SCHUBERT / SCHUMANN / CHOPIN / LISZT

The Late Recordings Vol. 4

Alfred Cortot (1877-1962) piano

THE LATE RECORDINGS Volume 4 - 1951, 1953-54

SCHUBERT

1 Moment musical in F minor D780/3 (1.43) 30 June or 1 July 1954

2 12 Deutsche Ländler D790 (8.59) 17 October 1951

3 Litanie (arr. Cortot) (3.26) 9 May 1953

LISZT

4 Hungarian Rhapsody No 11 in A minor S244/11 (4.57) 9 May 1953

SCHUMANN

5-26 Carnaval Op 9 (Scènes mignonnes sur quatre notes) (25.38) 7 & 8 May 1953

CHOPIN

27 Nocturne No 5 in F sharp major Op 15/2 (3.12) 30 June or 1 July 1954

28 Etude in G flat Op 10/5 (1.42) 29 June 1954

29 Etude in F minor Op 25/2 (1.34) 29 June 1954

30 Etude in G flat Op 25/9 (1.05)) 29 June 1954

31 Sonata No 2 in B flat minor Op 35 - Marche funèbre (5.45) 8 May 1953

32 Tarantelle in A flat Op 43 (3.16) 30 June or 1 July 1954

33 Sonata No 3 in B minor Op 58 - Largo (7.20) 28 June 1954

34 Waltz No 7 in C# minor Op 64/2 (3.00) 30 June or 1 July 1954

This fourth volume of late Cortot completes APR’s survey of the post-war recordings which the pianist made for EMI in the UK. We are now entering the era of tape recording, and apart from the Deutsche Ländler of 1951, all the other titles, which date from 1953-54, were recorded in this new medium. This gave the artist new freedom, as he was not restricted to the length of a 78rpm side for each take, and Cortot tackled much of his ‘big’ repertoire again. Sadly, by this time his failing health meant that many works remained unissued as they did not meet the standards of his earlier magnificent versions, however some old warehorses did stand the test of time, as can be heard in the Carnaval featured here. His playing may have become technically more fallible but the performances fully support the claim of the late Thomas Manshardt, one of Cortot's last pupils, that this period of Cortot's career "is his greatest in thought and warmth and mastery’.

The booklet contains a discography of all Cortot’s HMV sessions from 1953 to 1955.

APR5574