewhere only by the likes of Hofmann and Horowitz. But Barere's emotional commitment to the music is such that his effects never seem mere outbursts of temperament (as Hofmann's do) or merely calculated (as with Horowitz). The other works on this disc, whether Bach's "Chromatic Fantasy and Fugue" or Liszt's "Gnomenreigen," also receive persuasively dazzling readings. --Stephen Wigler

Simon Barere: Live Recordings at Carnegie Hall, Vol. 1 (1946)

Average customer rating:

Simon Barere: Live Recordings at Carnegie Hall, Vol. 1 (1946)

Manufacturer: APR
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Ballads | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

Etudes | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

Fantasies | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

Classical | Imports | Stores | Music
ASIN: B00004UFT6
Release Date: 2000-01-01

Tracks:

Pno Con No.1 in E flat, S.124: Allegro Maestoso
Pno Con No.1 in E flat, S.124: Quasi Adagio
Pno Con No.1 in E flat, S.124: Allegretto Vivace
Pno Con No.1 in E flat, S.124: Allegro Marziale Animato
Chromatic Fantasia & Fugue in d, BWV.903: Fantasia
Chromatic Fantasia & Fugue in d, BWV.903: Fugue
Pno Son No.31 in A flat, Op.110: Moderato Cantabile Molto Espressivo
Pno Son No.31 in A flat, Op.110: Allegro Molto
Pno Son No.31 in A flat, Op.110: Adagio, Ma Non Troppo
Pno Son No.31 in A flat, Op.110: Fuga. Allegro Ma Non Troppo
Fant in f, Op.49 (Opening)
Etude in C, Op.31/1
Etude De Concert, S.145/2
Valse De L'opera Faust
Pno Son No.1 in C, J.138: Presto (Perpetuum Mobile)
Ballade No.4 in f, Op.52 (Minus Opening 14 Bars)

Simon Barere: Live Recordings at Carnegie Hall, Vol. 3

Average customer rating:

The bequeath of a genius!
A thunderous stampede from the sleeping giant

Simon Barere: Live Recordings at Carnegie Hall, Vol. 3

Manufacturer: Apr UK
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Polkas | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Ballads | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

Etudes | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

Fantasies | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

Suites | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music
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Simon Barere: Live Recordings at Carnegie Hall, Vol. 1 (1946)

ASIN: B00005NUOX
Release Date: 2002-01-29

Tracks:

Renaissance: No.8 Pastorale In G (Angelus)
Renaissance: No.12 Gigue In E
Renaissance: No.6 Tambourin In E Minor
Sonata In B Minor, S.178: Lento Assai - Allegro Energico
Sonata In B Minor, S.178: Grandioso
Sonata In B Minor, S.178: Andante Sostenuto - Quasi Adagio
Sonata In B Minor, S.178: Allegro Energico - Piu Mosso
Sonata In B Minor, S.178: (Sostenuto) - Stretta Quasi Presto - Presto - Prestissimo
Sonata In B Minor, S.178: Andante Sostenuto - Allegro Moderato - Lento Assai
Ballade No.1 In G Minor, Op.23
Impromptu No.1 In A Flat, Op.29
Etude For The Left Hand
Islamey: Oriental Fantasie
Etude In D Sharp Minor, Op.8/12
Polka De W.R.
Fantasiestucke, Op.12/7: Traumes Wirren
Perpetuum Mobile: Piano Sonata No.1 In C, J.138: Presto

Customer Reviews:

The bequeath of a genius!.......2007-05-10

No other pianist like him, was owner - at the same time - of color sense, enviable technique and sheer lyricism when the work demanded it. His Liszt' s Don Juan Fantasy, Balkirev' s Islamey or even his Scriabin has no paragon.

His life was extremely brief. 55 years is just the beginning for many pianists, and the qworld of the music missed deeply his departure that fatidic April 4 1951 when he died playing the Grieg's Piano concerto under Ormandy' s direction.

His powerful expressiveness, mercurial tension were nevertheless, any impediment to round successfully heartfelt pages such his unsurpassed version of Chopin's Fantasy Op. 28, for instance. Withe the only exception of William Kapell, npo ther pianist has recorded with such notable intensity Chopin's First Ballad, and liszt's Sonata in B minor is one of the most outstanding ever recorded.

So, under any single pretext you should miss anyone of these legendary performances that are part of a history that still rediscovers itself, through the countless testimonials. Barere was undoubtedly, one of the most remarkable pianists the world ever knew.

A thunderous stampede from the sleeping giant.......2005-12-01

The liszt sonata receives a performance that must be counted as one of the alltime great live recordings. The ballade is also is a wonderful piece exposing both sides of barere undervalued virtuosiy-,his sensative side. The Godowsky renaissance and such are also real treasures, for me one of the most unexpectedly enjoyable accounts that takes their place as the defintive y=traversals of these lesser known pieces.
The overabundance of virtuosity in this account of Islamey is what will finally make you say, after several times of asking yourself, what cant this pianist do, why haven't i heard of him before,- and why Horowitz?
even harold schoenberg couldnt rag on this account,- for it is one of the most enjoyably virtuosic accounts of all time. Great place to start your adventures with Simon.

Track Listings:

Track Listings

track listings

Track Listings

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J'ai Deux Amours [Import]

Herbert Howells: Psalm-Preludes & Rhapsodies

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Exitos Kab Es

Songs for Political Action

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