The "Chopin of the Americas ": Louisiana-born Louis-Moreau Gottschalk

[redieze]

child prodigy,Barnum-like touring virtuoso through 3 Americas (the States,the South and the west indies)he went in Paris and then the toast of musical socialites 'Berlioz, Chopin...) his piano solo works have scent of the isles (Cuba etc.)English-jewish father, french mother of aristocracy settled in St-Domingue (Haiti)he left also various works for piano & orchestra (undusted by Vox in the 50/60') and an opera "Escenas Campestres (rustic scènes),all with infectiouscaribbean rythms and tunes !

[eschiss1]

at this point at least in the US I think a certain amount of Gottschalk's music, and certainly the man himself, count as -sung- but glad you have discovered him too.

[Gareth Vaughan]

Philip Martin recorded his complete extant solo piano music quite a few years ago now for Hyperion. See review here: http://www.musicweb-international.com/classrev/2011/Nov11/GottschalkPianoWks_Hyperion%20444518.htm

[TerraEpon]

Despite what they say, it's actually NOT complete. There's even at least one published piece missing (Pensee Poetique No. 1, Op. 18, aka Nocturne in B major) to say nothing of some things that aren't lost but weren't published. Some possibilities include Mazurka Rustique, Op. 81 (also published I assume), Le Reveil de l'Aigle, Las Patitas de Mi Sobrina, Marche in Eb, Fleur de Lys and Etude in c# ....though what I listed that is and isn't lost may not be 100% correct (there is a LOOOOOOOOOT of lost music), but it's culled from multiple sources both on and offline.

In fact I emailed Hyperion a number of years ago asking if they had plans for another disc and they said they were working at it. Obviously this never happened and they released the box set with the (WAY too common) dishonest claim of completeness.

(Incidently I'm surprised there's no separate topic on this board for him, but eh)

[Gareth Vaughan]

Despite what they say, it's actually NOT complete.

I didn't know that (but I'm not surprised). Thank you. I always had a soft spot for Gottschalk. I bought all the Philip Martin disks singly, as they came out. Nice to know there may be more music to discover.

[eschiss1]

"Mazurka rustique, also published I assume"

Sure looks that way.

[adriano]

This was, long ago, my first recording with music by Gottschalk (on LPs, of course) - quite a pioneering enterprise:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Gottschalk-Festival-Louis-Moreau/dp/B000001K21/ref=sr_1_13?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1553588230&sr=1-13&keywords=gottschalk