Search - Claudio Arrau :: Grieg: P Cto in a Min / Schumann: P Cto in a Min

At long last!

Sancho Sánchez | Burwood, NSW Australia | 03/13/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I had been waiting for many years to see this particular program reissued on CD. I never understood why mono recordings of this high vintage quality should not be reissued, only because they are mono.
I can recall to have written to a number of prospective record labels about these three particular (and several other!) Arrau recordings which had (and have) been missing from the reissued items catalogues.
The two piano concerto recordings on this CD are precious jewels from the 1950's, and the solo work, superbly rendered, was never recorded by Arrau again. What subsequent Arrau recordings of these concertos show is that, over the years, he simply developed and matured, without essentially changing, his earlier musical conception of these well-loved, popular masterworks.
As to the technological aspects of the project, the original Columbia recordings were of excellent quality in the first place, and the current transfers are beautifully warm and full of lovely sound, an almost perfect medium for such engaging, masterly renditions.
All in all, this is a highly rewarding CD. Well deserved congratulations to Testament, whose producers might now consider issuing another CD containing the remaining few Arrau recordings from the late 1940's and early 1950's as yet never reissued on digital CD (see list below).
After all, this is Arrau's 100th anniversary year!1947, Sony Classical
Chopin, 06'03", Waltz No.1 in E flat Op.18, No.1
US Columbia: 78rpm set MX307
GB Columbia: 78rpm LX1268
Never reissued.1947, Sony Classical
Beethoven, 03'00", Bagatelle in A minor G.173 Für Elise
US Columbia: 78rpm 1309 OD. Set MM917.
Only Bagatelle ever recorded by Arrau.
Never reissued1950, EMI Classics
Chopin/Liszt, 03'50", Polish Song Op.74 No.2 My Joys
GB Columbia: 78rpm LX8792
Reissued on LP by Desmar GHP4001-2,1978.1950/1, Sony Classical
Chopin, 39'04", Preludes Op.28 complete
US Columbia: 33M ML4420
Reissued on LP by Odyssey ODA5156, 1980.
Poorly reissued on CD by Arlecchino, 1995.1951, EMI Classics
Beethoven, 24'00", Piano Sonata No.7 in D Op.10
GB Columbia: 78rpm LX1540-42
Never reissued.1951, EMI Classics
Debussy, 03'36", La puerta del vino
GB Columbia: 78rpm LX1550
Reissued on LP by EMI, 1983.1951, EMI Classics
Mozart, 23'00", Piano Sonata No.17 in B flat KV570
GB Columbia: 78rpm LX1551-53
Never reissued1951, EMI Classics,
Mendelssohn, 06'36", Andante & Rondo Capriccioso in E Op.14GB Columbia: 45rpm M SEL1523
Only Arrau studio recording of this item.
Reissued on LP by EMI, 19831952, MCA Records [Deutsche Grammophon?]
Beethoven, 25'+, 15 Variations Op.35 Eroica
US Decca: 33M DX122, DL4067
GB Brunswick: 33M AXTL1024-25
Never reissued.And there are a number of other, never-digitally-released, items from the 50's and 60's!Warmest regards to all Arrau's admirers."