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Anatole Kitain - The Complete Columbia Recordings, 1936-1939
APR

Anatole Kitain - The Complete Columbia Recordings, 1936-1939

$21.99

Details

Composer
CHOPIN LISZT SCHUMANN
Artist
Anatole Kitain
Format
CD
Label
APR
Released
May 01, 2015
Catalog #
APR6017
UPC
5024709160174

About



Pianophiles should note immediately that this is a reissue of APR7029, first released around two decades ago, and that no new material has been added. If any unpublished takes exist, or if any unpublished recordings have survived, then that would deepen still further one’s appreciation of Kitain’s art. At the moment this seems unlikely – though far stranger things have cropped up in less promising circumstances, so we can but hope.

Kitain (1903-80) was an exact contemporary of Horowitz and was slightly younger than the incendiary Simon Barere. Bryan Crimp’s acknowledgement-preface in the booklet notes that standard reference books omit all mention of Kitain. I don’t know how much this has changed in the intervening 20 years but checking such staples as Harold C Schonberg, Kaiser, Lyle and even the Naxos A-Z of pianists boxed set fails to elicit a thing. So we are again reliant on Crimp’s own biographical outline in the handsome booklet for details of the rise and fall of this great pianist’s reputation.

Born in St Petersburg, he apparently so astonished Glazunov with his precocity that he won immediate entrance to the Conservatory. Soon he moved to Kiev, becoming a classmate of Horowitz, and studying with Felix Blumenfeld. The Kitain family fled Russia in 1923, Anatole winning a prize at the Liszt Piano Competition three years later – Annie Fischer won first place. He settled in France only for his life to be overtaken by upheaval yet again, moving to America when war broke out. Here there seem to have been a series of false starts, including performances under an alias, though he later gave admiringly reviewed recitals throughout the 1940s and 1950s. He made a series of LPs in the 1950s – one with his fiddle-playing brother, Robert. For MGM they recorded the sonatas by Brahms (Op.108) and Franck, and I’d certainly like to come across that disc.

What began with reluctance in 1936 – the Paris Columbia branch wasn’t keen to record him, but made two tests that were actually published – ended in some triumph as Kitain soon moved to record in the Abbey Road studios in London. Kitain was a bit of a first-take man from a quick look at the released matrix numbers. The Schumann Toccata, not surprisingly, necessitated retakes and the third take was used. Something odd seems to have gone on when he set down the Hungarian Dances of Brahms, where one side necessitated a retake a month later and a fifth take was used. Almost everything else, recorded between 1936 and 1939, was a first take.

Aside from a sense that he was naturally unfettered by studio constraints what impresses throughout is the naturalness of his phrasing and the sublimated virtuosity of a technique that allows him such freedoms as he takes. He is, in fact, not ‘free’ in the sense that he takes metrical liberties and even when he can seem idiosyncratic – perhaps in Chopin’s Scherzo in B minor – one senses the musical justification. The central section here shows his beautiful legato and sense of phrasing as the Etudes reveal his rhythmic and colouristic virtues. Whilst he is commanding in the C major, Op.10 No.7 he’s invariably controlled and though virtuosic in Liszt never for a moment crude. There are few exaggerations. He was keen to record the Brahms Dances and they are vitalising performances. His Russian repertoire is very valuable, given his background. There is great warmth and sensitivity in his Scriabin and one wishes he could have recorded more Rachmaninoff. A pity he was never asked to record his old teacher Blumenfeld’s Etude for the left hand, which Kitain played in recitals. However, the élan of the Strauss-Godowsky Fledermaus is something to be heard.

A few of the rarer examples here have a higher-than-average amount of surface noise and a few thumps, but they pass quickly. This skilfully compiled set is priced ‘as for one’. If you missed it before, you should get it now.

-- Jonathan Woolf, MusicWeb International

Tracklist 41 tracks

  1. Disc 1
  2. 1 Rondo in E-Flat Major, Op. 16 08:36
    Track
    1
    Title
    Rondo in E-Flat Major, Op. 16
    Duration
    08:36
    Composer
    Frédéric Chopin
    Performer
    Anatole Kitain
  3. 2 Mazurka No. 13 in A Minor, Op. 17, No. 4 03:35
    Track
    2
    Title
    Mazurka No. 13 in A Minor, Op. 17, No. 4
    Duration
    03:35
    Composer
    Frédéric Chopin
    Performer
    Anatole Kitain
  4. 3 Ballade No. 2 in F Major, Op. 38 06:02
    Track
    3
    Title
    Ballade No. 2 in F Major, Op. 38
    Duration
    06:02
    Composer
    Frédéric Chopin
    Performer
    Anatole Kitain
  5. 4 Ballade No. 3 in A-Flat Major, Op. 47 06:30
    Track
    4
    Title
    Ballade No. 3 in A-Flat Major, Op. 47
    Duration
    06:30
    Composer
    Frédéric Chopin
    Performer
    Anatole Kitain
  6. 5 Scherzo No. 1 in B Minor, Op. 20 07:57
    Track
    5
    Title
    Scherzo No. 1 in B Minor, Op. 20
    Duration
    07:57
    Composer
    Frédéric Chopin
    Performer
    Anatole Kitain
  7. 6 No. 5 in G-Flat Major, Op. 10, No. 5, "Black Keys" 01:21
    Track
    6
    Title
    No. 5 in G-Flat Major, Op. 10, No. 5, "Black Keys"
    Duration
    01:21
    Composer
    Frédéric Chopin
    Performer
    Anatole Kitain
  8. 7 No. 6 in E-Flat Minor, Op. 10, No. 6 02:15
    Track
    7
    Title
    No. 6 in E-Flat Minor, Op. 10, No. 6
    Duration
    02:15
    Composer
    Frédéric Chopin
    Performer
    Anatole Kitain
  9. 8 No. 7 in C Major, Op. 10, No. 7 01:26
    Track
    8
    Title
    No. 7 in C Major, Op. 10, No. 7
    Duration
    01:26
    Composer
    Frédéric Chopin
    Performer
    Anatole Kitain
  10. 9 No. 8 in F Major, Op. 10, No. 8 02:05
    Track
    9
    Title
    No. 8 in F Major, Op. 10, No. 8
    Duration
    02:05
    Composer
    Frédéric Chopin
    Performer
    Anatole Kitain
  11. 10 No. 12 in C Minor, Op. 10, No. 12, "Revolutionary" 02:19
    Track
    10
    Title
    No. 12 in C Minor, Op. 10, No. 12, "Revolutionary"
    Duration
    02:19
    Composer
    Frédéric Chopin
    Performer
    Anatole Kitain
  12. 11 2 Concert Etudes, S145/R6: No. 1. Waldesrauschen (Forest Murmurs) 03:22
    Track
    11
    Title
    2 Concert Etudes, S145/R6: No. 1. Waldesrauschen (Forest Murmurs)
    Duration
    03:22
    Composer
    Franz Liszt
    Performer
    Anatole Kitain
  13. 12 Annees de pelerinage, 1st year, Switzerland, S160/R10: No. 6. Vallee d'Obermann (Valley of Obermann) 09:59
    Track
    12
    Title
    Annees de pelerinage, 1st year, Switzerland, S160/R10: No. 6. Vallee d'Obermann (Valley of Obermann)
    Duration
    09:59
    Composer
    Franz Liszt
    Performer
    Anatole Kitain
  14. 13 Années de pèlerinage, 2nd year, Italy, S161/R10b: No. 4. Sonetto 47 del Petrarca (Sonnet 47 of Petrarch) 04:42
    Track
    13
    Title
    Années de pèlerinage, 2nd year, Italy, S161/R10b: No. 4. Sonetto 47 del Petrarca (Sonnet 47 of Petrarch)
    Duration
    04:42
    Composer
    Franz Liszt
    Performer
    Anatole Kitain
  15. 14 Années de pèlerinage, 2nd year, Italy, S161/R10b: No. 6. Sonetto 123 del Petrarca (Sonnet 123 of Petrarch) 04:24
    Track
    14
    Title
    Années de pèlerinage, 2nd year, Italy, S161/R10b: No. 6. Sonetto 123 del Petrarca (Sonnet 123 of Petrarch)
    Duration
    04:24
    Composer
    Franz Liszt
    Performer
    Anatole Kitain
  16. 15 12 Etudes d'exécution transcendante, S139/R2b: No. 5 in B-Flat Major, "Feux follets" 03:57
    Track
    15
    Title
    12 Etudes d'exécution transcendante, S139/R2b: No. 5 in B-Flat Major, "Feux follets"
    Duration
    03:57
    Composer
    Franz Liszt
    Performer
    Anatole Kitain
  17. Disc 2
  18. 1 Toccata in C Major, Op. 7 04:41
    Track
    1
    Title
    Toccata in C Major, Op. 7
    Duration
    04:41
    Composer
    Robert Schumann
    Performer
    Anatole Kitain
  19. 2 4 Ballades, Op. 10: No. 1 in D Minor, "Edward" 03:32
    Track
    2
    Title
    4 Ballades, Op. 10: No. 1 in D Minor, "Edward"
    Duration
    03:32
    Composer
    Johannes Brahms
    Performer
    Anatole Kitain
  20. 3 No. 1 in B Major 00:48
    Track
    3
    Title
    No. 1 in B Major
    Duration
    00:48
    Composer
    Johannes Brahms
    Performer
    Anatole Kitain
  21. 4 No. 2 in E Major 01:32
    Track
    4
    Title
    No. 2 in E Major
    Duration
    01:32
    Composer
    Johannes Brahms
    Performer
    Anatole Kitain
  22. 5 No. 3 in G-Sharp Minor 01:04
    Track
    5
    Title
    No. 3 in G-Sharp Minor
    Duration
    01:04
    Composer
    Johannes Brahms
    Performer
    Anatole Kitain
  23. 6 No. 4 in E Minor 01:29
    Track
    6
    Title
    No. 4 in E Minor
    Duration
    01:29
    Composer
    Johannes Brahms
    Performer
    Anatole Kitain
  24. 7 No. 5 in E Major 01:01
    Track
    7
    Title
    No. 5 in E Major
    Duration
    01:01
    Composer
    Johannes Brahms
    Performer
    Anatole Kitain
  25. 8 No. 6 in C-Sharp Major 00:51
    Track
    8
    Title
    No. 6 in C-Sharp Major
    Duration
    00:51
    Composer
    Johannes Brahms
    Performer
    Anatole Kitain
  26. 9 No. 7 in C-Sharp Minor 02:22
    Track
    9
    Title
    No. 7 in C-Sharp Minor
    Duration
    02:22
    Composer
    Johannes Brahms
    Performer
    Anatole Kitain
  27. 10 No. 8 in B-Flat Major 01:22
    Track
    10
    Title
    No. 8 in B-Flat Major
    Duration
    01:22
    Composer
    Johannes Brahms
    Performer
    Anatole Kitain
  28. 11 No. 9 in D Minor 00:52
    Track
    11
    Title
    No. 9 in D Minor
    Duration
    00:52
    Composer
    Johannes Brahms
    Performer
    Anatole Kitain
  29. 12 No. 10. in G Major 00:31
    Track
    12
    Title
    No. 10. in G Major
    Duration
    00:31
    Composer
    Johannes Brahms
    Performer
    Anatole Kitain
  30. 13 No. 11 in B Minor 01:17
    Track
    13
    Title
    No. 11 in B Minor
    Duration
    01:17
    Composer
    Johannes Brahms
    Performer
    Anatole Kitain
  31. 14 No. 12 in E Major 01:13
    Track
    14
    Title
    No. 12 in E Major
    Duration
    01:13
    Composer
    Johannes Brahms
    Performer
    Anatole Kitain
  32. 15 No. 13 in B Major 00:50
    Track
    15
    Title
    No. 13 in B Major
    Duration
    00:50
    Composer
    Johannes Brahms
    Performer
    Anatole Kitain
  33. 16 No. 14 in G-Sharp Minor 01:25
    Track
    16
    Title
    No. 14 in G-Sharp Minor
    Duration
    01:25
    Composer
    Johannes Brahms
    Performer
    Anatole Kitain
  34. 17 No. 15 in A-Flat Major 01:25
    Track
    17
    Title
    No. 15 in A-Flat Major
    Duration
    01:25
    Composer
    Johannes Brahms
    Performer
    Anatole Kitain
  35. 18 No. 16 in C-Sharp Minor 00:48
    Track
    18
    Title
    No. 16 in C-Sharp Minor
    Duration
    00:48
    Composer
    Johannes Brahms
    Performer
    Anatole Kitain
  36. 19 3 Pieces, Op. 2: No. 1. Etude in C-Sharp Minor 02:14
    Track
    19
    Title
    3 Pieces, Op. 2: No. 1. Etude in C-Sharp Minor
    Duration
    02:14
    Composer
    Alexander Scriabin
    Performer
    Anatole Kitain
  37. 20 24 Preludes, Op. 11: No. 2 in A Minor 01:44
    Track
    20
    Title
    24 Preludes, Op. 11: No. 2 in A Minor
    Duration
    01:44
    Composer
    Alexander Scriabin
    Performer
    Anatole Kitain
  38. 21 9 Mazurkas, Op. 25: No. 3 in E Minor: Lento 01:54
    Track
    21
    Title
    9 Mazurkas, Op. 25: No. 3 in E Minor: Lento
    Duration
    01:54
    Composer
    Alexander Scriabin
    Performer
    Anatole Kitain
  39. 22 Morceaux de fantaisie, Op. 3: No. 1. Elegie in E-Flat Minor 04:48
    Track
    22
    Title
    Morceaux de fantaisie, Op. 3: No. 1. Elegie in E-Flat Minor
    Duration
    04:48
    Composer
    Sergei Rachmaninoff
    Performer
    Anatole Kitain
  40. 23 Etudes-tableaux, Op. 33: No. 1 in F Minor: Allegro non troppo 01:59
    Track
    23
    Title
    Etudes-tableaux, Op. 33: No. 1 in F Minor: Allegro non troppo
    Duration
    01:59
    Composer
    Sergei Rachmaninoff
    Performer
    Anatole Kitain
  41. 24 13 Preludes, Op. 32: No. 12 in G-Sharp Minor: Allegro 02:01
    Track
    24
    Title
    13 Preludes, Op. 32: No. 12 in G-Sharp Minor: Allegro
    Duration
    02:01
    Composer
    Sergei Rachmaninoff
    Performer
    Anatole Kitain
  42. 25 3 Symphonische Metamorphosen Johann Strauss'scher Themen 07:57
    Track
    25
    Title
    3 Symphonische Metamorphosen Johann Strauss'scher Themen
    Duration
    07:57
    Composer
    Leopold Godowsky
    Performer
    Anatole Kitain
  43. 26 The Tale of Tsar Saltan, Op. 57: The Flight of the Bumble-Bee (arr. J. Strimer for piano) 01:01
    Track
    26
    Title
    The Tale of Tsar Saltan, Op. 57: The Flight of the Bumble-Bee (arr. J. Strimer for piano)
    Duration
    01:01
    Composer
    Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov
    Performer
    Anatole Kitain