Product Overview
Albert Ferber - Albert Ferber - Decca Recordings 1945-1951 (CD DOUBLE (SLIMLINE CASE)) Born in Lucerne in 1911, Albert Ferber studied with a pupil of Alfred Cortot and often played for Rachmaninov in Switzerland. International critics visiting the 1939 Lucerne Festival were impressed by an exceptional Swiss pianist who also showed in works of Schubert and Schumann some uncommon pianistic gifts . Such sympathy of idiom is readily apparent in Ferber s postwar Decca recordings, made in London. His pedigree in Schumann was unimpeachable: in 1951 he partnered Clara Schumann s pupil Adelina de Lara in a performance of Schumann s Andante and Variations, Op. 46 for two pianos at her Wigmore farewell recital. Around the same time he made this recording of Kinderszenen, which was issued on a 10-inch LP with a selection of Mendelssohn s Songs without Words. Critics tended to focus on Ferber s sensitivity, grace and musical intelligence, and these qualities distinguish the Beethoven and Schubert sonatas on this newly remastered compilation. He recorded them both in May 1946, having begun to record for Decca in December the previous year. Those initial sessions included two short pieces of Mozart which were never issued but have turned up on a test pressing and are included here. Likewise receiving its first publication in any format is Haydn s C major Fantasia, a performance from May 1947. This compilation demands the attention of all pianophiles and is further enhanced by an introduction to Ferber s life and art by the piano-music expert Jonathan Summers. Not another keyboard-racer, but a pianist of outstanding musical quality a very warm-hearted and intimate performance of Beethoven s beautiful sonata Albert Ferber is very successful at catching the changing moods of the music His scale passages are beautifully even and his singing tone is a joy. Gramophone, March 1947 (Beethoven) Tracklisting JOSEPH HAYDN (1732 1809) 1 Fantasia in C major, Hob.XVII:4ð WOLFGANG AMADEUS MOZART (1756 1791) 2 Minuet in D major, KV 355ð 3 Gigue in G major, KV 574ð LUDWIG VAN BEETHOVEN (1770 1827) 4 6 Piano Sonata No. 26 in E flat major, Op. 81a Les Adieux - FRANZ SCHUBERT (1797 1828) 7 Impromptu in F minor, D.935 (Op. 142) No. 1- 8 10 Piano Sonata in A major, D. 664 (Op. 120)- FELIX MENDELSSOHN (1809 1847) Lieder ohne Worte- Songs without Words 11 Book I No. 1 in E major, Op. 19 No. 1 Sweet Remembrance 12 Book VIII No. 3 in C major, Op. 102 No. 3 Children s Piece 13 Book VIII No. 4 in G minor, Op. 102 No. 4 The Sighing Wind 14 Book V No. 3 in E minor, Op. 62 No. 3 Funeral March 15 Book II No. 6 in F sharp minor, Op. 30 No. 6 Venetian Gondola Song 16 Book VI No. 4 in C major, Op. 67 No. 4 Spinning Song ROBERT SCHUMANN (1810 1856) 17 29 Kinderszenen, Op. 15- Albert Ferber, piano -FIRST CD RELEASE ON DECCA ðPREVIOUSLY UNPUBLISHED