Moritz Moszkowski (1854-1925)

Series

Episode

First
Broadcast

Comments

2009

20091123

Donald Macleod explores the life and work of Moritz Moszkowski.

Donald investigates just how famous Moszkowski was: in 1925, the pianist Francesco Berger wrote: 'Moszkowski dead! So painful an announcement has not stricken the entire musical world since the deaths of Chopin, Rubinstein, and Liszt'. Despite earning fame as a pianist, Moszkowski also said wittily: 'can play billiards, chess, dominoes and violin'.

Etincelles, Op 36 No 6

Vladimir Horowitz (piano)

RCA 74321 63471 2, CD1 Tr 8

Fantaisie-Impromptu, Op 6

Seta Tanyel (piano)

Helios CDH55142 Tr 9

Ballade in G minor, Op 16 No 1

Tasmin Little (violin)

BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra

Martyn Brabbins (conductor)

Hyperion CDA67389 Tr 4

Serenata, Op 15 No 1

Ignaz Friedman (piano)

Naxos 8.110684 Tr 16

John McCormack (tenor)

Fritz Kreisler (violin)

Untitled Orchestra

Walter B Rogers (conductor)

EMI 764929, CD2 Tr 5

Spanish Dances - Book 1, Op 12

London Symphony Orchestra

Ataulfo Argenta (conductor)

Decca 475 7747, CD1 Trs 8-12

Caprice Espagnole, Op 37

Stephen Hough (piano)

Virgin VC 7 90732-2 Tr 20.

Donald Macleod investigates just how famous Moszkowski was.

2009

20091124

Donald Macleod explores the life and work of Moritz Moszkowski.

Despite earning fame as an exceptional virtuoso pianist, Moszkowski also said wittily: 'I can play billiards, chess, dominoes and violin'. Donald examines his Violin Concerto, a full-blooded romantic work that makes great demands of the soloist.

Tarantella, Op 27, No 2

Seta Tanyel (piano)

Collins 14122 Tr 16

Waltz in E, Op 34, No 1

Eileen Joyce (piano)

Testament SBT 1174 Tr 17

Violin Concerto in C, Op 30

Thomas Christian (violin)

Bamberg Symphony Orchestra

Christian Simonis (conductor)

Koch Schwann 3-1367-2 Trs 4-6

Guitarre, Op 45, No 2

Jascha Heifetz (violin)

Arpad Sandor (piano)

EMI 7649292 CD2 Tr 10.

Donald Macleod explores Moszkowski's demanding Violin Concerto in C.

2009

20091125

Donald Macleod surveys the geography of Moszkowski's life. The pianist-composer was born in the former Prussian city of Breslau, studied in Dresden, taught in Berlin and, at the height of his fame, settled in Paris. Despite these moves west, Moszkowski always acknowledged his Polish heritage.

Perpetuum Mobile (Finale from Suite in F)

National Symphony Orchestra New York

Walter Damrosch (conductor)

VMS 116 Tr 3

Siciliano, Op 42, No 2

Stephen Hough (piano)

Virgin VC 790732-2 Tr 19

En automne, Op 36, No 4

Jorge Bolet (piano)

Arkiv 417 361-2 Tr 15

La jongleuse, Op 52, No 4

Sergei Rachmaninov (piano)

BMG 09026 61265 2 CD 9 Tr 18

From Foreign Lands, Op 23

Polish National Radio Symphony Orchestra (Katowice)

Antoni Wit (conductor)

Naxos 8.553989 Trs 5-10

Polish Folk Dances, Op 55

Duo Turgeon: Edward Turgeon and Anne Louise Turgeon (piano duet)

Marquis 7471-81241-2 Trs 12-15.

2009

20091126

Donald Macleod explores the life and work of Moritz Moszkowski.

He focuses on how Moszkowski often saw the funny side of life, responding to heavy criticism of his worth as a composer with amusing retorts and creating a comical musical parody of eight more famous composers called 'Anton Note-squasher'.

Spanish Dance No 1, Op 65

Bracha Eden and Alexander Tamir (piano duet)

PWK 1134 Tr 4

Suite for two violins and piano, Op 71

Ilya Gringolts, Alexandr Bulov (violins)

Irina Ryumina (piano)

BIS-CD-1016 Trs 14-17

Bizet, transcr. Moszkowski: Chanson Boheme (Carmen)

Leslie Howard (piano)

Helios CDH55109 Tr 9

Wagner, transcr. Moszkowski: Isolde's Death (Tristan und Isolde)

Christof Keymer (piano)

Berlin 1640, CD 2 Tr 2

Anton Notenquetscher am Klavier (Anton Note-Squasher at the Piano): Musical Parodies by Moritz Moszkowski

Berlin 1640, CD 2 Trs 9-17.

Donald Macleod explores how Moszkowski often saw the funny side of life.

2009

05 LAST

20091127

Donald Macleod concludes his exploration of the life and work of Moritz Moszkowski.

He focuses on two of Moszkowski's most celebrated piano pieces - the devilishly difficult Etudes de virtuosite and the nowadays neglected Piano Concerto in E. Just as the popularity of his music faded quickly, so too did his life end tragically, the composer facing his final days penniless and alone.

Etude de virtuosite, Op 72 No 6 (arr. Marcel Moyse)

Ornulf Gulbransen (flute)

Johan Oian (piano)

PSC 1806 Tr 19

Grande valse de concert, Op 88

Seta Tanyel (piano)

Helios CHD55142 Tr 8

Piano Concerto in E, Op 59

Piers Lane (piano)

BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra

Jerzy Maksymiuk (conductor)

Hyperion CDA66452 Trs 5-7

Etude de virtuosite in A flat minor, Op 72 No 13

Marc-Andre Hamelin (piano)

Hyperion CDA67275 Tr 10

Mikhail Pletnev (piano)

DG 471 157-2.

Donald Macleod focuses on two of Moskowski's most celebrated piano pieces.

Episodes

Series	Episode	First Broadcast	Comments
2009	01	20091123	Donald Macleod explores the life and work of Moritz Moszkowski. Donald investigates just how famous Moszkowski was: in 1925, the pianist Francesco Berger wrote: 'Moszkowski dead! So painful an announcement has not stricken the entire musical world since the deaths of Chopin, Rubinstein, and Liszt'. Despite earning fame as a pianist, Moszkowski also said wittily: 'can play billiards, chess, dominoes and violin'. Etincelles, Op 36 No 6 Vladimir Horowitz (piano) RCA 74321 63471 2, CD1 Tr 8 Fantaisie-Impromptu, Op 6 Seta Tanyel (piano) Helios CDH55142 Tr 9 Ballade in G minor, Op 16 No 1 Tasmin Little (violin) BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra Martyn Brabbins (conductor) Hyperion CDA67389 Tr 4 Serenata, Op 15 No 1 Ignaz Friedman (piano) Naxos 8.110684 Tr 16 John McCormack (tenor) Fritz Kreisler (violin) Untitled Orchestra Walter B Rogers (conductor) EMI 764929, CD2 Tr 5 Spanish Dances - Book 1, Op 12 London Symphony Orchestra Ataulfo Argenta (conductor) Decca 475 7747, CD1 Trs 8-12 Caprice Espagnole, Op 37 Stephen Hough (piano) Virgin VC 7 90732-2 Tr 20. Donald Macleod investigates just how famous Moszkowski was.
2009	02	20091124	Donald Macleod explores the life and work of Moritz Moszkowski. Despite earning fame as an exceptional virtuoso pianist, Moszkowski also said wittily: 'I can play billiards, chess, dominoes and violin'. Donald examines his Violin Concerto, a full-blooded romantic work that makes great demands of the soloist. Tarantella, Op 27, No 2 Seta Tanyel (piano) Collins 14122 Tr 16 Waltz in E, Op 34, No 1 Eileen Joyce (piano) Testament SBT 1174 Tr 17 Violin Concerto in C, Op 30 Thomas Christian (violin) Bamberg Symphony Orchestra Christian Simonis (conductor) Koch Schwann 3-1367-2 Trs 4-6 Guitarre, Op 45, No 2 Jascha Heifetz (violin) Arpad Sandor (piano) EMI 7649292 CD2 Tr 10. Donald Macleod explores Moszkowski's demanding Violin Concerto in C.
2009	03	20091125	Donald Macleod surveys the geography of Moszkowski's life. The pianist-composer was born in the former Prussian city of Breslau, studied in Dresden, taught in Berlin and, at the height of his fame, settled in Paris. Despite these moves west, Moszkowski always acknowledged his Polish heritage. Perpetuum Mobile (Finale from Suite in F) National Symphony Orchestra New York Walter Damrosch (conductor) VMS 116 Tr 3 Siciliano, Op 42, No 2 Stephen Hough (piano) Virgin VC 790732-2 Tr 19 En automne, Op 36, No 4 Jorge Bolet (piano) Arkiv 417 361-2 Tr 15 La jongleuse, Op 52, No 4 Sergei Rachmaninov (piano) BMG 09026 61265 2 CD 9 Tr 18 From Foreign Lands, Op 23 Polish National Radio Symphony Orchestra (Katowice) Antoni Wit (conductor) Naxos 8.553989 Trs 5-10 Polish Folk Dances, Op 55 Duo Turgeon: Edward Turgeon and Anne Louise Turgeon (piano duet) Marquis 7471-81241-2 Trs 12-15.
2009	04	20091126	Donald Macleod explores the life and work of Moritz Moszkowski. He focuses on how Moszkowski often saw the funny side of life, responding to heavy criticism of his worth as a composer with amusing retorts and creating a comical musical parody of eight more famous composers called 'Anton Note-squasher'. Spanish Dance No 1, Op 65 Bracha Eden and Alexander Tamir (piano duet) PWK 1134 Tr 4 Suite for two violins and piano, Op 71 Ilya Gringolts, Alexandr Bulov (violins) Irina Ryumina (piano) BIS-CD-1016 Trs 14-17 Bizet, transcr. Moszkowski: Chanson Boheme (Carmen) Leslie Howard (piano) Helios CDH55109 Tr 9 Wagner, transcr. Moszkowski: Isolde's Death (Tristan und Isolde) Christof Keymer (piano) Berlin 1640, CD 2 Tr 2 Anton Notenquetscher am Klavier (Anton Note-Squasher at the Piano): Musical Parodies by Moritz Moszkowski Berlin 1640, CD 2 Trs 9-17. Donald Macleod explores how Moszkowski often saw the funny side of life.
2009	05 LAST	20091127	Donald Macleod concludes his exploration of the life and work of Moritz Moszkowski. He focuses on two of Moszkowski's most celebrated piano pieces - the devilishly difficult Etudes de virtuosite and the nowadays neglected Piano Concerto in E. Just as the popularity of his music faded quickly, so too did his life end tragically, the composer facing his final days penniless and alone. Etude de virtuosite, Op 72 No 6 (arr. Marcel Moyse) Ornulf Gulbransen (flute) Johan Oian (piano) PSC 1806 Tr 19 Grande valse de concert, Op 88 Seta Tanyel (piano) Helios CHD55142 Tr 8 Piano Concerto in E, Op 59 Piers Lane (piano) BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra Jerzy Maksymiuk (conductor) Hyperion CDA66452 Trs 5-7 Etude de virtuosite in A flat minor, Op 72 No 13 Marc-Andre Hamelin (piano) Hyperion CDA67275 Tr 10 Mikhail Pletnev (piano) DG 471 157-2. Donald Macleod focuses on two of Moskowski's most celebrated piano pieces.