Leopold Godowsky is one of the wonders of music. In a world of child prodigies, Godowsky rose to fame after his debut with the Berlin Philharmonic in 1900, at age 30. He claimed to have had fewer than three months' formal piano studies in his entire life, and yet he left a legacy as a brilliant pianist. His strength was his technique, admired and studied by pianists of all genres.
This collection of transcriptions by Godowsky are as much his compositions: elaborate, playful, fantastical versions written for masters of the keyboard. It highlights his love of Rameau, and his penchant for expanding on themes of the original compositions. For instance, Godowsky's "Tambourin" is more than twice as long as the original, giving him space in which to play and develop further melodies.
Taking up the challenge is Konstantin Scherbakov, lauded by critics for his mastery of Rachmaninov, Strauss, Beethoven and Respighi, among others. His technique honed on a repertoire of forty concertos and an equal number of recital programs, Scherbakov is working with Marco Polo to record all of Godowsky's piano music.