Alexander Brailowsky ∙ Live Concert Performances In Europe ∙ 2CD

Name: Alexander Brailowsky ∙ Live Concert Performances in Europe
SKU: MC 1078
Price: 13.99 EUR
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13.99 €

Since the early 1920s, Alexander Brailowsky embarked on extensive tours throughout Europe, thereby establishing his reputation among the prominent musicians of his era. Subsequently, he furthered his influence in South America and North America in 1924, achieving overwhelming success. At the onset of the Second World War, Brailowsky embarked on a concert tour in South America, as planned concerts in Europe became untenable due to the conflict, significantly limiting his performances to primarily South and North America until the war’s conclusion in 1945. From January 1946 onward, he resumed regular performances in Europe and seamlessly continued his earlier successes. Starting from the mid-1950s, he and his wife savored idyllic summers in Etoy, a picturesque Swiss hamlet nestled amid the hills between Geneva and Lausanne. During their seasonal residence, he frequently performed at major festivals and concert halls across Europe. Our double CD album offers live performances from his European engagements, where he presented his core repertoire featuring concertos by Chopin, Schumann, Tchaikovsky, and Rachmaninoff. Like several other pianists of his generation, his live recordings offer a fresher and more inspired perspective on his divine artistry compared to his commercial studio recordings.

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Track List
Reviews

ALEXANDER BRAILOWSKY Live Concert Performances in Europe

CD 1

TCHAIKOVSKY: Piano Concerto No 1 in B-flat Minor, Op 23
Alexander Brailowsky ∙ piano
Stockholms Konsertföreningens orkester
Carl Garaguly ∙ conductor
Recorded · 19 September 1951 · Stockholm · Konserthus · Sveriges Radio · Live Recording

CHOPIN: Piano Concerto No 1 in E Minor, Op 11
Alexander Brailowsky ∙ piano
Orchestre de Radio-Luxembourg
Louis de Froment ∙ conductor
Recorded · 04 April 1962 · Luxembourg · Auditorium Villa Louvigny · RTL · Live Recording

CD 2

RACHMANINOFF: Piano Concerto No 2 in C Minor, Op 18
Alexander Brailowsky ∙ piano
Philadelphia Orchestra
Eugene Ormandy ∙ conductor
Recorded · 30 June 1958 · Munich · Kongreßsaal Deutsches Museum · BR · Live Recording

SCHUMANN: Piano Concerto in A Minor, Op 54
Alexander Brailowsky ∙ piano
Orchestre de Radio-Luxembourg
Louis de Froment ∙ conductor
Recorded · 04 April 1962 · Luxembourg · Auditorium Villa Louvigny · RTL · Live Recording

LISZT: Totentanz, HS 216
Alexander Brailowsky ∙ piano
Orchestre National de la RTF
André Cluytens ∙ conductor
Recorded · 16 October 1958 · Paris · Théâtre des Champs-Elysées · RTF · Live Recording

Article number: MC 1078
UPC barcode: 791154051108
Release date: 1 May 2024
Booklet: 12 Pages
Total timing: 67:04 CD1 ∙ 75:14 CD2
From the Original Masters ∙ © 2024 Meloclassic

September 2024 ∙ MusicWeb International ∙ Rob Challinor ∙ Alexander Brailowsky ∙ Live Concert Performances in Europe
The sets opens with a Tschaikowsky B flat minor concerto from 1951 that is actually staggering. The concerto is the very model of a romantic piano concerto, packed to the gills with drama, big tunes and exhilarating pianism and all are present here in abundance. Carl Garaguly and his Swedish players absolutely do their bit but Brailowsky is very much centre stage with pin-point fingerwork, utterly dazzling virtuosity and an overwhelming presence. Horowitz’s is the closest comparison I can imagine, Brailowsky sharing his rifle shot octaves and precision. The excellent booklet by Ulrich Karla gives a balanced view of his career and whilst he details the highlights and triumphs he acknowledges that Brailowsky wasn’t a pianist for everyone.
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December 2024 ∙ British Gramophone ∙ Rob Cowan ∙ Alexander Brailowsky ∙ Live Concert Performances in Europe
Turn to Melo Classic’s set of ‘Live Concert Performances in Europe’ and you understand the origins of Brailowsky’s high reputation. OK, Liszt’s Totentanz might occasionally fall off track, but the performance nonetheless generates levels of excitement that few others even approach. Likewise
Tchaikovsky’s B flat minor Concerto fires off machine-gun octaves and the finale of Rachmaninov’s Second Concerto alternates great breadth (the opening) with lightning speed (the finale’s fugato), while also claiming a level of eloquence (especially in the slow movement) that at times recalls
Moiseiwitsch, even Rachmaninov himself. The transfers are first-rate throughout. Strongly recommended. View here