Gottschalk: Piano Music [Import]

Louis Moreau Gottschalk (Composer), Philip Martin (Performer) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Performer: Philip Martin
• Composer: Louis Moreau Gottschalk
• Audio CD (November 18, 1993)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Import
• Label: Hyperion UK
• ASIN: B000002ZOO
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #190,344 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
  • #79 in Music > Classical > Opera & Vocal > Vocal Non-Opera > Caprices

Track Listings

1. Le Banjo, Grotesque fantasie

2. Le Mancenillier, Serenade, Op. 11

3. Minuit à Seville, Caprice, Op. 30

4. Romanze

5. Chanson de Gitano

6. Mazurka

7. Souvenir de Porto Rico, march des Gibaros Op. 31

8. Souvenir de la Havane, Grand caprice de concert, Op. 39

9. Danza Op. 33

10. Sixième Ballade Op. 83

11. Columbia, Caprice Americain, Op. 34

12. Les yeux créoles, Danse Cubaine, Op. 37

13. Le Bananier Chanson negre, Op. 5

14. Union, Paraphrase de concert, Op. 48

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Dance Rhythm Misssing, December 23, 2004

By 

Jhon "jon-2x" (Metro Manila, Philippines) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Gottschalk: Piano Music (Audio CD)

It seems that Martin wasn't able to produce the dance-like figures in Gottschalk music, specifically, the Latin and Creolean rhythm. The "Banjo" is played too slow - it seems that he literally lived by its Moderato tempo. I am much more awed with martin just playing the slow pieces.

But I recommend CECILE LICAD's Naxos Gottschalk recording over this.

4.0 out of 5 stars Forgotten star, July 26, 2011

By 

Sasha "lampic" (at sea...sailing somewhere) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Gottschalk: Piano Music (Audio CD)

Delightful and quite uplifting salon music by today almost completely forgotten US composer born in New Orleans - Louis Moreau Gottschalk was a big star in his day and he left trail of broken hearts behind him as he toured the States and South America. In fact,his fame as celebrated pianist was such equaled his notorious ways with ladies - he loved women and they loved him back - Gottschalk himself complained that young girls who flocked at his concerts distract him and made him hit the wrong notes. He lived during American Civil War and was very,very successful concert performer but alas,sex actually killed him - scandal of seducing a lady from Oakland Female Seminary led to quickly leaving States and touring South America instead,where he got malaria and died at the age of forty. And than he was forgotten.

Before 1970s hardly any of his music could be heard anywhere,such is the nature of the fame that new generations never hear about stars of yesterday. Particularly in the world of classical music its easy to stuck with works of sanctified few but rare are those curious to explore dusty corners,luckily the pianist Philip Martin (backed by always brave label "Hyperion") decided to record the whole serial of collected piano works by Gottschalk and "Gramophone" complimented these recordings,selecting a pretty piece from CD Vol.8 for their the-best-of-the-month issue in 2005. where I noticed how much I enjoy this music. So I bought vol.1 liking it very,very much.

Liner notes are almost apologizing in their statement that Gottschalk was no more than a crowd pleaser and not really a great composer,but I hear in his music very clear and distinctive original sound that comes as a mixture of European discipline and New Orleans dance rhythms. He might learn piano from works of great European composers but from his balcony in New Orleans he could also hear slave dances on Place Congo and this combination of various influences makes his music actually a exotic original long before ragtime and than Jazz came in fashion. Listen carefully and you hear everything from waltz to mazurka and spanish sounds. And here is of course a real hit of its time,"Le Bananier" known as "Chanson Nègre" which is quite unforgettable in its simplicity and charm,true gem.

5.0 out of 5 stars Best Gottschalk I've Heard, March 8, 2010

By 

Stephen Doonan "music, art and linux enthusiast" (Portales, NM United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Gottschalk: Piano Music (Audio CD)

I became fascinated with Louis Moreau Gottschalk and his music when I heard a performance on vinyl record of his Bamboula in the 1960s. In the decades since, Gottschalk's music has slowly been recovered from obscurity, and now there exist quite a few recordings and interpretations of his work. I have Gottschalk performanced by Cecile Licad (I'm not fond of her performances), Amiram Rigai (don't like it much), Michael Lewin (very nice interpretations), Georges Rabol (fine interpretations) and Klaus Kaufmann.

However, this set of 8 disks of music by Louis Moreau Gottschalk by Philip Martin is far and away the best. The recordings and especially Philip Martin's interpretations, pacing, enunciation of the various simultaneous musical elements, his vigor and charm and technical ability, his care with subtlety and nuance and singing slower phrases, are all just great.

I highly recommend this entire set of the piano music of Louis Moreau Gottschalk by Philip Martin.