The recordings presented here were made directly in the auditorium during Ernst Levy recitals, using an Ampex professional recorder and a high quality condenser microphone. The recordings were undertaken by several dedicated and enthusiastic MIT students who today might be referred to as Ernst Levy groupies. Magnetic tape recording was quite a novelty then, and these students were justifiably proud of their efforts. Sadly, the original tapes have apparently vanished but we were able to gain access to 7 and 1/2 ips half-track copies that were made by Stephen Fassett, a Boston recording engineer and close friend of the pianist. These tapes contain occasional dropouts, which though noticeable, are not so severe as to mar these electrifying performances. From a technical standpoint, the worst of the recordings is the three pieces from Brahms op. 118. For some reason, the pitch begins to flutter midway through the A Major Intermezzo and becomes even more prominent during the G Minor Ballade. Levy did perform all six pieces during that concert but the flutter is intolerable during numbers 4 and 5, and the tape runs out during the final minute of number six. Perhaps this flaw only appears in our copy but we shall never know unless the original tape surfaces.

In addition to what is presented here, tapes exist of Beethoven Sonatas op. 101, 106, 109, 110, and 111. There are also concert recordings of Liszt’s B Minor Sonata and Bénédiction de Dieu. If there is sufficient interest, we will issue these in the coming years.