Tongur Music

Maurice Ravel is conducting the French premiere of his Concerto for the left hand with Paul Wittgenstein as soloist, the pianist who commissioned the work - Jan 17, 1933

The latest under-appreciated pianist I’ve featured in my Historical Perspectives column for International Piano is Robert Lortat, a phenomenal French artist whose early Chopin cycles predate Alfred Cortot’s.

For French Columbia in 1931, Lortat set down the 1st ever cycle of Waltzes - three years ahead of Cortot’s - and his Chopin Etudes the same year were only preceded by Wilhelm Backhaus in 1928… but Lortat was the first to include the 3 Nouvelles Etudes, so essentially the first cycle of 27. He also produced an incredible 1928 set of Preludes as well as the Funeral March Sonata.

Lortat’s incredible performances were never available after their initial 1920s-30s release until the mid-90s. Now in their third digital incarnation, and thanks to the internet, they are readily accessible… and what remarkable pianism they feature!

I’ll share the link to my article in the comments thread, as well as two audio links: his complete official Chopin output (the superlative APR edition) and also a stunning transfer of the Waltzes that was effected by Tom Jardine - no one has ever come close to this level of fidelity with these recordings… thank you, Tom!

My article also reveals that Lortat did not suffer mustard gas inhalation in World War 1: it was in fact other longstanding internal health issues that worsened over time that led to his depression and eventual death at the age of 52 in 1938.

Check the linked article to find out more about him and his playing - and be sure to enjoy it with your own ears … there is some glorious pianism to be experienced here!

Beethoven on this beautiful historical piano from 1820! #beethoven #moonlight #finale #justuspianist #historical

A tense left hand usually starts with the thumb. These simple exercises help release tension while keeping the fingers stable. Practice them slowly and notice how much easier movement feels 🎻 Save for more #violin #violinplayer #violinteacher #practicemusic #learnviolin

While Edwin Fischer is remembered for having completed the first ever recording of Bach’s Well-Tempered Clavier across several years in the 1930s, the first attempt at presenting the cycle on disc began years earlier.

In 1928, Harriet Cohen recorded the first nine Preludes and Fugues, followed by Evlyn Howard-Jones setting down the following eight, before the Depression and Columbia’s merger with HMV led to the project being abandoned. Both of these musicians’ contributions are exceptionally beautiful and today I’m featuring Cohen’s superb readings.

The pupil of the great Tobias Matthay was a remarkable musician who led a fascinating life - George Bernard Shaw once proclaimed ‘there's only one Harriet' when referring to her. While she left only a few hours’ worth of recordings, her repertoire was far beyond what she officially preserved; one hopes that some live performances will surface, especially as she worked closely with a number of legendary composers, including Falla (she gave the 2nd ever performance of Nights in the Gardens of Spain, with his guidance), Vaughan Williams, Elgar, Sibelius, Walton, and Bax. After a decades-long affair with the latter, his surprising decision not to marry her after his wife's death, and then his own death, were both extraordinarily challenging for Cohen.

In addition to the first nine Preludes & Fugues of the WTC, Cohen recorded a number of her marvellous Bach transcriptions. In the comments thread I will share a few of these glorious performances that were recorded on the same day, March 21, 1935 (nearly 91 years ago!): the Chorale Prelude 'Sanctify Us With Thy Goodness' BWV 22, 'Beloved Jesus,' BWV 731 (both on the same record), and ‘Be contented, O my soul’ BWV 155.

I’ve also linked her 1928 set of the first nine Preludes and Fugues and delightful and quite insightful audio interview from 1962 in which she shares recollections of her encounters with great musicians.

A magnificent pianist of great distinction!

Exercise for good vibrato of the 4th fingers 🔥