Long recognized as one of this century´s great pianists, Ivan Moravec's performances and recordings alike have prompted critics in search of parallels to call up...

Long recognized as one of this century´s great pianists, Ivan Moravec's performances and recordings alike have prompted critics in search of parallels to call up such names as Gieseking and Richter. Yet his musicianship, while it challenges comparison with these masters, is rivetingly and penetratingly individual in style. Ivan Moravec was born in Prague in 1930 and until the age of 15 his main musical interest was in opera. He later studied piano at the Prague Conservatory and the Prague Academy, performing during his student years in Poland and Hungary. In 1957, pianist Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli heard Mr. Moravec perform in Prague and invited him to Italy for further study. In 1959 he made his London debut.

Ivan Moravec made his American debut in January 1964 with the Cleveland Orchestra and George Szell at Severance Hall; the following month, he made his New York debut at Carnegie Hall. In Europe, Mr. Moravec was welcomed regularly as recitalist and concerto soloist in the major music capitals, including London, Vienna, Amsterdam, Paris, Berlin, Leipzig, Dresden, Munich, Rome, Milan, Moscow and St. Petersburg.

REVIEW:

We reviewed the two discs of Mozart piano concertos a few years back, and called them eloquent and praised their idiomatic style. "No one conveys the spirit and beauty of this music better." The orchestra under Neville Marriner sound great as well as substantial. In fact, in No. 20, for example, I have never heard a better sounding orchestra—not Cleveland and not any of the other English ones. Moravec approaches every phrase as if it's fresh and fascinating. He makes many another recording sound too sophisticated, too routine. There's a lot of decent competition in 23 and 24, but this one belongs in the same top class. I knew Moravec would play all the Chopin pieces beautifully; the 7 here were recorded in a Prague Spring Festival concert, along with the Haydn (which I find oddly boring) and the Janacek (which is gorgeous). The 4th disc was recorded in New York in 2002: all Chopin. Besides the sonata we hear a few mazurkas and the 4th Ballade, the Fantasy, and the Polonaise Fantasy. Nothing sounds contrived; everything just unwinds naturally and seemingly effortlessly. Such relaxed playing is rare, and his tone is beautiful, too.

-- American Record Guide