Claudio Arrau:

The Early Years (The Complete Pre-War Recordings)

COMPLETE TRACK LISTING
LINER NOTES

The name Claudio Arrau (1903-1991) is familiar to all piano devotees. His legendary career, marked by extraordinary performances, accolades and recordings, spanned eight decades. And yet, the pre-war recordings of Arrau exhibit a completely different artistry than those he later made. Arrau's later work, the stereo LP recordings, reveal the seasoned, polished and philosophical master. The early recordings, with much repertoire never played later in his career, demonstrate a young artist taking risks, being spontaneous and displaying great virtuosity. The result is pianism with fire, vitality and drama.

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Track Listing
CD 1 (75:14)
 
English Vocalion 1921
Chopin:
1. Waltz in F, op. 34, no. 3 3:02
(02105) R-6010
Schubert:
2. Moment Musical in F Minor, op. 94, no. 3 2:34
(02106) R-6010
 
German Gramophone (Polydor) 1928
Paganini-Liszt Etudes:
3. No. 2 in E-flat, "Octave" 4:22
(946 bm) 95110
4. No. 5 in E, "La Chasse" 2:35
(947 bm) 95110
5. No. 1 in G Minor, "Tremolo" 4:13
(949 bm) 95111
6. No. 6 in A Minor, "Thema con Variazioni" 4:22
(951 bm) 95111
Liszt:
7. "Au bord d'une source"
from Années de pèlerinage, Book 1		 4:03
(952 bm) 95112
Balakirev:
8. Islamey 7:47
(953 bm/954 bm), 95113
Liszt:
9. Concert Etude No. 2 in F Minor, "La leggierezza" 4:23
(955 bm) 95112
Stravinsky:
10. "Danse russe" from Petrushka 2:39
(1455 bk) 90025
Busoni:
11. Elegie No. 5, "Die Nächtlichen" 2:37
(1456 bk) 90025
 
HMV Electrola 1927-1929
Busoni:
12. Sonatina No. 6
(Chamber Fantasy on "Carmen")		 7:03
24 November 1927; (CWR 1374) EH 162
27 February 1928; (CL 3915) EH 162
Chopin:
13. Waltz in F, op. 34, no. 3 2:14
27 February 1928; (BL 3909) EG 833
Schubert-Liszt:
14. Hark, Hark, the Lark! 2:51
27 February 1928; (BL 3910) EG 833
Chopin:
15. Etude in F Minor, op. 10, no. 9 2:07
27 February 1928; (CL 3912) EH 386
16. Etude in C-sharp Minor, op. 10, no. 4 1:51
27 February 1928; (CL 3912) EH 386
Liszt:
17. Valse mélancolique 5:32
27 February 1928; (BL 3913/BL 3914) EG 836
Chopin:
18. Etude in F Minor, op. 25, no. 2 1:28
23 January 1929; (BLR 4938) EG 1500
19. Etude in C-sharp Minor, op. 10, no. 4 1:55
23 January 1929; (BLR 4938) EG 1500
20. Prelude in F, op. 28, no. 23 :52
23 January 1929; (BLR 4939) EG 1500
21. Etude in A-flat, op. 25, no. 1 2:26
23 January 1929; (BLR 4939) EG 1500
22. Etude in E, op. 10, no. 3 4:18
23 January 1929; (CLR 4942) EH 386
 
CD 2 (69:18)
 
Odeon 1928
Liszt:
1. "Les jeux d'eaux à la Villa d'Este"
from Années de pèlerinage, Book 3		 7:00
15 November 1928; (XXB 8225/XXB 8226) E 10821
 
Telefunken 1933
Liszt:
2. Rhapsodie espagnole [abridged] 9:27
4 September 1933; (019250-1/019251) E 1629
 
Parlophone 1938-39
Chopin:
3. Tarantelle in A-flat, op. 43 2:46
1938; (BE 7626) R 2588
4. Etude in F, op. 10, no. 8 2:18
1938; (BE 7627) R 2588
Schuman:
Carnaval, op. 9
5. [I] Préambule 2:04
6. [II] Pierrot :59
7. [III] Arlequin :35
8. [IV] Valse noble 1:06
3 April 1939; (XE 9725) R 20448
9. [V] Eusebius 2:04
10. [VI] Florestan :51
11. [VII] Coquette :57
12. [VIII] Réplique :52
3 April 1939; (XE 9726) R 10448
13. [IX] Papillons :40
14. [X] A.S.C.H.--S.C.H.A ("Lettres dansantes") :46
15. [XI] Chiarina :45
16. [XII] Chopin 1:25
17. [XIII] Estrella :32
4 April 1939; (XE 9727) R 20449
18. [XIV] Reconnaissance 1:49
19. [XV] Pantalon et Columbine :52
20. [XVI] Valse allemande :31
21. [XVII] Paganini 1:03
4 April 1939; (XE 9728) R 20449
22. [XVIII] Aveu 1:00
23. [XIX] Promenade 2:11
24. [XX] Pause :18
3 April 1939; (XE 9729) R 20450
25. [XXI] Marche des "Davidsbündler" contre les Philistins 3:32
4 April 1939; (XE 9730) R 20450
Debussy:
26. Danse 4:54
4 April 1939; (XE 9735-1) R 20476
27. Jardins sous la pluie, no. 3 from "Estampes" 3:35
4 April 1939; (XE 9736-1) R 20476
Chopin:
28. Ballade No. 3 in A-flat, op. 47 6:45
4 April 1939; (XE 9737-1/XE 9738-1) R 20443
29. Scherzo No. 3 in C-sharp Minor, op. 39 7:28
4 April 1939; (XE 9739/XE9740) R 20469

Photographs: Roger Gross, The International Piano Archives at Maryland, Charles Minzter, and Friede Rothe

Producer: Ward Marston

Audio Conservation: Ward Marston

Booklet Design: Takeshi Takahashi

Marston would like to thank Gregor Benko, Raymond Edwards, Michael Gray, Ruth Edge, Marcos Klorman, The International Piano Archives at Maryland, Donald Manildi and Jon Samuels for their help in the production of this CD release,