Notes and Editorial Reviews
Born 5 November 1895 in Lyon, Gieseking's parents were Germans living in France at the time. Although having taken up the piano at the age of four he did not begin formal studies until the age of 11, when he went to Hanover to be taught by Karl Leimer. He served as a regimental bandsman in World War I and, after demobilisation, took up music as a career as accompanist and opera coach. As a recitalist he included much new music in his programmes, advocating the works of Schoenberg, Busoni, Szymanowski, Hindemith and Pfitzner. Gieseking's first London concert took place in 1923 with some success and his US début followed in 1926 with a performance of Hindemith's Piano Concerto.
Gieseking spent the years of World War II
Read more
in Germany and also occasionally performed in German-occupied France. After the war he stood accused of being a Nazi-collaborator but was soon cleared of any pro-Nazi activities and continued his career as an international soloist.
Gieseking was in the process of recording all the Beethoven sonatas at EMI's Abbey Road Studios when he died during the night of 26 October 1956.
Although Gieseking's repertoire was extremely wide, taking in the works of many of his contemporaries, today he is remembered as an unsurpassed interpreter of the music of Mozart, Beethoven, Debussy and Ravel, and it is the music of these composers that is mainly featured in this 8-CD set.
Read less
Works on This Recording
1.
Sonata for Piano no 11 in A major, K 331 (300i) by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Performer:
Walter Gieseking (Piano)
Period: Classical
Written: 1781-1783; Vienna, Austria
Date of Recording: 08/1953
2.
Sonata for Piano no 12 in F major, K 332 (300k) by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Performer:
Walter Gieseking (Piano)
Period: Classical
Written: 1781-1783; Vienna, Austria
Date of Recording: 08/1953
3.
Variations (12) for Piano in E flat major on "La belle françoise", K 353 (300f) by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Performer:
Walter Gieseking (Piano)
Period: Classical
Written: 1781-1782; Vienna, Austria
Date of Recording: 08/1953
4.
Variations (9) for Piano in C major on "Lison dormait", K 264 (315d) by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Performer:
Walter Gieseking (Piano)
Period: Classical
Written: 1778; Paris, France
Date of Recording: 08/1953
5.
Sonata for Piano no 13 in B flat major, K 333 (315c) by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Performer:
Walter Gieseking (Piano)
Period: Classical
Written: 1783-1784; Linz, Austria
Date of Recording: 08/1953
6.
Concerto for Piano no 23 in A major, K 488 by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Performer:
Walter Gieseking (Piano)
Conductor:
Herbert von Karajan
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Philharmonia Orchestra
Period: Classical
Written: 1786; Vienna, Austria
Date of Recording: 06/1951
7.
Concerto for Piano no 23 in A major, K 488 by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Performer:
Walter Gieseking (Piano)
Conductor:
Herbert von Karajan
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Philharmonia Orchestra
Period: Classical
Written: 1786; Vienna, Austria
Date of Recording: 08/1953
8.
Quintet for Piano and Winds in E flat major, K 452 by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Performer:
Walter Gieseking (Piano),
Dennis Brain (French Horn),
Cecil James (Bassoon),
Sidney Sutcliffe (Oboe),
Bernard Walton (Clarinet)
Period: Classical
Written: 1784; Vienna, Austria
Date of Recording: 04/1955
9.
Sonata for Piano no 8 in C minor, Op. 13 "Pathétique" by Ludwig van Beethoven
Performer:
Walter Gieseking (Piano)
Period: Classical
Written: 1797-1798; Vienna, Austria
Date of Recording: 10/1956
10.
Sonata for Piano no 9 in E major, Op. 14 no 1 by Ludwig van Beethoven
Performer:
Walter Gieseking (Piano)
Period: Classical
Written: 1798; Vienna, Austria
Date of Recording: 10/1956
11.
Sonata for Piano no 10 in G major, Op. 14 no 2 by Ludwig van Beethoven
Performer:
Walter Gieseking (Piano)
Period: Classical
Written: 1799; Vienna, Austria
Date of Recording: 10/1956
12.
Sonata for Piano no 13 in E flat major, Op. 27 no 1 "Quasi una fantasia" by Ludwig van Beethoven
Performer:
Walter Gieseking (Piano)
Period: Classical
Written: 1800-1801; Vienna, Austria
Date of Recording: 10/1956
13.
Sonata for Piano no 14 in C sharp minor, Op. 27 no 2 "Moonlight" by Ludwig van Beethoven
Performer:
Walter Gieseking (Piano)
Period: Classical
Written: 1801; Vienna, Austria
Date of Recording: 10/1956
14.
Concerto for Piano no 4 in G major, Op. 58 by Ludwig van Beethoven
Performer:
Walter Gieseking (Piano)
Conductor:
Herbert von Karajan
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Philharmonia Orchestra
Period: Classical
Written: 1806; Vienna, Austria
Date of Recording: 06/1951
15.
Concerto for Piano no 5 in E flat major, Op. 73 "Emperor" by Ludwig van Beethoven
Performer:
Walter Gieseking (Piano)
Conductor:
Herbert von Karajan
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Philharmonia Orchestra
Period: Classical
Written: 1809; Vienna, Austria
Date of Recording: 06/1951
16.
Concerto for Piano in A minor, Op. 54 by Robert Schumann
Performer:
Walter Gieseking (Piano)
Conductor:
Herbert von Karajan
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Philharmonia Orchestra
Period: Romantic
Written: 1841-1845; Germany
Date of Recording: 08/1953
17.
Symphonic Variations for Piano and Orchestra, M 46 by César Franck
Performer:
Walter Gieseking (Piano)
Conductor:
Herbert von Karajan
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Philharmonia Orchestra
Period: Romantic
Written: 1885; France
Date of Recording: 06/1951
18.
Concerto for Piano in A minor, Op. 16 by Edvard Grieg
Performer:
Walter Gieseking (Piano)
Conductor:
Herbert von Karajan
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Philharmonia Orchestra
Period: Romantic
Written: 1868/1907; Norway
Date of Recording: 06/1951
19.
Préludes, Book 1 by Claude Debussy
Performer:
Walter Gieseking (Piano)
Period: 20th Century
Written: 1909-1910; France
Date of Recording: 08/1953
20.
Préludes, Book 2 by Claude Debussy
Performer:
Walter Gieseking (Piano)
Period: 20th Century
Written: 1912-1913; France
Date of Recording: 12/1954
21.
Suite bergamasque by Claude Debussy
Performer:
Walter Gieseking (Piano)
Period: 20th Century
Written: 1890/1905; France
Date of Recording: 08/1953
22.
Danse bohémienne by Claude Debussy
Performer:
Walter Gieseking (Piano)
Period: 20th Century
Written: 1880; France
Date of Recording: 08/1953
23.
Rêverie by Claude Debussy
Performer:
Walter Gieseking (Piano)
Period: 20th Century
Written: 1890; France
Date of Recording: 08/1953
24.
Mazurka for Piano by Claude Debussy
Performer:
Walter Gieseking (Piano)
Period: 20th Century
Written: circa 1890; France
Date of Recording: 08/1953
25.
Valse romantique by Claude Debussy
Performer:
Walter Gieseking (Piano)
Period: 20th Century
Written: 1890; France
Date of Recording: 08/1953
26.
Arabesques (2) for Piano by Claude Debussy
Performer:
Walter Gieseking (Piano)
Period: 20th Century
Written: 1888-1891; France
Date of Recording: 08/1953
27.
Nocturne for Piano in D flat major by Claude Debussy
Performer:
Walter Gieseking (Piano)
Period: 20th Century
Written: 1892; France
Date of Recording: 08/1953
28.
Tarentelle styrienne "Danse" by Claude Debussy
Performer:
Walter Gieseking (Piano)
Period: 20th Century
Written: circa 1890; France
Date of Recording: 08/1953
29.
Ballade slave by Claude Debussy
Performer:
Walter Gieseking (Piano)
Period: 20th Century
Written: 1890/1903; France
Date of Recording: 08/1953
30.
Fantaisie for Piano and Orchestra by Claude Debussy
Performer:
Walter Gieseking (Piano)
Conductor:
Kurt Schröder
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Hessian Radio Orchestra Frankfurt
Period: 20th Century
Written: 1889-1890; France
Date of Recording: 10/1951
31.
Gaspard de la nuit by Maurice Ravel
Performer:
Walter Gieseking (Piano)
Period: 20th Century
Written: 1908; France
Date of Recording: 12/1954
32.
Menuet sur le nom d'Haydn by Maurice Ravel
Performer:
Walter Gieseking (Piano)
Period: 20th Century
Written: 1909; France
Date of Recording: 12/1954
33.
Valses nobles et sentimentales by Maurice Ravel
Performer:
Walter Gieseking (Piano)
Period: 20th Century
Written: 1911; France
Date of Recording: 12/1954
34.
Prélude for Piano in A minor by Maurice Ravel
Performer:
Walter Gieseking (Piano)
Period: 20th Century
Written: 1913; France
Date of Recording: 12/1954
35.
A la manière de Borodine by Maurice Ravel
Performer:
Walter Gieseking (Piano)
Period: 20th Century
Written: 1913; France
Date of Recording: 12/1954
36.
A la manière de Chabrier by Maurice Ravel
Performer:
Walter Gieseking (Piano)
Period: 20th Century
Written: 1913; France
Date of Recording: 12/1954
37.
Le tombeau de Couperin by Maurice Ravel
Performer:
Walter Gieseking (Piano)
Period: 20th Century
Written: 1914-1917; orch. 191; France
Date of Recording: 12/1954
Sound Samples
Sonata for Keyboard No. 11 in A K331/K300i (1990 Digital Remaster): I. Tema con variazoni
Sonata for Keyboard No. 11 in A K331/K300i (1990 Digital Remaster): II. Menuetto
Sonata for Keyboard No. 11 in A K331/K300i (1990 Digital Remaster): III. Rondo alla turca
Sonata for Keyboard No. 12 in F K332/K300k (1990 Digital Remaster): Allegro
Sonata for Keyboard No. 12 in F K332/K300k (1990 Digital Remaster): Adagio
Sonata for Keyboard No. 12 in F K332/K300k (1990 Digital Remaster): Allegro assai
12 Variations in E flat on 'La belle Françoise' K353/K300f (1990 Digital Remaster)
9 Variations on 'Lison dormait' from Dezède's 'Julie' K264/315d (1990 Digital Remaster)
Sonata for Keyboard No. 13 in B flat K333/315c (1990 Digital Remaster): Allegro
Sonata for Keyboard No. 13 in B flat K333/315c (1990 Digital Remaster): Andante cantabile
Sonata for Keyboard No. 13 in B flat K333/315c (1990 Digital Remaster): Allegretto grazioso
Piano Concerto No. 23 in A K488 (1990 Digital Remaster): I. Allegro - Cadenza (Gieseking) - Tempo I
Piano Concerto No. 23 in A K488 (1990 Digital Remaster): II. Adagio
Piano Concerto No. 23 in A K488 (1990 Digital Remaster): III. Allegro assai
Piano Concerto No. 24 in C minor K491 (1990 Digital Remaster): I. Allegro - Cadenza (Hummel) - Tempo I
Piano Concerto No. 24 in C minor K491 (1990 Digital Remaster): II. Larghetto
Piano Concerto No. 24 in C minor K491 (1990 Digital Remaster): III. Allegretto
Quintet for Piano and Wind in E flat K452 (1990 Digital Remaster): I. Largo - Allegro moderato
Quintet for Piano and Wind in E flat K452 (1990 Digital Remaster): II. Larghetto
Quintet for Piano and Wind in E flat K452 (1990 Digital Remaster): III. Rondo (Allegro)
Customer Reviews
Be the first to review this title
Review This Title
