The
Intellectual Virtuoso
Ferruccio Busoni (1866-1924) has earned an undisputed place among the greatest pianists of his time, perhaps of all time, both for his titanic technique and his unapologetic rejection of Late Romantic performance practices. His playing, his teaching and his writings continue to shape how and what we pianists play today. Busoni is still remembered as well for his innovative approach to J.S. Bach scholarship through his work as editor, and especially for his ever-popular transcriptions of Bach’s organ works.
Svetlana Belsky continues to celebrate his pianistic and pedagogical legacy through her writing, teaching, performances and lectures.
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Published: Jan 2010
University of Rochester Press
Series: Eastman Studies in Music
Busoni as Pianist
Grigory Kogan's book Busoni as Pianist (published in Russian in 1964, and here translated for the first time) was and remains the first and only study to concentrate exclusively on Busoni's contributions to the world of the piano.Busoni as Pianist summarizes reviews of Busoni's playing and his own writings on the subject. It also closely analyzes the surviving piano roles and recordings, and examines Busoni's editions, arrangements, and pedagogical output. As such, it will be of interest to pianists, teachers and students of the piano, historians, and all who love piano music and the art of piano playing. Read more
Busoni’s original compositions, were celebrated and reviled in equal measure tduring his lifetime. In the era of great artistic and historical upheaval, between Late Romanticism and modernity, Busoni forged his own unique and fascinating musical language, from the Brahmsian works of his youth and the Faustian masterpieces of his maturity. The works offered on this album trace some of this journey of transformation, from the quiet revolution of the Elegies (published in 1908) to the tortured darkness of the Second Sonatina (1912) to the transcendent pianism of the Variations on a Chopin Prelude (1922 in their final version).
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Program Notes
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Ravello Records
Release Date: February 8th, 2019
Catalog #: RR8007
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So much of what we think of today as standard Baroque performance practice -- from terraced dynamics, metricized ornaments, and clear articulation -- is the result of Ferruccio Busoni's editions, performances and teaching. In addition, his transcriptions of Bach's organ and violin works helped create the loving and reverent attitude toward Bach's music and bring his legacy to new generations of pianists and music lovers. This talk explores Ferruccio Busoni's transcriptions (comparing them to those of Schumann, Raff and Brahms and historical editions, as well as showcases Busoni's contributions to our understanding of Bach's polyphony, expressive devices, meter, articulation, and so much more.
Ferruccio Busoni was one of the greatest pianists of his day, and justly renowned for his magnificent piano transcriptions. This album highlights his masterpieces taken from the organ, violin and opera repertoire.
