Many years ago the late Charles Rosen chose this recording when he was invited as guest artist on a BBC listener's request programme. Rosen knew a thing or two about playing Bach, and Liszt, and regarded Solomon's playing of this piece as without equal.
I have great admiration for this pianist and didn't know this existed. A wonderful find. His Hammerklavier remains unsurpassed. About this transcription, it is interesting that so many male pianists treat it with such sensitivity whereas female pianists like Youra Guller and Maria Yudina treat with so much virility.
Solomon's virtuosity is undemonstrative by its very nature, faithful to whatever he played. Among things that are unique about Solomon is that he was in control of his virtuosity -- not, as often is the case with lesser spirits, other way around.
Spectral analysis of the two versions also shows that the pianopera version (this one) has much less in the upper frequencies, including the overtones that appear when the sustaining pedal is used. On the mightysmeagol version there is quite a lot of sound between 12kHz and a cut-off at 18kHz. Much of this is 78rpm hiss, but quite a lot of it is the upper resonances of Solomon's piano. The pianopera version is more or less free of hiss, but fades away above 12kHz.
This recording was taken from the Pearl CD. On a producer's note, they explain that they used the original HMV 78s (C 3376). I researched the date, and maybe there is a typo in the booklet of Pearl, indeed it should be 1943.
According to Bryan Crimp's biography, this performance was recorded onto 78rpm matrices on 2nd December, 1943. There would have been no tapes. Thus, when it was transferred to LP many years later (for reissue in Germany) this would have involved playing the 78rpm discs and taping the result. This would have introduced two layers of analogue distortion, in addition to any distortion arising from playback of that LP. The clearer version sounds like a direct digitisation from 78rpm disc.
That is interesting. It follows that the points about the transfer to LP are irrelevant. On the other hand, the difference in spectrum is very large, so there must be a subsequent digital transfer from 78s (the one used by mightysmeagol) that took a different approach to the problem of hiss and upper resonances. In any case, it is always a great pleasure to dip into your archives!
@Pianopera- What happened to the Grainger performance that used to be available on YT? I believe you posted it. Might there be any chance you may repost it? I am playing this piece again after a 15 year 'break' from it and i always adored that performance. :)
Hey ! I really love the sound of this piano ! I don't know why, it seems to be slightly out of tune, and I really enjoy this effect. But does someone know what produce this particular sonority : is it the piano itself, or is it the tuning ?
Neither the piano nor the tuning. It is almost certainly an artefact of the 78 rpm recording direct to disk and the playback needed to make a digital transfer. Slight instabilities of speed multiply into all kinds of vibrato (or whine). The effect is a little less marked in the transfer of this recording posted by mightysmeagol, where the piano sound is also a bit more transparent.
Digitally transferring an LP to a disc leads to all non-digitizable information lost. No one has solved this problem yet. When you refer to the sound of mightysmeagol upload as being a bit more transparent, you refer to just that - mightysmeagol transfer is digitized. The result is a sound that is mechanically clearer than one of the original LP and poorer in every other respect. Solomon's non-digitizable performance had a non-digitizable impact on the piano sound which is lost as well,
Solomons artistry and immaculate pianism really shines through here. He gauges the accumulative drama of the fugue perfectly.
Listen to Eileen joyce playing this.its as light as a feather.
Many years ago the late Charles Rosen chose this recording when he was invited as guest artist on a BBC listener's request programme. Rosen knew a thing or two about playing Bach, and Liszt, and regarded Solomon's playing of this piece as without equal.
A fantastic performance. Solomon's clarity really stands out in this.
I have great admiration for this pianist and didn't know this existed. A wonderful find. His Hammerklavier remains unsurpassed. About this transcription, it is interesting that so many male pianists treat it with such sensitivity whereas female pianists like Youra Guller and Maria Yudina treat with so much virility.
Unmistakably, in both versions. The differences are immaterial. The truth shines through.
Solomon's clean, undemonstrative virtuosity seems faithful to the spirits of both Bach and Liszt - a remarkable achievement.
Solomon's virtuosity is undemonstrative by its very nature, faithful to whatever he played. Among things that are unique about Solomon is that he was in control of his virtuosity -- not, as often is the case with lesser spirits, other way around.
Spectral analysis of the two versions also shows that the pianopera version (this one) has much less in the upper frequencies, including the overtones that appear when the sustaining pedal is used. On the mightysmeagol version there is quite a lot of sound between 12kHz and a cut-off at 18kHz. Much of this is 78rpm hiss, but quite a lot of it is the upper resonances of Solomon's piano. The pianopera version is more or less free of hiss, but fades away above 12kHz.
Really a diamond.
Thank you so much.
Thank you for posting this treasure.
Danke ❤
Awesome playing. TY Erwin for posting.
This recording was taken from the Pearl CD. On a producer's note, they explain that they used the original HMV 78s (C 3376). I researched the date, and maybe there is a typo in the booklet of Pearl, indeed it should be 1943.
He was a very great pianist...a magnificent performance!
@@JamesVaughan At that time he and Myra Hess were the top two British pianists.
have always integrity. Solomon is the great master.
According to Bryan Crimp's biography, this performance was recorded onto 78rpm matrices on 2nd December, 1943. There would have been no tapes. Thus, when it was transferred to LP many years later (for reissue in Germany) this would have involved playing the 78rpm discs and taping the result. This would have introduced two layers of analogue distortion, in addition to any distortion arising from playback of that LP. The clearer version sounds like a direct digitisation from 78rpm disc.
That is interesting. It follows that the points about the transfer to LP are irrelevant. On the other hand, the difference in spectrum is very large, so there must be a subsequent digital transfer from 78s (the one used by mightysmeagol) that took a different approach to the problem of hiss and upper resonances. In any case, it is always a great pleasure to dip into your archives!
You're always very welcome!
Impressive ! thanks !
great
@Pianopera- What happened to the Grainger performance that used to be available on YT? I believe you posted it. Might there be any chance you may repost it? I am playing this piece again after a 15 year 'break' from it and i always adored that performance. :)
Hey ! I really love the sound of this piano ! I don't know why, it seems to be slightly out of tune, and I really enjoy this effect. But does someone know what produce this particular sonority : is it the piano itself, or is it the tuning ?
Fugue: 3:44
Neither the piano nor the tuning. It is almost certainly an artefact of the 78 rpm recording direct to disk and the playback needed to make a digital transfer. Slight instabilities of speed multiply into all kinds of vibrato (or whine). The effect is a little less marked in the transfer of this recording posted by mightysmeagol, where the piano sound is also a bit more transparent.
tempo bien trop lent !
It's Solomon
3:44
Digitally transferring an LP to a disc leads to all non-digitizable information lost. No one has solved this problem yet. When you refer to the sound of mightysmeagol upload as being a bit more transparent, you refer to just that - mightysmeagol transfer is digitized.
The result is a sound that is mechanically clearer than one of the original LP and poorer in every other respect. Solomon's non-digitizable performance had a non-digitizable impact on the piano sound which is lost as well,
Also a bit more steril
no good although I like Solomon very much