Theodor Leschetizky "Morceaux for Piano" on BIS

[Sharkkb8]

BIS label will release a selection of solo piano pieces by Theoder Leschetizky (1830-1915).  Tobias Bigger is the pianist.  Presto shows a release date of 28 August, Amazon (USA & UK) shows 7 August.

https://www.prestomusic.com/classical/products/8795954--theodor-leschetizky-morceaux

https://smile.amazon.com/Morceaux-Pour-Piano-Tobias-Bigger/dp/B08BWFWTQ3/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=leschetizky+morceaux&qid=1595106609&s=music&sr=1-1

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Morceaux-Pour-Piano-Leschetizky-Bigger/dp/B08BWFWTQ3/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=leschetizky+morceaux&qid=1595106656&s=music&sr=1-1

Blurb:

"Theodor Leschetizky, born 1830, was a pianist and an internationally renowned and sought-after mentor to a large number of pianists. Although Leschetitzky was also active as a composer, his music is largely ignored nowadays, and in his liner notes Tobias Bigger relates how he came across it indirectly, through an interest in Ignaz Friedman, one of Leschetizky's most famous students. Much of Leschetitzky's production consists of character pieces for piano, and a closer study convinced Bigger of the particular qualities of many of them. He was particularly impressed by the fact that even though they convey Leschetitzky's own joy in masterful piano playing and place considerable demands on the performer, there are no displays of empty keyboard acrobatics. For his first disc on BIS, Bigger has selected pieces from Leschetitzky's later production, and primarily those that are not readily available in recorded form."

[Martin Eastick]

A definite must-have! Also good to note that the programme consists of complete sets rather than "dipping in" to miscellaneous opus numbers!

[Rob H]

Also, rather nicely, these are for the most part unrecorded works. The Aria op36/1 and Intermezzo in Octaves op44/4 were recorded by Peter Ritzen on Marco Polo (there are also recordings of the latter by Frank Merrick and, on piano roll by Ossip Gabrilowitsch). I have a piano roll recording of la Source op36/4 with Mark Hambourg playing and there is an ACO recording of it from 1925 with Maurice Cole at the piano (I wish APR or someone would release a Maurice Cole collection!).

I am very much looking forward to this. Bigger has proved an enterprising pianist and I really enjoyed his previous releases - The Golden Age of the piano, In Alten Stil and The Leschetizky School - lots of otherwise unrecorded repertoire.