Leopold Godowsky
Born: February 13, 1870; Soshly, Lithuania
Died: November 21, 1938; New York, NY
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Leopold Godowsky was one of the most astonishing piano virtuosos of all time and a composer of remarkably difficult polyphonic music. His father was a physician who contracted cholera tending patients during an epidemic, dying when his son was only 18 months old. Godowsky and his mother were taken in by friends, who soon realized the toddler was exceptionally musical. He played violin and piano longer from an age earlier than he could remember,
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Works
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Adagietto from "L'Arlésienne" for Piano [after Bizet] (1)
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Airs (7) of the Eighteenth Century, for piano (1)
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Airs of the Eighteenth Century: Capricious Shepherd Maid (1)
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Airs of the Eighteenth Century: Exaudet's Minuet (1)
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Airs of the Eighteenth Century: Good Old Granny (1)
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Airs of the Eighteenth Century: Lisette (1)
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Airs of the Eighteenth Century: Mother please explain (1)
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Airs of the Eighteenth Century: Oh, come again, beautiful Spring (1)
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Airs of the Eighteenth Century: Would that I were the lowly fern (1)
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Am Meer (By The Sea), transcribed for piano (after Schubert) (1)
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An Mignon (To Mignon), transcription for piano (after Schubert) (1)
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Ancient Dances (1)
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Andante for Piano in C major (1)
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Arabesque, Op. 16, no 2 (1)
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Au Jardin des Fleurs, for piano (Twilight Thoughts No. 3) (1)
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Bach Cello Suite Transcriptions (3) for Piano: no 2 in D Minor, BWV 1008 (1)
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Bach Cello Suite Transcriptions (3) for Piano: no 3 in C Major, BWV 1009 (1)
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Bach Cello Suite Transcriptions (3) for Piano: no 5 in C Minor, BWV 1011 (1)
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Barcarolle Valse, Op. 16, no 4 (2)
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Das Wandern (Wandering), transcription for piano (after Schubert) (1)
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Die Forelle (The Trout), transcription for piano (after Schubert) (1)
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Elégie for Piano left hand (1)
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Elegie in E minor/major (Two Gigues, Book I, No. 5) Andante catabile molto expressivo e legato, for (1)
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Elegy for piano (1)
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Fantasies (24) for Piano "Walzermasken" (1)
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Fantasies (24) for Piano "Walzermasken": no 14, Französisch (1)
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Fantasies (24) for Piano "Walzermasken": no 2, Pastell (1)
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Fantasies (24) for Piano "Walzermasken": no 22, Wienerisch (1)
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Fantasies (24) for Piano "Walzermasken": no 24, Portrait Johann Strauss (1)
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Grand Sonata for Piano in E minor (2)
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Grande valse romantique (1)
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Heidenröslein (Hedge Rose), transcription for piano (after Schubert) (1)
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Humoresque for piano four hands (1)
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Impressions (12) for Piano: no 11, Wienerisch (4)
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Impressions (12) for Piano: no 3, Perpetuum mobile (1)
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Impressions (12) for Piano: no 5, Valse (1)
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Impressions (12) for Piano: no 8, Larghetto lamentoso (1)
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Impromptu for piano four hands ("In Days of Yore") (1)
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Impromptu for piano in E flat minor (1)
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Java Suite (1)
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Java Suite: 3 Dances (1)
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Java Suite: Boro Budur in Moonlight (2)
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Java Suite: Bromo Volcano and the Sand Sea at Daybreak (1)
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Java Suite: Chattering Monkeys at the Sacred Lake of Wendit (3)
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Java Suite: Court Pageant in Solo (1)
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Java Suite: Gamelan (2)
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Java Suite: Gardens of Buitenzorg (6)
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Java Suite: Hari Besaar (1)
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Java Suite: In the Kraton (1)
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Java Suite: In the Ruined Water Castle at Djokla (2)
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Java Suite: In the streets of Old Batavia (2)
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Java Suite: Phonoramas, Tonal Journeys for piano (1)
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Java Suite: Wayang Purwa (2)
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Le Cygne (The Swan) (2)
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Mélodie méditative (1)
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Menuet for Piano no 1 in E major (1)
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Menuet in A minor/major (Book I, No. 3) Allegretto grazioso for piano (after Rameau) (1)
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Menuet in E flat major (Book II, No. 7) Moderato e tranquillo for piano (after Schobert) (1)
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Menuet No. 1 in E minor, for piano (1)
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Military March for piano four hands (1)
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Miniatures (46) for Piano 4 hands: Arabian Chant (2)
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Miniatures (46) for Piano 4 hands: Humoresque (1)
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Miniatures (46) for Piano 4 hands: Processional March (2)
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Miniatures (46) for Piano 4 hands: Rigaudon (1)
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Miniatures (46) for Piano 4 hands: The Miller's Song (2)
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Miscellaneous I (1)
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Miscellaneous II (1)
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Miscellaneous III (1)
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Modern Dances (1)
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Musette en Rondeau in E major (Book III, No. 14) Moderato for piano (after Rameau) (1)
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Night Tangier (1)
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Nocturne for piano four hands (1)
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Paraphrase de Concert on Chopin's "Waltz in E flat major, Op. 18" (2)
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Paraphrase of Albeniz' "Triana" (2)
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Passacaglia, Variations (44), cadenza and Fugue on the opening of Schubert's "Unfinished" Symphony (8)
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Pastorale (Angelus) in G major (Book II, No. 8) Larghetto for piano (after Corelli) (1)
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Piano Sonata in E minor: 4. Allegretto grazioso e dolce (1)
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Piano Sonata No. 3 in A minor (after Bach's BWV 1003): 3. Aria: Andante - Molto espressivo e cantabi (1)
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Pieces (3) for Piano after Rameau: no 2, Elegie (1)
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Pieces (3) for Piano after Rameau: Tambourin in E minor (1)
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Pieces (3) for Piano, Op. 12: no 1, Sarabande (1)
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Pieces (3) for Piano, Op. 12: no 2, Menuet (2)
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Pieces (3) for Piano, Op. 12: no 3, Courante (1)
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Pieces (3) for Piano, Op. 14: no 1, Ein Dämmerungsbild (2)
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Pieces (3) for Piano, Op. 14: no 2, Valse-Idylle (1)
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Pieces (3) for Piano, Op. 14: no 3, Scherzino (1)
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Pieces (3) for Piano, Op. 15: no 1, Mélodie méditatíve (2)
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Pieces (3) for Piano, Op. 15: no 3, Capriccio (1)
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Plaintive Melody, for piano four hands (1)
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Poems (4) for Piano : no 1, Devotion (2)
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Poems (4) for Piano : no 2, Avowal (2)
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Poems (4) for Piano : no 3, Adoration (1)
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Poems (4) for Piano : no 4, Yearning (1)
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Polonaise for Piano in C major (1)
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Prelude and Fugue on B-A-C-H for left hand (1)
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Renaissance (1)
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Renaissance: no 1, Sarabande in E major (Rameau) (1)
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Renaissance: no 10, Courante in E minor (Lully) (1)
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Renaissance: no 11, Capriccio in E major"Le Caquet" (Dandrieu) (2)
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Renaissance: no 12, Gigue in E major (Loeillet) (5)
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Renaissance: no 13, Sarabande in A minor (Rameau) (1)
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Renaissance: no 14, Musette en Rondeau in E major (Rameau) (1)
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Renaissance: no 15, Gavotte in A minor (Rameau) (1)
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Renaissance: no 19, Concert-Allegro in A major (Scarlatti) (2)
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Renaissance: no 2, Rigaudon in E major (Rameau) (1)
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Renaissance: no 3, Minuet in A minor (Rameau) (1)
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Renaissance: no 4, Minuet in G minor (Rameau) (1)
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Renaissance: no 5, Elegie in E minor (Rameau) (2)
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Renaissance: no 6, Tambourin in E minor (Rameau) (3)
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Renaissance: no 7, Minuet in E flat major (Schobert) (1)
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Renaissance: no 8, Pastorale in G (Corelli) (2)
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Renaissance: no 9, Sarabande in E minor (Lully) (1)
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Rondino on a theme by Beethoven for Piano [after Kreisler] (1)
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Sarabande in E major (Book I, No. 1) Largo, ma non troppo for piano (after Rameau) (1)
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Sarabande in E minor (Book II, No. 9) for piano (after Lully) (1)
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Schubert Song Transcriptions (12) for Piano (3)
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Schubert Song Transcriptions (12) for Piano: Das Wandern (1)
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Schubert Song Transcriptions (12) for Piano: Gute Nacht (3)
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Schubert Song Transcriptions (12) for Piano: Litanei (1)
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Schubert Song Transcriptions (12) for Piano: Morgengruss (6)
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Schubert Song Transcriptions (12) for Piano: Ungeduld (2)
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Sérénade for piano (Twilight Thoughts No. 6) (1)
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Standchen for piano (after Richard Strauss) (1)
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Stille wie die Nacht for Piano [after Böhm] (1)
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Studies (53) on Chopin Etudes (2)
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Studies (53) on Chopin Etudes: Excerpt(s) (1)
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Studies (53) on Chopin Etudes: no 1 in C major (after Op. 10 no 1) "Diatonic" (3)
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Studies (53) on Chopin Etudes: no 10 in A major (after Op. 10 no 5) "Capriccio" (2)
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Studies (53) on Chopin Etudes: no 11 in G flat major (after Op. 10 no 5) (2)
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Studies (53) on Chopin Etudes: no 12 in G flat major (after Op. 10 no 5) "Right Hand" (4)
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Studies (53) on Chopin Etudes: no 12a in Gb (after Op. 10 no 5) "Left Hand" (2)
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Studies (53) on Chopin Etudes: no 13 in E flat major (after Op. 10 no 6) "Left Hand" (5)
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Studies (53) on Chopin Etudes: no 14 in C major (after Op. 10 no 7) (2)
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Studies (53) on Chopin Etudes: no 15 in G flat major (after Op. 10 no 7) (3)
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Studies (53) on Chopin Etudes: no 15a in Eb (after Op. 10 no 7) "Left Hand" (2)
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Studies (53) on Chopin Etudes: no 16 in F major (after Op. 10 no 8) (1)
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Studies (53) on Chopin Etudes: no 16a in Gb (after Op. 10 no 8) "Left Hand" (2)
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Studies (53) on Chopin Etudes: no 17 in C sharp minor (after Op. 10 no 9) (1)
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Studies (53) on Chopin Etudes: no 18 in F minor (after Op. 10 no 9) (2)
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Studies (53) on Chopin Etudes: no 18a in F sharp minor (after Op. 10 no 9) "Left Hand" (2)
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Studies (53) on Chopin Etudes: no 19 in D major (after Op. 10 no 10) (1)
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Studies (53) on Chopin Etudes: no 2 in D flat major (after Op. 10 no 1) "Left Hand" (2)
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Studies (53) on Chopin Etudes: no 20 in A flat major (after Op. 10 no 10) "Left Hand" (2)
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Studies (53) on Chopin Etudes: no 21 (2)
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Studies (53) on Chopin Etudes: no 22 in C sharp minor (after Op. 10 no 12) "Left Hand" (5)
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Studies (53) on Chopin Etudes: no 23 "Left Hand" (2)
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Studies (53) on Chopin Etudes: no 24 (1)
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Studies (53) on Chopin Etudes: no 25 in A flat major (after Op. 25 no 1) (5)
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Studies (53) on Chopin Etudes: no 26 (1)
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Studies (53) on Chopin Etudes: no 27 in F minor (after Op. 25 no 2) "Waltz" (2)
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Studies (53) on Chopin Etudes: no 28 (2)
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Studies (53) on Chopin Etudes: no 28a in F sharp minor (2)
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Studies (53) on Chopin Etudes: no 29 (1)
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Studies (53) on Chopin Etudes: no 3 in A minor (after Op. 10 no 2) "Left Hand" (3)
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Studies (53) on Chopin Etudes: no 30 (2)
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Studies (53) on Chopin Etudes: no 31 (after Op. 25 no 4) (2)
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Studies (53) on Chopin Etudes: no 32 in F minor (after Op. 25 no 4) "Polonaise" (1)
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Studies (53) on Chopin Etudes: no 33 (1)
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Studies (53) on Chopin Etudes: no 34 in C sharp minor (after Op. 25 no 5) "In the Form of a Mazurka" (5)
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Studies (53) on Chopin Etudes: no 35 (2)
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Studies (53) on Chopin Etudes: no 36 in G sharp minor (after Op. 25 no 6) "Study in Thirds" (3)
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Studies (53) on Chopin Etudes: no 38 in D flat major (after Op. 25 no 8) "Study in Sixths" (2)
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Studies (53) on Chopin Etudes: no 39 (2)
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Studies (53) on Chopin Etudes: no 4 in A minor (after Op. 10 no 2) "Ignis fatuus" (4)
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Studies (53) on Chopin Etudes: no 40 (2)
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Studies (53) on Chopin Etudes: no 41 "Left Hand" (2)
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Studies (53) on Chopin Etudes: no 42 in A minor (after Op. 25 no 11) (2)
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Studies (53) on Chopin Etudes: no 43 "Left Hand" (2)
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Studies (53) on Chopin Etudes: no 44 (2)
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Studies (53) on Chopin Etudes: no 45 in E major (after Nouvelle étude no 2) (4)
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Studies (53) on Chopin Etudes: no 45a (2)
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Studies (53) on Chopin Etudes: no 46 in G major (after Nouvelle étude no 3) "Menuetto" (1)
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Studies (53) on Chopin Etudes: no 47 in G flat major (after Op. 10 no 5) "Badinage" (7)
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Studies (53) on Chopin Etudes: no 48 in F major (after Op. 10 no 11 and Op. 25 no 3) (4)
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Studies (53) on Chopin Etudes: no 5 in D flat major (after Op. 10 no 3) "Left Hand" (4)
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Studies (53) on Chopin Etudes: no 6 in C sharp minor (after Op. 10 no 4) "Left Hand" (4)
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Studies (53) on Chopin Etudes: no 7 in G flat major (after Op. 10 no 5) (3)
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Studies (53) on Chopin Etudes: no 8 in C major (after Op. 10 no 5) (5)
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Studies (53) on Chopin Etudes: no 9 in A minor (after Op. 10 no 5) "Tarantella" (5)
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Suite for Piano: Au jardin des fleurs (1)
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Suite for Piano: Sérénade (1)
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Suite for Piano: Twilight Thoughts (1)
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Suite No. 1 for piano four hands (1)
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Suites (3) for Piano 4 hands (1)
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Symphonic metamorphoses of themes from "Schatz-Walzer" (3)
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Symphonic Metamorphoses on Johann Strauss's waltz "Künstlerleben" (1)
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Symphonic metamorphosis of Johann Strauss's "Wein, Weib und Gesang" Waltzes (4)
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Symphonic metamorphosis of themes from "Die Fledermaus" (11)
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Symphonic metamorphosis of themes from Johann Strauss's "Kunstlerleben" (5)
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Symphonic Metamorphosis of Wine, Women and Song from Johann Strauss Jr. (1)
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Symphonic Metamorphosis on Themes from J. Strauss II's "Die Fledermaus, " for piano (1)
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Tango, contrapuntal arrangement for piano (after Albeniz's Op. 165/2) (2)
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The Gardens of Buitenzorg, for piano (Java Suite, Book 3) (2)
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The Hunter's Call (Woodland Mood), for piano four hands (1)
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Toccata for Piano, Op. 13 (2)
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Transcription of Albeniz's "Tango" (2)
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Transcription of Waltzes by Chopin (1)
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Triakontameron, 30 Moods and Scenes in Triple Measure: No. 1. Nocturnal Tangier (1)
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Triakontameron, 30 Moods and Scenes in Triple Measure: No. 11. Alt-Wien, "Whose yesterdays look back (1)
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Triakontameron, 30 Moods and Scenes in Triple Measure: No. 12. Ethiopian serenade (1)
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Triakontameron, 30 Moods and Scenes in Triple Measure: No. 15. The Temptress (1)
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Triakontameron, 30 Moods and Scenes in Triple Measure: No. 17. An American Idyll (1)
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Triakontameron, 30 Moods and Scenes in Triple Measure: No. 18. Anachronisms (1)
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Triakontameron, 30 Moods and Scenes in Triple Measure: No. 19. A Little Tango Rag (1)
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Triakontameron, 30 Moods and Scenes in Triple Measure: No. 2. Sylvan Tyrol (1)
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Triakontameron, 30 Moods and Scenes in Triple Measure: No. 21. The Salon (1)
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Triakontameron, 30 Moods and Scenes in Triple Measure: No. 23. The Music-Box (1)
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Triakontameron, 30 Moods and Scenes in Triple Measure: No. 24. Lullaby (1)
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Triakontameron, 30 Moods and Scenes in Triple Measure: No. 25. Memories (1)
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Triakontameron, 30 Moods and Scenes in Triple Measure: No. 26. The Cuckoo clock (1)
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Triakontameron, 30 Moods and Scenes in Triple Measure: No. 27. Lament (1)
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Triakontameron, 30 Moods and Scenes in Triple Measure: No. 3. Paradoxial Mood (1)
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Triakontameron, 30 Moods and Scenes in Triple Measure: No. 6. The Pleading Troubador (1)
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Triakontameron, 30 Moods and Scenes in Triple Measure: No. 7. Yesteryear... (1)
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Triakontameron, 30 Moods and Scenes in Triple Measure: No. 8. A Watteau Paysage (1)
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Triakontameron, 30 Moods and Scenes in Triple Measure: No. 9. Enchanted Glen (1)
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Triakontameron: Night in Tanger (2)
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Triakontameron: no 11, Alt Wien (25)
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Triakontameron: no 13, Terpsichorean Vindobona (1)
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Triakontameron: no 14, Whitecaps (1)
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Triakontameron: no 15, The Temptress (1)
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Triakontameron: no 21, Salon (1)
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Triakontameron: no 21, The Salon (1)
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Triakontameron: no 25, Erinnerungen (3)
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Triakontameron: no 4, Rendezvous (1)
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Triakontameron: no 8, A Watteau Paysage (1)
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Triakontameron: Spieldose (1)
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Valse scherzo (1)
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Waltz for piano in D flat major (after Chopin's Op. 64/1) (2)
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Waltz Poem for Piano left hand no 4 (1)
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Waltz Poem no 4 (1)
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Waltz Poems (2) for Piano : no 1 in G major (1)
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Waltz Poems (2) for Piano : no 2 in A major (1)
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Waltz Poems (2), for piano (1)
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Walzermasken, 24 fantasies for piano (1)
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Walzermasken: no 7, Profil "Chopin" (1)
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Walzermasken: Orientale: Andante cantabile (1)
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Walzermasken: Wienerisch: Allegretto grazioso (1)
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Wiegenlied (Cradle Song), transcription for piano (after Schubert) (1)
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Biography |
by Joseph Stevenson
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Leopold Godowsky was one of the most astonishing piano virtuosos of all time and a composer of remarkably difficult polyphonic music. His father was a physician who contracted cholera tending patients during an epidemic, dying when his son was only 18 months old. Godowsky and his mother were taken in by friends, who soon realized the toddler was exceptionally musical. He played violin and piano longer from an age earlier than he could remember, but he was told he played before he was two. He said he had no teacher that he could remember, certainly none past the age of four. He composed a minuet when he was five, with the middle section being a strict canon, "This is noteworthy," he said, "because up to that time I had never heard a canon." It was good enough that he was able to use it in a fully mature composition 23 years later.
Leopold's adoptive father, Louis Passinock, promoted his fame as a Wunderkind. To forestall his exploitation, a banker named Feinberg offered to finance his study at the Hochschule für Musik in Berlin. Leopold studied under Ernst Rudorff, but could only take three months of regimentation. He, his mother, and his "uncle" Passinock went to New York where he began to concertize at the age of thirteen. They booked him onto a tour of the West that eventually went bust, stranding the boy, who worked his way back to New York.
Again, a wealthy arts patron sought to "rescue" him. Leon Saxe arranged for him to go to Europe to study with the virtuoso Franz Liszt. By the time Leopold's ship reached Europe, Liszt was dead. But Camille Saint-Saëns, who had lost his children, became a mentor, mostly discussing interpretation and other esthetic manners. Godowsky had some success in Europe, but not enough to satisfy him, and returned to America.
There he had a career as a respected piano teacher in New York, Philadelphia, and Chicago. He developed the modern approach to piano playing, emphasizing economy of motion and release of weight (rather than direct muscle power) as the basis for playing. He began to arrange other composers' music, including a set of 53 exceptional etudes on Chopin's etudes, as well as other music. While teaching in Chicago, he gained a strong local reputation by giving recitals. An eight-recital set in 1897 and 1898 surveyed the history of nineteenth century piano literature.
Soon his fame spread, and he had triumphal performances in the U.S. and Europe. His December 6, 1900, concert at Beethoven Hall in Berlin was a triumph where he was acclaimed one of the greatest living pianists. Soon, he was the highest-paid solo instrumentalist in the world. He continued to write original piano music and his free adaptations of other music. In 1909, he became director of the Piano School of the Imperial Academy of Music in Vienna, the first Jew to take this post.
He was visiting Belgium for vacation in 1914 when the Germans invaded. He escaped to England and returned to the United States, where he made his home for the rest of his life. He moved his residence frequently and traveled widely, giving concerts in Mexico, South America, Yokohama, and Asia. His trip to Java inspired him to try to capture the sound of the gamelan orchestra in his suite Phonoramas. He lost much of his fortune in the 1929 stock market crash, then the next year had a severe stroke that ended his public career. He declined into depression and further illness before his death. |
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