Godowsky: The Complete Studies On Chopin's Etudes / Marc-Andre Hamelin (2000)

While some great pianists play the core works we've heard countless times, Marc Andre-Hamelin has an affinity for those lesser-heard gems. On his recording of Busoni's epic Piano Concerto, Op. 38, the pianist revealed abilities that couldn't be overshadowed by the complex composition at hand. But his take on Godowsky's thoroughly challenging studies on Chopin's Études is, quite simply, mind-boggling. Godowsky's 53 studies are some of the most difficult piano pieces ever written, requiring performers to dissect, reverse hand positions, and dramatically change the tempo of Chopin's well-loved compositions (not to mention his 22 transcriptions of the Études to be played by left hand alone!). Originally written as a playful diversion by Godowsky (1870-1938), a self-taught composer barely in his 20s, these pieces never sacrifice listening experience for ivory pyrotechnics. They're a joy to hear–a fresh (and sometimes dizzying) take on Chopin, with added voices, multiple arabesques, and inventive fingering positions. Hamelin handles it all, making these challenges sound like a walk in the park. A great recording. –Jason Verlinde–Amazon

Biography

Pianist Marc-André Hamelin’s unique blend of musicianship and virtuosity brings forth interpretations remarkable for their freedom, originality, and prodigious mastery of the piano’s resources. Long known for his bold exploration of unfamiliar pianistic terrain, Mr. Hamelin has increasingly turned his attention to the established masterworks of the piano literature, in performances and recordings of the piano sonatas of Haydn, major works by Mozart, Schumann, Brahms, Chopin and others.

In the summer of 2010, Hamelin returns to the Risør Chamber Music Festival in Norway, plays Beethoven Concerto No. 4 with the Aspen Festival Orchestra, and performs recitals in Munich, at the Husum Piano Rarities Festival and at the Rockport Chamber Music Festival.



In 2010/11, Hamelin’s orchestral appearances include the Philadelphia Orchestra, the Seattle Symphony, the Toronto Symphony, the New Jersey Symphony, the Manitoba Chamber Orchestra, the Philharmonia Orchestra, and the Royal Scottish National Orchestra. He performs the world premiere of Claude Baker’s piano concerto From Noon to Starry Night with the Indianapolis Symphony.

Recital appearances include Carnegie Hall’s Zankel Hall, the Washington Performing Arts Society at Strathmore Hall, the Pro Musica Society of Montreal, Music Toronto, Duke Performances, Tuesday Musical Association of Akron, and European recitals in Stuttgart, Antwerp, Gstaad, Treviso, Munich, Frankfurt, Dusseldorf and Florence. Hamelin tours with the Risør Chamber Music Festival to Oslo, La Monnaie in Brussels, Wigmore Hall in London, and Carnegie Hall in New York City.

Highlights of recent seasons include a string of critically acclaimed appearances with the symphony orchestras of Boston, Minnesota, Indianapolis and San Francisco; a series of dates at New York City’s Lincoln Center – with Louis Langrée and Mostly Mozart Festival Orchestra, in recital for the “Great Performers” series, in chamber concerts with Midori, and playing Haydn and Mozart concerti with Sir Neville Marriner and the Academy of St. Martin the Fields; an international tour and subsequent recording of the Schumann Piano Quintet with the Takács String Quartet; and the Pro Musica Society of Montreal’s celebration of “The Art of Marc-André Hamelin” featuring a weeklong series of instrumental and vocal chamber music concerts, a solo recital and Beethoven and Haydn concerti.

Mr. Hamelin has performed recitals for Chicago Symphony Presents, the Celebrity Series of Boston, Washington Performing Arts Society in D.C, San Francisco Performances, La Jolla Music Society, Wigmore Hall’s London Pianoforte Series, the Schubert Club in St. Paul, the Irving S. Gilmore International Keyboard Festival, the Philadelphia Chamber Music Society, the Van Cliburn Concert Series, the Husum Piano Rarities Festival, and throughout Europe, in Australia, and in the Far East.

Mr. Hamelin has appeared as soloist with many of the world’s leading orchestras including the New York Philharmonic, the Boston Symphony Orchestra, the Philadelphia Orchestra, the Montreal Symphony, the London Philharmonic, The Tonhalle Orchestra Zurich, the Berlin Radio Symphony Orchestra, Orchestra Sinfonica Nazionale della RAI, the BBC National Orchestra of Wales, the BBC Scottish Symphony, the Singapore Symphony, the Malaysian Philharmonic, the Melbourne Symphony and many others in North America, Europe, Australia and the Far East.

Under exclusive contract with Hyperion Records, Mr. Hamelin has received 8 Grammy nominations including a 2008 nomination for Marc-André Hamelin in a state of jazz (CDA67656). His latest solo release Haydn: Piano Sonatas, Vol. 2 (CDA67710), follows up the critically acclaimed first instalment. In the fall of 2010 Hyperion releases a disc of Hamelin’s own compositions, Etudes and other works. His complete Hyperion discography numbers more than forty albums, and includes concertos and works for solo piano by composers such as Alkan, Busoni, Godowsky, and Medtner, as well as brilliantly received performances of Brahms, Chopin, Haydn, Liszt and Schumann.

Mr. Hamelin was recently presented with a lifetime achievement prize by the German Record Critic’s Award (Preis der deutschen Schallplattenkritik) and was made an Officer of the Order of Canada in 2003 and a Chevalier de l’Ordre du Québec in 2004; he is also a member of the Royal Society of Canada. He makes his home in Boston.





Tracklisting:

CD1
01. No 1 - Op 10 No 1 (1st version) C major <2:10>
02. No 2 - Op 10 No 1 (2nd version) D flat major - left hand <2:42>
03. No 3 - Op 10 No 2 (1st version) A minor - left hand <1:47>
04. No 4 - Op 10 No 2 (2nd version) A minor - 'Ignis fatuus' <1:58>
05. No 5 - Op 10 No 3 D flat major - left hand <4:46>
06. No 6 - Op 10 No 4 C sharp minor - left hand <2:49>
07. No 7 - Op 10 No 5 (1st version) G flat major <1:37>
08. No 8 - Op 10 No 5 (2nd version) C major <1:51>
09. No 9 - Op 10 No 5 (3rd version) A minor - 'Tarantella' <2:29>
10. No 10 - Op 10 No 5 (4th version) A major - 'Capriccio' <2:08>
11. No 11 - Op 10 No 5 (5th version) G flat major - Inversion for the left hand <1:57>
12. No 12 - Op 10 No 5 (6th version) G flat major - Inversion for de rigth hand <1:49>
13. No 12a - Op 10 No 5 (7th version) G flat major - left hand <2:21>
14. No 13 - Op 10 No 6 E flat minor - left hand <3:43>
15. No 14 - Op 10 No 7 (1st version) C major - 'Toccata' <1:49>
16. No 15 - Op 10 No 7 (2nd version) G flat major - 'Nocturne' <2:54>
17. No 15a - Op 10 No 7 (3rd version) E flat major - left hand <2:26>
18. No 16 - Op 10 No 8 (1st version) F major <3:11>
19. No 16a - Op 10 No 8 (2nd version) G flat major - left hand <3:41>
20. No 17 - Op 10 No 9 (1st version) C sharp minor <2:39>
21. No 18 - Op 10 No 9 (2nd version) F minor - Imitation of Op 25 No 2 <2:42>
22. No 18a - Op 10 No 9 (3rd version) F sharp minor - left hand <4:29>
23. No 19 - Op 10 No 10 (1st version) D major <3:55>
24. No 20 - Op 10 No 10 (2nd version) A flat major - left hand <3:15>
25. No 21 - Op 10 No 11 A major - left hand <3:22>
26. No 22 - Op 10 No 12 C sharp minor - left hand <3:13>
27. No 23 - Op 25 No 1 (1st version) A flat major - left hand <3:06>
28. No 24 - Op 25 No 1 (2nd version) A flat major - like for 4 hands <3:00>

CD2
01. No 25 - Op 25 No 1 3rd version A flat major <2:44>
02. No 26 - Op 25 No 2 1st version F minor <1:42>
03. No 27 - Op 25 No 2 2nd version F minor - 'Waltz' <2:10>
04. No 28 - Op 25 No 2 3rd version - A F minor <2:41>
05. No 28 - Op 25 No 2 3rd version - B F minor <3:01>
06. No 28a - Op 25 No 2 4th version F sharp minor - left hand <2:40>
07. No 29 - Op 25 No 3 1st version F major <2:25>
08. No 30 - Op 25 No 3 2nd version F major - left hand <2:30>
09. No 31 - Op 25 No 4 1st version A minor - left hand <2:23>
10. No 32 - Op 25 No 4 2nd version F minor - Polonaise <6:05>
11. No 33 - Op 25 No 5 1st version E minor <3:46>
12. No 34 - Op 25 No 5 2nd version C sharp minor - Mazurka <3:36>
13. No 35 - Op 25 No 5 3rd version B flat minor - left hand <4:29>
14. No 36 - Op 25 No 6 G sharp minor <2:13>
15. No 38 - Op 25 No 8 D flat major <1:30>
16. No 39 - Op 25 No 9 1st version G flat major <1:01>
17. No 40 - Op 25 No 9 2nd version G flat major - left hand <1:33>
18. No 41 - Op 25 No 10 B minor - left hand <4:39>
19. No 42 - Op 25 No 11 A minor <4:26>
20. No 43 - Op 25 No 12 C sharp minor - left hand <3:22>
21. No 44 - Méth. M-F No 1 F minor - left hand <1:50>
22. No 45 - Méth. M-F No 2 1st version E major <4:08>
23. No 45a - Méth. M-F No 2 2nd version D flat major - left hand <2:11>
24. No 46 - Méth. M-F No 3 G major - Menuetto <3:15>
25. No 47 - Op 10 No 5 and Op 25 No 9 G flat major - Badinage <1:32>
26. No 48 - Op 10 No 11 and Op 25 No 3 F major - 2 studies <3:08>



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