my notes on

Godowsky: The Pianists' Pianist

By Jeremy Nicholas




Godowsky: Study No. 47 ("Badinage"):
Chopin Etude Op. 10, No. 5 in Gb/Op. 25, No. 9 in Gb
Marc-Andre Hamelin, pianist

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Go to notes for Chapter 2
Go to notes for Chapter 3

1900

Chapter 4 - Berlin

30
to Europe, not necessarily for debut in Berlin, musical capital of the world. Sailed for France July 4, 1900 w/ wife and kids, decided for holiday. Two months in Paris, attending concerts, etc. Liked Paris more this time. Fellow artists had moved to the country.

LG: nice time with Harold Bauer. LG on 2nd piano, layed Brahms d concerto with him. Bauer will use changes in LG Chopin Studies. Bauer to debut in Boston w/ Brahms. LG gave fingering of double thirds to HB for Islamey. HB never knows what fingering he's going to use.

mid September journey to Berlin, Vienna (guest of Mahler), Dresden, Leipzig (saw Reinicke, Nikisch).

Berlin full of pianists. LG: Paris superior to Berlin. Both dissimilar as VdP and d'Albert. VdP is working hard on LG's version of Invitation to the Dance. Goes into ecstasies over LG's work and advertises LG. Mgr. Wolf: VdP is Godowsky-mad! Rosenthal and VdP paved way to Wolf's esteem. Rosentthal never spoke more highly of anyone. d'Albert has greatest following in Germany. Busoni next then Reisler. Carreno is greates female pianist and as great as men. Berlin's crowd is tough to win. Paraphrases might push critics away.

October/November relaxed. Besides Emil von Sauer, VdP, Carreno, Reisler and Reisenauer, there were d'Albert, Busoni, Rosenthal, established consumate virtuosi. d'Albert in prime, doyenne of Bach, Beethoven, successful composer, 6 marriages (Carreno was 1). Busoni 4 years older than LG, concentrated on composition, bridged gap of romantic style of playing and dry direct interpretation of the time. Total command of piano. Rosenthal most stupendous technique in keyboard history. Rubinstein never knew what technique was until Rosenthal. Degree in philosophy. Could play all of Chopin by memory, coudl quote Heine. Scathing wit against fellow pianists. Told that Schnabel was rejected by army, "What do you expect: no fingers".

LG had qualms about debut. Had to succeed 100%. Other pianists were hard act to follow.

Hadn't practiced in Paris summer. In Berlin had to rework every piece as if it was new. Astonished at his notoriety amongst pianists. But there were cliques, anti-semitic press, professional jealousy. LG's concert was eagerly awaited.

LG played a private recital first. Urged to perform soon, before Steinway tour. Only two halls appropriate: Beethoven Salle and Philharmonie booked. Landeker proprietor could do nothing. Kulak had heard left hand studies, offered date for a pupil's debut. December 6, 1900 at Beethoven Salle, with Berlin Phil. Joseph Rebcek. Turning point of career. Bechstein piano. Program:

Brahms 1st
Godowsky Chopin Studies:
a. 25/4 a left hand
b. 10/11 Eb combined w/ 25/3 F all in F
c. 25/8 Db (sixths)
d. 10/9 f (transc. in c#)
e. 25/5 e (mazurka transc in c#)
f. 10/5 Gb - 25/9 Gb ("Badinage")
g. 10/7 C transc. Gb
Weber/Godowsky: Invitation to the Dance
Tchaikovsky 1st

Very critical audience. critic wrote that it was the most exciting musical event in Berlin. All Berlin pianists attended. Great greeting. Hardly nervous, Brahms I very satisfied terrific applause. When finished, recalled many times. Came out for 7 Chopin/Weber. Public didn't know what to expect. General commotion. Hall looked festive. Noise indescribable. Great success when finished. Could have repeated every study. Curtain calls repeatedly. Tchaikovsky great dash, couldn't improve II. Encore: Scherzo SS g concerto, plain black-key study for LH. refused to play more. Artists room unforgettable. People suffocated to see him. Almost all critics stayed to end. Critic Lorengard applauded frantically (forbidden). Critic Taubert came next day to congratulate. All reviews were wonderful. Success was most sensational in memory. Could never do jsutice in describing.

Invites to dinner, many visitors. Ysaye engaged for Brussels Sym. concerts. Engaged for Geneva sym next winter. Bosendorfer wrote to Wold: send us LG. Vienna deason is dull. we want some excitement. A success like the one I had is embarassing to the artist. Debut is hard to follow. Success unexpected and frightening. All of Berlin now knew LG's name.

E.E. Taubert, critic of Die Post: Here, there is at last and for once a pianist who has not developed in a one-sided way in this or that direction, but who is a complete artist... Herr G offered us rare gifts which he had compiled himself out of the studies of Chopin. If one hears how it sounds, then one's not exactly unjustifiable misgivings evaporate immediately. Entirely new formations are sounded which moreover nobody will be able to imitate in playing, because they offer unheard of technnical difficulties which are only calculated for the abnormal abiltiies of their author...

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