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APR

The Complete 1940s Studio Recordings / Wilhelm Backhaus

$18.99

Details

Composer
BACH BEETHOVEN MOZART
Artist
Backhaus, Zaun
Format
CD
Label
APR
Released
Nov 20, 2020
Catalog #
APR5637
UPC
5024709156375

About

German pianist, Wilhelm Backhaus (1884–1969) left a 60-year recorded legacy which began in 1908, but a major turning point came in 1950 when he switched allegiance from HMV to Decca. His last HMV recordings, included in this set, are amongst his least known and it appears that those from his final HMV sessions in Zürich in 1948 are reissued here for the first time. Backhaus had settled in Switzerland in the 1930s and although he continued to perform in Germany during the war, he only made one commercial recording, for HMV’s German affiliate Electrola. This recording, of Mozart’s ‘Coronation’ concerto, came about because of celebrations to mark the composer’s 150th anniversary and the result is particularly ebullient. Backhaus plays his own cadenzas and ornaments profusely in the slow movement, something very unusual in Mozart performance of the time. This exceptionally well-filled disc also includes full documentation explaining for the first time why Backhaus became disenchanted with HMV and left them for Decca.

Tracklist 16 tracks

  1. 1 I. Allegro 13:39
    Track
    1
    Title
    I. Allegro
    Duration
    13:39
    Composer
    Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
    Performer
    Wilhelm Backhaus
    Ensemble
    Staatskapelle Berlin
    Conductor
    Fritz Zaun
  2. 2 II. Larghetto 06:28
    Track
    2
    Title
    II. Larghetto
    Duration
    06:28
    Composer
    Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
    Performer
    Wilhelm Backhaus
    Ensemble
    Staatskapelle Berlin
    Conductor
    Fritz Zaun
  3. 3 III. Allegretto 10:26
    Track
    3
    Title
    III. Allegretto
    Duration
    10:26
    Composer
    Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
    Performer
    Wilhelm Backhaus
    Ensemble
    Staatskapelle Berlin
    Conductor
    Fritz Zaun
  4. 4 I. [Allegro] 03:48
    Track
    4
    Title
    I. [Allegro]
    Duration
    03:48
    Composer
    Johann Sebastian Bach
    Performer
    Wilhelm Backhaus
  5. 5 II. Andante 04:35
    Track
    5
    Title
    II. Andante
    Duration
    04:35
    Composer
    Johann Sebastian Bach
    Performer
    Wilhelm Backhaus
  6. 6 III. Presto 03:27
    Track
    6
    Title
    III. Presto
    Duration
    03:27
    Composer
    Johann Sebastian Bach
    Performer
    Wilhelm Backhaus
  7. 7 Prelude No. 21 in B-Flat Major, BWV 890 02:32
    Track
    7
    Title
    Prelude No. 21 in B-Flat Major, BWV 890
    Duration
    02:32
    Composer
    Johann Sebastian Bach
    Performer
    Wilhelm Backhaus
  8. 8 Fugue No. 21 in B-Flat Major, BWV 890 01:43
    Track
    8
    Title
    Fugue No. 21 in B-Flat Major, BWV 890
    Duration
    01:43
    Composer
    Johann Sebastian Bach
    Performer
    Wilhelm Backhaus
  9. 9 I. Theme and Variations: Andante grazioso 06:51
    Track
    9
    Title
    I. Theme and Variations: Andante grazioso
    Duration
    06:51
    Composer
    Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
    Performer
    Wilhelm Backhaus
  10. 10 II. Menuetto 04:16
    Track
    10
    Title
    II. Menuetto
    Duration
    04:16
    Composer
    Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
    Performer
    Wilhelm Backhaus
  11. 11 III. Alla turca: Allegretto 03:16
    Track
    11
    Title
    III. Alla turca: Allegretto
    Duration
    03:16
    Composer
    Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
    Performer
    Wilhelm Backhaus
  12. 12 I. Allegro 06:11
    Track
    12
    Title
    I. Allegro
    Duration
    06:11
    Composer
    Ludwig van Beethoven
    Performer
    Wilhelm Backhaus
  13. 13 II. Scherzo: Allegretto vivace 03:44
    Track
    13
    Title
    II. Scherzo: Allegretto vivace
    Duration
    03:44
    Composer
    Ludwig van Beethoven
    Performer
    Wilhelm Backhaus
  14. 14 III. Menuetto: Moderato e grazioso - Trio 04:01
    Track
    14
    Title
    III. Menuetto: Moderato e grazioso - Trio
    Duration
    04:01
    Composer
    Ludwig van Beethoven
    Performer
    Wilhelm Backhaus
  15. 15 IV. Presto con fuoco 03:50
    Track
    15
    Title
    IV. Presto con fuoco
    Duration
    03:50
    Composer
    Ludwig van Beethoven
    Performer
    Wilhelm Backhaus
  16. 16 4 Impromptus, Op. 90, D. 899: No. 2 in E-Flat Major 03:57
    Track
    16
    Title
    4 Impromptus, Op. 90, D. 899: No. 2 in E-Flat Major
    Duration
    03:57
    Composer
    Franz Schubert
    Performer
    Wilhelm Backhaus