Moiseiwitsch vol.6

Some days ago I bought the 6th volume of Naxos' Moiseiwitsch series. My curiosity was triggered by the recording of Delius' Concerto. I don't know this composer very well and if there is one way to convince me of the quality of unknown music, it is the performance by a musician I love. Well, I'm not ready with the Delius yet, but the Debussy and Ravel is as stupendous as in the 1916 recordings, which make, paradoxically, the '16 ones even more stupendous. And I share the pianist's love of Palmgren's piano music, so these items were a welcome addition to the '18 / '21 ones.

So far so good.

But the piece that knocked me out was the Godowsky Fledermaus paraphrase. This is an absolute top example of Moiseiwitch's pianism. The most complete voicing, colouring, rubato, velocity, command one can think of. I've never heard a more musically performed Godowsky before. I listen again and again, and the thrill just doesn't want to go.

All true. Also the more avant-garde items

I couldn't pass up such an oportunity to state the obvious: Granados is/was not Albeniz. Do you think Moiseiwitsch could be 'mean' enough to do 'Iberia' justice? No lace doilies there...

I know. Granados is not 'lace doilies' either. . .

I guess it is a bit late to endeavor advancing an answer with any reasonable degree of certainty. . . ( : However, I think that he could have done 'Iberia' more than justice. Moiseiwitsch wasn't a 'ladies' pianist' or a weakling. He could thunder with the best of them (e.g., his live 'Paintings. . .'. It is just that he deliberately avoided using full force other than exceptionally. He was more interested in the myriad of nuances between piano and pianissimo, as a matter of personal choice and deliberate subtlety.

regards,

'Mean' isn't volume Samir, in 'Iberia' it's a tone of voice. Not junkyard dog mean, but an amalgamation of Moorish occupation, Inquisition, bullfights, Granada in springtime, the wind in February, hot sun in July, music as a blood pulse. Dan's guy drew all that out of 'Iberia'. Moisewitsch might have done as well as Block; that's good, but as the wino on the park bench said...

I see your point. Granted, Moiseiwitsch was no Sanchez (he was many 'others', though. . .). IMO he would have done better than Block and even Laroccha, but perhaps much less idiomatic than Sanchez. We're speculating anyway. . .

regards,

Nope, I disagree Samir, Moisewitsch's Iberia would most certainly NOT be better than De Larrocha's. His Iberia would be like driving through Spain in an air-conditioned Mercedes Benz with the tinted windows closed all the time, and Rachmaninoff playing very softly on the radio.

Hilarious line, John,

The idea that an Iberia better than Larrocha's is even possible is, well, pure speculation; to use Samir's word.

Yeah. Now that you've formed a coalition, oppress me.

regards, SG ) : : : :

du... Translating the Latin, 'Don't let the bastards grind you down.' An Iberia better than De Larocha's is not only possible, it exists, in many copies of the recording. They can't destroy them all.

Well, all teasing and needling aside, of course Moisiewitsch was a pianist of utmost craft and sophistication. For example, his recording of the Medtner Szazka op. 34 in E Minor leaves all other attempts (by very good pianists)sounding downright amateuristic in comparison.

I just think he would be acutely miscast in Iberia which requires a certain blend of, shall we say, sugar and salt - singing melodies, and pointed angles. Spanish food relies on just the right blend of spices, otherwise it just isn't SPANISH.

Now, I DO love and admire DeLarrocha's Iberia (especially the 1962 Hispavox version), but I would never hold to the belief that it is unsurpassable. That would be ridiculously closed-minded. I will say, however, that I somewhat doubt that it would be surpassed by a non-Spanish pianist - a somewhat controversial view which I hold to. Yes, I know that Arthur Rubinstein was supposed to be a great player of Spanish music, but personally the recordings that exist of him don't convince me that he surpassed Alicia in this repertoire.