Shura Cherkassky - The Complete 78 RPM Recordings, 1923-1950
- APR
- November 3, 2023
In his later years, SHURA CHERKASSKY (1909–1995) was regarded as one of the last ‘Romantics’ – a throwback to the so-called ‘golden age’ of pianism in the first decades of the 20th century. As a pupil of Josef Hofmann, he had an impeccable pedigree, but we tend to forget his long career meant he was already playing and recording in that ‘golden age’. Here then are these early recordings, complete for the first time, starting in the acoustic era with the young prodigy’s 1923 Victor discs. Much of the repertoire is unique in his discography, including his only recording of chamber music – the Rachmaninov cello sonata. The Tchaikovsky 2nd Concerto, Cherkassky’s earliest concerto recording, has never previously been reissued and reveals the 36-year-old artist at his virtuoso peak.
REVIEWS:
It is a joy to have all these recordings available together. Cherkassky was a supremely gifted and communicative pianist and there is something to admire in every piece in this collection.
-- MusicWeb International
Of special note are the many Chopin pieces and a smashing performance of the Fantasy in F minor from 1950. The latter has reasonably decent sound and gives us the opportunity of hearing what Cherkassky can do with one of Chopin’s masterworks.
Outstanding in-depth notes are supplied by Jonathan Summers, and special praise must be given to Seth B. Winner for his detail about restoration techniques. No lover of the art of the piano can afford to be without this set.
-- American Record Guide
Product Description:
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Release Date: November 03, 2023 
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UPC: 5024709173167 
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Catalog Number: APR7316 
-  Label: APR 
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Number of Discs: 3 
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      Composer: Ludwig van Beethoven, Cecile Chaminade, Shura Cherkassky, Frederic Chopin, Mikhail Glinka, Morton Go 
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	Orchestra/Ensemble: Santa Monica Symphony Orchestra 
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	Performer: Shura Cherkassky, Marcel Hubert 
Works:
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      Ecossaises (6) in E-Flat Major, WoO 83 (acoustic version) Composer: Ludwig van Beethoven Performer: Shura Cherkassky (Piano) 
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      6 Preludes and Fugues, Op. 35: Prelude No. 1 in E Minor (acoustic version) Composer: Felix Mendelssohn Performer: Shura Cherkassky (Piano) 
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      3 Fantaisies ou caprices, Op. 16: No. 2. Scherzo in E Minor (acoustic version) Composer: Felix Mendelssohn Performer: Shura Cherkassky (Piano) 
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      Prélude Pathétique (acoustic version) Composer: Shura Cherkassky Performer: Shura Cherkassky (Piano) 
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      Lieder ohne Worte, Book 1, Op. 19b: No. 3 in A Major, Op. 19b, No. 3, MWV U89, "Jägerlied Composer: Felix Mendelssohn Performer: Shura Cherkassky (Piano) 
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      Waltz No. 14 in E Minor, Op. posth. Composer: Frédéric Chopin Performer: Shura Cherkassky (Piano) 
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      Renaissance, Book 1: No. 6. Tambourin in E Minor Composer: Leopold Godowsky Performer: Shura Cherkassky (Piano) 
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      Prelude, Op. 73 Composer: Mana-Zucca Cassel Performer: Shura Cherkassky (Piano) 
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      6 Ecossaises in E-Flat Major, WoO 83 Composer: Ludwig van Beethoven Performer: Shura Cherkassky (Piano) 
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      6 Preludes and Fugues, Op. 35: Prelude No. 1 in E Minor (electric version) Composer: Felix Mendelssohn Performer: Shura Cherkassky (Piano) 
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      3 Fantaisies ou caprices, Op. 16: No. 2. Scherzo in E Minor (electric version) Composer: Felix Mendelssohn Performer: Shura Cherkassky (Piano) 
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      Prélude Pathétique (electric version) Composer: Shura Cherkassky Performer: Shura Cherkassky (Piano) 
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      Cello Sonata in G Minor, Op. 19 Composer: Sergei Rachmaninoff Performer: Marcel Hubert (Cello), Shura Cherkassky (Piano) 
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      Tarantella in A Minor Composer: Mikhail Glinka Performer: Shura Cherkassky (Piano) 
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      Yolka (The Christmas Tree), Op. 21L: Tableau II: Waltz Composer: Vladimir Rebikov Performer: Shura Cherkassky (Piano) 
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      Les saisons (The Seasons), Op. 37a: X. October: Autumn Song Composer: Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky Performer: Shura Cherkassky (Piano) 
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      A Musical Snuffbox, Op. 32 Composer: Anatol Liadov Performer: Shura Cherkassky (Piano) 
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      Pieces (2) for the Left Hand, Op. 9: No. 1. Prelude in C-Sharp Minor Composer: Alexander Scriabin Performer: Shura Cherkassky (Piano) 
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      Fairy Tales (4), Op. 34: No. 2 in E Minor Composer: Nikolai Medtner Performer: Shura Cherkassky (Piano) 
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      Pieces (4), Op. 4: No. 4. Suggestion diabolique Composer: Sergei Prokofiev Performer: Shura Cherkassky (Piano) 
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      Toccata Composer: Aram Khachaturian Performer: Shura Cherkassky (Piano) 
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      Preludes (24), Op. 34 (excerpts) Composer: Dmitri Shostakovich Performer: Shura Cherkassky (Piano) 
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      Hungarian Rhapsodies (19), S244/R106 (excerpts) Composer: Franz Liszt Performer: Shura Cherkassky (Piano) 
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      Concert Etudes (2), S145/R6: No. 2. Gnomenreigen Composer: Franz Liszt Performer: Shura Cherkassky (Piano) 
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      Polonaise No. 6 in A-Flat, Op. 53, "Heroic" Composer: Frédéric Chopin Performer: Shura Cherkassky (Piano) 
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      Lachtäubchen, Op. 303, "Polka de WR" Composer: Franz Behr Performer: Shura Cherkassky (Piano) 
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      Pieces (3), FP 48: No. 3. Toccata Composer: Francis Poulenc Performer: Shura Cherkassky (Piano) 
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      Prelude and Toccata Composer: Morton Gould Performer: Shura Cherkassky (Piano) 
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      Boogie Woogie Etude Composer: Morton Gould Performer: Shura Cherkassky (Piano) 
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      Concerto for Piano and Orchestra No. 2 in G, Op. 44 Composer: Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky Ensemble: Santa Monica Symphony Orchestra Performer: Shura Cherkassky (Piano) Conductor: Jacques Rachmilovich 
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      Nocturne No. 19 in E Minor, Op. 72, No. 1 Composer: Frédéric Chopin Performer: Shura Cherkassky (Piano) 
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      Mazurka No. 23 in D, Op. 33, No. 2 Composer: Frédéric Chopin Performer: Shura Cherkassky (Piano) 
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      Etude No. 1 in C, Op. 10, No. 1 Composer: Frédéric Chopin Performer: Shura Cherkassky (Piano) 
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      Fantasy in F Minor, Op. 49 Composer: Frédéric Chopin Performer: Shura Cherkassky (Piano) 
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      Études (6), Op. 52 (excerpts) Composer: Camille Saint-Saens Performer: Shura Cherkassky (Piano) 
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      Consolations, S172/R12, "Pensées poétiques": No. 3 in D-Flat: Lento placido (2nd version) Composer: Franz Liszt Performer: Shura Cherkassky (Piano) 
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      Pieces humoristiques (6), Op. 87: 6 Pieces humoristiques, Op. 87: No. 4. Autrefois Composer: Cecile Chaminade Performer: Shura Cherkassky (Piano) 
 
          
        
 
