GREGOR PIATIGORSKY: MILESTONES OF A LEGEND (10 CDS)

Gregor Piatigorsky (1903-1976) is a singular phenomenon among the cellists of the twentieth century as a person, pedagogue and musician. He was an ideal partner to the great instrumentalists of his time: Heifetz, Milstein, Horowitz, Rubinstein, Rachmaninov, Bartok and many others. More than two generations of young musicians were introduced to the art of cello-playing by him, in cities like Berlin, Boston, Philadelphia, Tanglewood, Chicago, Los Angeles, Baltimore and Paris. He experienced the Russian October Revolution as the first cellist in the Moscow Bolshoi Orchestra. He came to Leipzig via Warsaw, where he studied with Julius Klengel, and went through hard times before becoming first cellist under Furtwangler in the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra (1924-29). For the first time Piatigorsky's fascinating playing during the most important stages of his career can be experienced comprehensively on the 10CDs documented in this box set.

CD1
Johannes Brahms (1833 – 1897)
CONCERTO FOR VIOLIN & CELLO IN A MINOR, OP. 102
Doppelkonzert für Violine und Cello, a-Moll, op. 102
I. 1. Allegro 15‘03
2. 2. Andante 6‘44
3. 3. Vivace non troppo 7‘51
Nathan Milstein violin
Gregor Piatigorsky cello
Robin Hood Dell Orchestra of Philadelphia
conductor / Dirigent Fritz Reiner
recorded / aufgenommen 1951
Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy (1809 – 1847)
TRIO FOR PIANO, VIOLIN & CELLO NO. 1 IN D MINOR, OP. 49
Trio für Klavier, Violine und Cello Nr. 1, d-Moll, op. 49
4. 1. Molto allegro e agitato 8‘43
5. 2. Andante con moto tranquillo 6‘24
6. 3. Scherzo. Leggiero e vivace 3‘30
7. 4. Finale. Allegro assai appassionato 8‘03
Arthur Rubinstein piano
Jascha Heifetz violin
Gregor Piatigorsky cello
recorded / aufgenommen 1950 (from LM 1119)
Total Time 56‘24
Total Time 56‘24

CD2
Antonin Dvořák (1841 – 1904)
CELLO CONCERTO IN B MINOR, OP. 104
Konzert für Cello und Orchester, h-Moll, op. 104
I. 1. Allegro 15‘50
2. 2. Adagio ma non troppo 13‘15
3. 3. Finale. Allegro moderato 13‘01
Gregor Piatigorsky cello Boston Symphony Orchestra
conductor / Dirigent Charles Munch recorded / aufgenommen 1960 (LSC 2490)
Ludwig van Beethoven (1770 – 1827)
TRIO OP. 9 NO. 2 IN D MAJOR / D-DUR
4. 1. Allegretto 6‘49
5. 2. Andante quasi allegretto 4‘26
6. 3. Menuetto. Allegro 3‘52
7. 4. Rondo. Allegro 5‘15
Jascha Heifetz violin William Primrose viola Gregor Piatigorsky cello
recorded / aufgenommen 1960 (LM 2563)
8. 12 VARIATIONS IN F MAJOR OP. 66 ON MOZART’S 9‘47
12 Variationen über ein Thema aus Mozarts „Die Zauberflöte“
(„Ein Mädchen oder Weibchen“)

Gregor Piatigorsky cello Lukas Foss piano
recorded / aufgenommen 1955 (LM 6120)
Total Time 72‘28

CD3
Ludwig van Beethoven (1770 – 1827)
CELLO SONATA NO. 2 IN G MINOR, OP. 5/2
Sonate für Violoncello und Klavier, g-Moll, op. 5/2
I. 1. Adagio sostenuto ed espressivo 6‘55
2. 2. Allegro molto, più tosto presso 6‘50
3. 3. Rondo. Allegro 9‘07
CELLO SONATA NO. 5 IN D MAJOR, OP. 102/2
Sonate für Violoncello und Klavier Nr. 5, D-Dur, op. 102/2
4. 1. Allegro con brio 6‘47
5. 2. Adagio con molto sentimento d’affetto 10‘16
6. 3. Allegro. Allegro fugato 4‘29
Gregor Piatigorsky cello Solomon (Solomon Cutner) piano
recorded / aufgenommen 1954 (1-6)
BONUS
CELLO SONATA NO. 2 IN G MINOR, OP 5/2
Sonate für Violoncello und Klavier, g-Moll, op. 5/2
7. 1. Adagio sostenuto es espressivo 5‘34
8. 2. Allegro molto, più tosto presto 9‘46
9. 3. Rondo. Allegro 8‘13
Gregor Piatigorsky cello Artur Schnabel piano
recorded / aufgenommen 1934 (DB 2391/3)
Total Time 68‘07

CD4
Dimitri Shostakovich (1906 – 1975)
CELLO SONATA, OP. 40
Sonate für Violoncello, op. 40
I. 1. Moderato 7‘16
2. 2. Moderato con moto 2‘51
3. 3. Largo 6‘23
4. 4. Allegretto 3‘56
Sergej Prokofiev (1891 – 1953) (arr. Piatigorsky)
5. MASQUES („Romeo et Juliette“) 2‘25
Gregor Piatigorsky cello Valentin Pavlovsky piano
recorded / aufgenommen 1940 (1-4), 1941 (5) 71 614/6 (1-4), 17 307 (5)
SONATE OP. 119
6. Andante grave 10‘37
7. Moderato 5‘52
8. Allegro, ma non troppo 8‘28
Gregor Piatigorsky cello Ralph Berkowitz piano
recorded / aufgenommen 1953 (LM 1792)

Ernest Bloch (1880 – 1959)
6. SCHELOMO
Hebrew Rhapsody / Hebräische Rhapsodie 21‘56
Gregor Piatigorsky cello Boston Symphony Orchestra
conductor / Dirigent Charles Munch recorded / aufgenommen 1957
Total Time 70‘00

CD5
Camille Saint-Saëns (1835 – 1921)
CELLO CONCERTO NO. 1 IN A MINOR, OP. 33
Konzert für Violoncello und Orchester
Nr.1, a-Moll, op. 33
I. 1. Allegro non troppo 5‘33
2. 2. Allegretto con moto 4‘36
3. 3. Allegro non troppo 8‘56
Gregor Piatigorsky cello
RCA Victor Symphony Orchestra
conductor / Dirigent Fritz Reiner
recorded / aufgenommen 1951
4. THE SWAN / DER SCHWAN 2‘55
(„Le Carnaval des animaux“)
Gabriel Fauré (1845 – 1924)
5. TARANTELLE 1‘33
Maurice Ravel (1875 – 1937)
6. PIÉCE EN FORME DE HABANERA 3‘00
Gregor Piatigorsky cello
Valentin Pavlovsky piano
recorded / aufgenommen 1941 (4-6)
TRIO FOR PIANO, VIOLIN & CELLO IN A MINOR
Trio für Klavier, Violine und Cello, a-Moll
7. 1. Modéré 8‘32
8. 2. Pantoum. Assez vif 4‘08
9. 3. Passacaille. Très large 6‘27
(attacca:)
10. 4. Final. Animé 5‘19
Arthur Rubinstein piano
Jascha Heifetz violin
Gregor Piatigorsky cello
recorded / aufgenommen 1950 (LM 1119)
Total Time 51‘19

CD6
Luigi Boccherini (1743 – 1805)
CELLO SONATA NO. 2 IN C
Sonate für Violoncello No. 2 in C
I. 1. Allegro ma non troppo 3‘35
2. 2. Largo assai 2‘35
3. 3. Rondo 2‘27
Joseph Haydn (1732 – 1809)
(arr. Piatigorsky)
DIVERTIMENTO IN D
4. 1. Adagio 3‘39
5. 2. Menuetto 2‘02
6. 3. Allegro di molto 1‘25
Robert Schumann (1810 – 1856)
FANTASIESTÜCKE OP. 73
daraus:
7. 1. Zart und mit Ausdruck 2‘49
8. 2. Lebhaft, leicht 2‘24
9. 3. Rasch und mit Feuer 2‘46
Frédéric Chopin (1810 – 1849)
10. INTRODUCTION ET POLONAISE 8‘06
BRILLANTE, OP. 3
Claude Debussy (1862 – 1918)
11. ROMANCE 2‘07
Enrique Granados (1867 – 1916)
12. ORIENTALE 3‘18
Anton Rubinstein (1829 – 1894)
13. MELODY IN F 2‘56
Gregor Piatigorsky cello
Valentin Pavlovsky (1-6,10-12)
Ivor Newton (7-9)
Ralph Berkowitz (13) piano
recorded /aufgenommen 1940 (4-10)
1941 (1-3,11,12) 1943 (13)
Total Time 40‘35

CD7
William Walton (1902 – 1983)
CELLO CONCERTO
Konzert für Violoncello
I. 1. Moderato 8‘14
2. 2. Allegro appassionato 6‘44
3. 3. Tema ed improvvisazioni: 14‘23
Lento; Allegro moderato
Gregor Piatigorsky cello
Boston Symphony Orchestra
conductor / Dirigent Charles Munch
recorded / aufgenommen 1957
Pjotr I. Tchaikovsky (1840 – 1893)
TRIO FOR VIOLIN, CELLO & PIANO IN A MINOR, OP. 50
Trio für Violine, Cello und Klavier, a-Moll, op. 50
(„À la mémoire d’un grand artiste“)
4. 1. I Pezzo elegiaco. 16‘31
Moderato assai - Allegro giusto
5. 2. IIa Tema con variazioni. 1‘04
Andante con moto
6. 3. Variation I 0‘50
7. 4. Variation II. Più mosso 0‘37
8. 5. Variation III. Allegro moderato 0‘56
9. 6. Variation IV. L’istesso tempo 1‘14
10. 7. Variation V. L’istesso tempo 0‘34
11. 8. Variation VI. Tempo di valse 2‘22
12. 9. Variation VII. Allegro moderato 1‘14
13. 10. Variation VIII. Fuga. 2‘31
Allegro moderato
14. 11. Variation IX. Andante flebile, 2‘29
ma non tanto
15. 12. Variation X. 1‘44
Tempo di Mazurka
16. 13. Variation XI. Moderato 1‘55
17. 14. IIb Variatione finale e Coda. 6‘49
Allegro risoluto con fuoco -
Andante con moto
Jascha Heifetz violin
Gregor Piatigorsky cello
Arthur Rubinstein piano
recorded / aufgenommen 1950 (LM 1120)
Total Time 70‘19

CD8
Richard Strauss (1864 – 1949) CD 18
DON QUIXOTE
Fantastic Variations on an Theme of Knightly Character /
Fantastische Variationen über ein Thema ritterlichen Charakters
I. Introduction / Einleitung 6‘05
2. Theme / Thema: 2‘05
Don Quixote, the Knight of the
Sorrowful Countenance /

Don Quixote, der Ritter von der traurigen Gestalt
3. Variation I: The Adventure with the Windmills / 2‘41
Der Kampf mit den Windmühlen
4. Variation II: The Battle with the Sheep / 1‘30
Der Kampf mit der Hammelherde
5. Variation III: Dialogue of Knight 7‘26
and Squire / Dialog zwischen Don Quixote und Sancho Pansa
6. Variation IV: The Adventure with the Penitents / 1‘48
Das Abenteuer mit der Büßerprozession
7. Variation V: The Knight’s Vigil / Des Ritters Nachtwache 4‘57
8. Variation VI: The False Dulcinea/ Die falsche Dulcinea 1‘09
9. Variation VII: The Ride Through the Air / 1‘10
Der Ritt durch die Lüfte
10. Variation VIII: The Adventure of the Enchanted Boat / 1‘42
Fahrt auf dem verzauberten Nachen
11. Variation IX: The Combat with 1‘06
the Two Magicians / Kampf gegen vermeintliche Zauberer
12. Variation X: 3‘59
The Defeat of Don Quixote by the
Knight of the White Moon / Der Zweikampf mit dem „Ritter vom
blanken Mond“ und die Besiegung Don Quixotes
13. Finale: The Death of Don Quixote / Don Quichotes Tod 5‘26
Boston Symphony Orchestra
Joseph de Pasquale viola
Richard Burgin violin
conductor / Dirigent Charles Munch
recorded / aufgenommen 1953
Total Time 41‘05

CD9
Paul Hindemith (1895 – 1963) CD 19
CONCERTO (1940)
I. 1. Allegro moderato 9‘00
2. 2. Andante con moto. Allegro assai: Tempo primo 7‘46
3. 3. Allegro marciale: più mosso 7‘41
Gregor Piatigorsky cello CBS Symphony Orchestra
conductor / Dirigent Paul Hindemith recorded / aufgenommen 1943
Edward Elgar (1857 – 1934)
CONCERTO IN E, OP. 85
4. 1. Adagio. Moderato 6‘59
5. 2. Lento. Allegro molto 4‘29
6. 3. Adagio 4‘32
7. 4. Allegro non troppo 10‘04
Gregor Piatigorsky cello New York Philharmonic Orchestra
conducor / Dirigent John Barbirolli recorded / aufgenommen 1940

Edvard Grieg (1843 – 1907)
SONATA IN A, OP. 36
8. 1. Allegro agitato 8‘34
9. 2. Andante molto tranquillo 5‘30
10. 3. Allegro 10‘33
Gregor Piatigorsky cello Ralph Berkowitz piano
recorded / aufgenommen 1945 (XCO 34 921-27)
Total Time 75‘19

CD10
Robert Schumann (1810 – 1856)
CELLO CONCERTO IN A MINOR, OP. 129
Konzert für Cello und Orchester, a-Moll, op. 129
I. 1. Nicht zu schnell 11‘15
2. 2. Langsam. Etwas lebhafter. Schneller 4‘01
3. 3. Sehr lebhaft 9‘18
Gregor Piatigorsky cello
London Philharmonic Orchestra
conductor / Dirigent John Barbirolli
recorded / aufgenommen 1934 (LCT 1119)
Johannes Brahms (1833 – 1897)
SONATA FOR PIANO AND CELLO NO. 1 IN E MINOR, OP. 38
Sonate für Klavier und Cello Nr. 1, e-Moll, op. 38
4. 1. Allegro non troppo 10‘32
5. 2. Allegretto quasi Menuetto - Trio 4‘18
6. 3. Allegro 6‘06
Arthur Rubinstein piano
Gregor Piatigorsky cello
recorded / aufgenommen 1936 (LCT 1119)
Total Time 45‘38