The Polish Virtuoso

Josef Hofmann (Composer), Moritz Moszkowski (Composer), Ignaz Friedman (Composer), Ignace Jan Paderewski (Composer), Josef Hofmann (Performer), Ignaz Friedman (Performer), Ignace Jan Paderewski (Performer) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Performer: Josef Hofmann, Ignaz Friedman, Ignace Jan Paderewski
• Composer: Josef Hofmann, Moritz Moszkowski, Ignaz Friedman, Ignace Jan Paderewski
• Audio CD (January 15, 1996)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Nimbus Records
• ASIN: B0000037LB
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #170,402 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
  • #68 in Music > Classical > Opera & Vocal > Vocal Non-Opera > Caprices

Track Listings

1. Impressions No.3: The Sanctuary - Josef Hofmann

2. Fant Ste, Op.52, No.4: La Jongleuse - Josef Hofmann

3. Morceau Caracteristique, Op.36, No.6: Etincelles - Josef Hofmann

4. Viennese Waltzes On Themes From Gartner, No.1 - Ignaz Friedman

5. Estampes, Op.22, No.2 & No.4 - Ignaz Friedman

6. Viennese Waltzes On Themes From Gartner, No.2 - Ignaz Friedman

7. Minuet, Op.14, No.1 - Ignaz Jan Paderewski

8. Caprice, Op.14, No.3 - Ignaz Jan Paderewski

9. Chants Du Voyager, Op.8, No.3: Melodie - Ignaz Jan Paderewski

10. Cracovienne Fant, Op.14, No.6 - Ignaz Jan Paderewski

11. Nocturne, Op.16, No.4 - Ignaz Jan Paderewski

12. Legende, Op.16, No.1 - Ignaz Jan Paderewski

13. Viennese Waltzes On Themes From Gartner, No.3 - Ignaz Friedman

14. Elle Danse, Op.10, No.5 - Ignaz Friedman

15. Serenata, Op.15, No.1 - Ignaz Friedman

16. Viennese Waltzes On Themes From Gartner, No.4 - Ignaz Friedman

17. Kaleidoscope, Op.40, No.4 - Josef Hofmann

18. Guitarra, Op.45, No.2 - Josef Hofmann

19. Caprice Espagnol, Op.37 - Josef Hofmann

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Historical Document Not to be Missed, June 11, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: The Polish Virtuoso (Audio CD)

This CD contains the piano roll performances of Josef Hofmann, Ignaz Friedman and Ignace Jan Paderewski. At the time of the recording, they were in their prime, these performances giving some indication of how they sounded at the height of their powers. On the CD, you hear some of these Golden Age pianists' war horses, Hofmann's jongleuse, Friedman's Viennese Waltzes, and of course, Paderewski's Minuet. Buy this CD to hear these amazing pianists play as you never could before. The sound quality is good, you might never be able to tell that it is indeed a piano roll performance.

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Oh that these could be recorded live!!, January 16, 2004

By 

Avid Reader (Franklin, Tn) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Polish Virtuoso (Audio CD)

The only national group that threatened the Russians supremacy in piano viruosity was the Polish one. For a nation that did not even exist during the lives of many of some of these great men, this is an achievement of the first order. This recording is reminiscent of the preserved Second and Third Concertos by Sergei Rachmaninoff. The genius is immediately evident but nothing can match the quality and tone of a modern studio recording.

What is remarkable about this CD and its artists - Friedman, Paderewski, Moszkowski and the unforgettable Josef Hoffman - is that they are also the composers of the compositions presented here. These are not of the Chopin/Scriabin/Godowsky realm but they are terrific show pieces for the display of an almost unworldly technique. Moszkowski's Etincelles was long a favorite of Vladimir Horowitz and the Minuet by Paderewski has another popular and is occasionaly heard in the concert hall.