ALEXANDER BRAILOWSKY: THE CHOPIN MARATHON MAN - MILESTONES OF A PIANO LEGEND (10 CDS)

With his "Chopin Marathon" Alexander Brailowsky (1896, Kiev - 1976, New York) carved his name into European concert history: for the first time ever he playedabout 170 Chopin compositions on six consecutive evenings in Paris in 1924. Thereaction of the public was as overwhelming, as when he repeated the feat in New York later that year. On the occasion of Chopin’s 150th birthday in 1960 Brailowsky performed this marathon a third and fourth time in New York and Brussels. It was in the Belgian capital that a special Brailowsky Prize for pianists had been awarded in 1936 and also where, marked by illness, he made his last public appearance in 1972 as a jury member of the Queen Elisabeth Competition. After graduating with a gold medal at the Conservatory in Kiev and special praise from Sergei Rachmaninov, who heard him during a student audition, Brailowsky continued his studies with Theodor Leschetizky after his family moved to Vienna in 1911, where he also gave his successful public debut two years later. After his triumphant concerts in New York's Carnegie Hall, he settled permanently in the United States in 1924. Due to his declining health, he ended his career with two farewell concerts there in 1967.

CD 1
■ Frédéric Chopin (1810 – 1849)
PIANO CONCERTO NO. 1 IN E
MINOR, OP. 11
Konzert für Klavier und Orchester Nr. 1,
e-Moll, op. 11
1. I. Allegro maestoso. Risoluto 16‘38
2. II. Romance: Larghetto 9‘33
3. III. Rondo: Vivace 9‘35
PIANO CONCERTO NO. 2 IN F MINOR,
OP. 21
Konzert für Klavier und Orchester Nr. 2,
f-Moll, op. 21
4. I. Maestoso 12‘05
5. II. Larghetto 8‘57
6. III. Allegro vivace 8‘28
Alexander Brailowsky piano
RCA Victor Symphony Orchestra
conductor / Dirigent William Steinberg
(1-3)
Boston Symphony Orchestra
conductor / Dirigent Charles Munch (4-6)
recorded / aufgenommen 1949 (1-3)
1954 (4-6)
Total Time 65'23

CD 2
■ Frédéric Chopin (1810 – 1849)
1. WALTZ IN E-FLAT MAJOR, OP. 18,
„Grande Valse brillante“ 4‘40
Walzer Es-Dur, op. 18
3 WALTZES, OP. 34
2. No. 1 in A-flat major / As-Dur – Vivace
5‘09
3. No. 2 in A minor / a-Moll – Lento 6‘09
4. No. 3 in F major / F-Dur – Vivace 2‘23
5. WALTZ IN A-FLAT MAJOR, OP. 42
3‘47
Walzer As-Dur, op. 42
3 WALTZES. OP. 64
6. No. 1 in D-flat major / Des-Dur – Molto
vivace, „Minute“ 1‘51
7. No. 2 in C-sharp minor / cis-Moll –
Tempo giusto 3‘29
8. No. 3 in A-flat major / As-Dur –
Moderato 3‘04
2 WALTZES, OP. POSTH. 69
9. No. 1 in A-flat major / As-Dur – Lento
4‘59
10. No. 2 in B minor / h-Moll – Moderato
3‘42
3 WALTZES, OP. POSTH. 70
11. No. 1 in G-flat major / Ges-Dur –
Molto vivace 2‘10
12. No. 2 in F minor / f-Moll – Tempo
giusto 2‘54
13. No. 3 in D-flat major / Des-Dur –
Moderato 3‘18
14. WALTZ IN E MINOR / e-Moll KK IV
a/15 2‘25
Alexander Brailowsky piano recorded /
aufgenommen 1950
Total Time 50'25

CD 3
■ Frédéric Chopin (1810 – 1849)
24 PRÉLUDES, OP. 28
1. No. 1 in C major / 0‘36
C-Dur - Agitato
2. No. 2 in A minor / 1‘36
a-Moll - Lento
3. No. 3 in G major / 0‘56
G-Dur - Vivace
4. No. 4 in E minor / 1‘57
e-Moll - Largo
5. No. 5 in D major / 0‘35
D-Dur - Allegro molto
6. No. 6 in B minor / 1‘51
h-Moll - Lento assai
7. No. 7 in A major / 0‘41
A-Dur - Andantino
8. No. 8 in F-sharp minor / 1‘55
fis-Moll - Molto agitato
9. No. 9 in E major / 1‘27
E-Dur - Largo
10. No. 10 in C-sharp minor / 0‘29
cis-Moll - Allegro molto
11. No. 11 in B major / 0‘33
H-Dur - Vivace
12. No. 12 in G-sharp minor / 1‘18
gis-Moll - Prèsto
13. No. 13 in F-sharp major / 2‘46
Fis-Dur - Lento
14. No. 14 in E-flat minor / 0‘29
es-Moll - Allegro
15. No. 15 in D-flat major / 4‘45
Des-Dur - Sostenuto
16. No. 16 in B-flat minor / 1‘13
b-Moll - Prèsto con fuoco
17. No. 17 in A-flat major / 3‘20
As-Dur - Allegretto
18. No. 18 in f minor / 0‘51
f-Moll - Allegro molto
19. No. 19 in E-flat major / 1‘09
Es-Dur - Vivace
20. No. 20 in C minor / 1‘28
c-Moll - Largo
21. No. 21 in B-flat major / 1‘36
B-Dur - Cantabile
22. No. 22 in G minor / 0‘48
g-Moll - Molto agitato
23. No. 23 in F major / 0‘51
F-Dur - Moderato
24. No. 24 in D minor / 2‘33
d-Moll - Allegro appassionato
Alexander Brailowsky piano
recorded / aufgenommen 1951
Total Time 35'45

CD 4
■ Frédéric Chopin (1810 – 1849)
12 ÉTUDES, OP. 10
1. No. 1 in C major / 2‘04
C-Dur - Allegro
2. No. 10 in A-flat major / 2‘11
As-Dur - Vivace assai
3. No. 2 in A minor / 1‘24
a-Moll - Allegro
4. No. 7 in C major / 1‘33
C-Dur - Vivace
5. No. 3 in E major / 4‘06
E-Dur - Lento ma non troppo
6. No. 4 in C-sharp minor / 2‘09
cis-Moll - Presto
7. No. 9 in F minor / 2‘09
f-Moll - Allegro molto agitato
8. No. 5 in G-flat major / 1‘37
Ges-Dur, „Black Keys“ - Vivace
9. No. 6 in E-flat minor / 3‘00
es-Moll - Andante
10. No. 8 in F major / 2‘18
F-Dur - Allegro
11. No. 11 in E-flat major / 2‘14
Es-Dur - Allegretto
12. No. 12 in C minor / 2‘36
c-Moll, „Revolutionary“
- Allegro con fuoco
■ 12 ÉTUDES, OP. 25
13. No. 1 in A-flat major / 1‘58
As-Dur - Allegro sostenuto
14. No. 12 in C minor / 2‘22
c-Moll - Molto allegro,
con fuoco
15. No. 2 in F minor / 1‘21
f-Moll - Presto
16. No. 3 in F major / 1‘54
F-Dur - Allegro
17. No. 4 in A minor / 1‘47
a-Moll - Agitato
18. No. 8 in D-flat major / 1‘12
Des-Dur, „Sixths“ - Vivace
19. No. 5 in E minor / 2‘46
e-Moll - Vivace
20. No. 6 in G-sharp minor / 2‘03
gis-Moll, „Thirds“ - Allegro
21. No. 9 in G-flat major / 1‘01
Ges-Dur, „Butterfly“
- Allegro assai
22. No. 7 in C-sharp minor / 5‘01
cis-Moll - Lento
23. No. 10 in B minor / 3‘31
h-Moll, „Octaves“
- Allegro con fuoco
24. No. 11 in A minor / 3‘42
a-Moll, „Winter Wind“
- Lento. Allegro con brio
3 NOUVELLES ÉTUDES, KK IIb/3
25. No. 1 in F minor / 1‘47
f-Moll - Andantino
26. No. 2 in A-flat major / 1‘41
As-Dur - Allegretto
27. No. 3 in D-flat major / 1‘37
Des-Dur - Allegretto
Alexander Brailowsky piano
recorded / aufgenommen 1946/47
Total Time 61'19

CD 5
■ Frédéric Chopin (1810 – 1849)
3 NOCTURNES, OP. 9
1. No. 1 in B-flat minor / b-Moll -
Larghetto 5‘37
2. No. 2 in E-flat major / Es-Dur -
Andante 4‘36
3. No. 3 in B major / H-Dur - Allegretto
7‘03
3 NOCTURNES, OP. 15
4. No. 1 in F major / F-Dur - Andante
cantabile 4‘32
5. No. 2 in F-sharp major / Fis-Dur -
Larghetto 3‘43
6. No. 3 in G minor / g-Moll - Lento 4‘18
2 NOCTURNES, OP. 27
7. No. 1 in C-sharp minor / cis-Moll -
Larghetto 5‘20
8. No. 2 in D-flat major / Des-Dur - Lento
sostenuto 5‘22
2 NOCTURNES, OP. 32
9. No. 1 in B major / H-Dur - Andante
sostenuto 5‘11
10. No. 2 in A-flat major / As-Dur - Lento
5‘17
Alexander Brailowsky piano
recorded / aufgenommen 1956/57
Total Time 51'26

CD 6
■ Frédéric Chopin (1810 – 1849)
2 NOCTURNES, OP. 37
1. No 1 in G minor / g-Moll - Andante
sostenuto 6‘16
2. No. 2 in G major / G-Dur - Andantino
6‘10
2 NOCTURNES, OP. 48
3. No. 1 in C minor / c-Moll - Lento 6‘29
4. No. 2 in F-sharp minor / fis-Moll -
Andantino 6‘38
2 NOCTURNES, OP. 55
5. No. 1 in F minor / f-Moll - Andante
4‘51
6. No. 2 in E-flat major / Es-Dur - Lento
sostenuto 4‘16
2 NOCTURNES, OP. 62
7. No. 1 in B major / H-Dur - Andante
6‘48
8. No. 2 in E major / E-Dur - Lento 5‘39
9. NOCTURNE IN E MINOR / e-Moll,
OP. POSTH. 72/1 3‘53
Alexander Brailowsky piano
recorded / aufgenommen 1956/57
Total Time 51'02

CD 7
■ Frédéric Chopin (1810 – 1849)
PIANO SONATA NO. 2 IN B-FLAT
MINOR, OP. 35
Klaviersonate Nr. 2, b-Moll, op. 35
1. I. Grave – Doppio movimento 5‘04
2. II. Scherzo – Più lento – Tempo I 5‘19
3. III. Marche funèbre: Lento 7‘00
4. IV. Finale: Presto 1‘31
PIANO SONATA NO. 3 IN B MINOR,
OP. 58
Klaviersonate Nr. 3, h-Moll, op. 58
5. I. Allegro maestoso 8‘34
6. II. Scherzo: Molto vivace 2‘16
7. III. Largo 7‘27
8. IV. Finale: Presto non tanto 4‘37
BONUS
PIANO SONATA NO. 3 IN B MINOR,
OP. 58
Klaviersonate Nr. 3, h-Moll, op. 58
9. I. Allegro maestoso 9‘03
10. II. Scherzo: Molto vivace 2‘14
11. III. Largo 7‘54
12. IV. Finale: Presto non tanto 4‘37
Alexander Brailowsky piano
recorded / aufgenommen 1954 (1-8)
1938 (9-12)
Total Time 65'53

CD 8
■ Frédéric Chopin (1810 – 1849)
1. BERCEUSE IN D-FLAT MAJOR /
Des-Dur, op. 57 4‘28
3 ÉCOSSAISES, op. posth. 72/3
2. No. 1 in D major / D-Dur - Vivace 1‘21
3. No. 2 in G major / G-Dur 0‘34
4. No. 3 in D-flat major / Des-Dur 1‘04
5. IMPROMPTU NO. 1 IN A-FLAT
MAJOR / As-Dur, op. 29 4‘36
Allegro assai quasi presto
6. IMPROMPTU IN C-SHARP MINOR /
cis-Moll, op. posth. 66 5‘03
„Fantasie Impromptu“
Alexander Brailowsky piano
recorded / aufgenommen 1958 (1-4)
1941 (5) 1946 (6)
BONUS
3 WALTZES, OP. 64
7. No. 1 in D-flat-major / Des-Dur,
„Minute“ - Molto vivace 1‘49
8. No. 2 in C-sharp minor/ cis-Moll -
Tempo giusto 3‘32
9. No. 3 in A-flat major / As-Dur -
Moderato 2‘59
10. NOCTURNE IN F-SHARP MAJOR /
Fis-Dur, op. 15/2 - Larghetto 3‘32
11. NOCTURNE IN E-FLAT MAJOR /
Es-Dur, op. 9/2 - Andante 4‘29
12. NOCTURNE IN D-FLAT MAJOR /
Des-Dur, op. 27/2 5‘13
- Lento sostenuto
Alexander Brailowsky piano
recorded / aufgenommen 1941 (7-9)
1945 (10) 1946 (11) 1949 (12)
Total Time 39‘03

CD 9
■ Sergej Rachmaninov (1873 – 1943)
PIANO CONCERTO NO. 2 IN C MINOR,
OP. 18
Konzert für Klavier und Orchester, c-Moll,
op. 18
1. I. Moderato – Allegro 9‘54
2. II. Adagio sostenuto 10‘49
3. III. Allegro scherzando 11‘06
Alexander Brailowsky piano San
Francisco Symphony Orchestra
conductor / Dirigent Enrique Jorda
recorded / aufgenommen 1958
■ Franz Liszt (1811 – 1886)
PIANO CONCERTO NO. 1 IN E FLAT
MAJOR, S 124
Konzert für Klavier und Orchester Nr. 1,
Es-Dur, S 124
4. I. Allegro maestoso 5‘57
5. II. Quasi adagio – Allegretto 4‘45
6. III. Allegretto marziale e animato –
Presto 8‘37
Alexander Brailowsky piano Berliner
Philharmoniker
conductor / Dirigent Julius Prüwer
recorded / aufgenommen 1928
7. VALSE IMPROMPTU, S 213 4‘44
8. ÉTUDE DE CONCERT NO. 2, S 145,
„Gnomenreigen“ 3‘02
Alexander Brailowsky piano
recorded / aufgenommen 1931
Total Time 59'05

CD 10
■ Franz Liszt (1811 – 1886)
1. MEPHISTO WALTZ NO. 1 /
Mephisto-Walzer 10‘47
2. HUNGARIAN RHAPSODY NO. 2 /
Ungarische Rhapsodie Nr. 2 9‘27
3. HUNGARIAN RHAPSODY NO. 7 /
Ungarische Rhapsodie Nr. 7 5‘03
4. LA CAMPANELLA (No. 3, Grandes études
de Paganini) 4‘44
5. LIEBESTRAUM NO. 3 4‘19
■ Richard Wagner (1813 – 1883) / Franz Liszt
(1811 – 1886)
DER FLIEGENDE HOLLÄNDER / The Flying
Dutchman
6. Chor der Spinnerinnen / Spinning chorus
5‘56
TANNHÄUSER
7. Ouvertüre / Overture 14‘01
Alexander Brailowsky piano recorded /
aufgenommen 1953 (1) 1946 (2)
1956 (3) 1941 (4) 1942 (5) 1928 (6) 1931 (7)
■ Camille Saint-Saëns (1835 – 1921)
PIANO CONCERTO NO. 4 IN C MINOR, OP.
44
Konzert für Klavier und Orchester Nr. 4, c-Moll,
op. 44
8. I. Allegro moderato 4‘07
9. II. Andante 7‘42
10. III. Allegro vivace 6‘19
11. IV. Allegro 6‘19
Alexander Brailowsky piano Boston Symphony
Orchestra
conductor / Dirigent Charles Munch recorded /
aufgenommen 1954
Total Time 79‘20