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In the Forum: Musical Discussions
In the Thread: More Gieseking!
Post Subject: Many shadows of Gieseking…Posted by Romy the Cat on: 6/30/2008

Well, Jerry, I can pitch you some CDs. They would be from US resellers but I am sure you can found your local UK equivalent. Be advised that I have none of the Gieseking’s CD only LPs, so I have no idea how good sound transfer was made to CD.  Generally you shell found in UK more Gieseking possibilities as in US he was a victim of Nazi Witch Hunt that US practice afar WWII  and for a long time Gieseking was in US media as a Persona non Grata

I would stick with EMI pressings and would get the Gieseking Debussy. His Debussy is mandatory in my view.

http://www.amazon.com/Walter-Gieseking-Performs-Debussy-Claude/dp/B0001HAHCI/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1214823807&sr=1-1

http://www.amazon.com/Walter-Gieseking-plays-Debussy-Claude/dp/B000003LL3/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1214823881&sr=1-3

Gieseking’s Revel is phenomenal. BTW, if I am not mistaken Gieseking was French-born, but Germany-leaving…

http://www.amazon.com/Ravel-Complete-Works-Solo-Piano/dp/B00005ONOX/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1214823932&sr=1-6

One recording I feel is also a huge “must”: Gieseking’s Rachmaninoff Third.

http://www.amazon.com/Gieseking-Late-Romantics-Claude-Debussy/dp/B00005RTH8/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1214824222&sr=1-4

This recording never was available on CD and this it the only that I have found. Ths recording is with my beloved John Barbirolli and New York Philharmonic with Rachmaninoff in presence, where Rachmaninoff admitted to Gieseking that also it was different then he originally intended but if he himself would play the concerto nowadays (it was 1939 I believe) then he would play it exactly how Gieseking did it. Do not we put off by many dirty mistakes that Gieseking does – they are irrelevant. Gieseking stress the idea of visualized play here he practiced very little but rather practiced in his mind believing that if he has a clear consciousness how to play then his fingers would render his intentions. Sometimes if did amazingly good and sometimes it was less glorious. For instance a couple months before or after plying the Rachmaninoff Third with NY and Barbirolli Gieseking took the same Concerto with Concertgebouw and Willem Mengelberg. The Gieseking/Mengelberg’s Rach 3 is absolutely the most revolting performance of the prices that I ever heard – do not buy it under any circumstances.

http://www.amazon.com/Rachmaninov-Piano-Concertos-2-3/dp/B00008DVCV/ref=sr_1_11?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1214824135&sr=1-11

The Cat

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