2CDs
COMPACT DISC 1 (69.17)
OLGA SAMAROFF Victor Company, USA: acoustic recordings, 1921–1924
1. BEETHOVEN/RUBINSTEIN Turkish March from ‘Ruins of Athens’
2. CHOPIN Nocturne in E flat major Op 9/2
3. CHOPIN Ballade No 3 in A flat major Op 47
4. CHOPIN Finale: Presto non tanto from Piano Sonata No 3 in B minor, Op 58
5. MENDELSSOHN Song Without Words ‘Spring Song’ Op 62/6
6. SCHUMANN Aufschwung from Fantasiestücke, Op 12
7. SCHUMANN Romance in F sharp major Op 28/2
8. BRAHMS Intermezzo in E flat major Op 117/1
9. PAGANINI/LISZT La Campanella S141/3
10. LISZT Liebesträume No 3 S541/3
11. LISZT Hungarian Rhapsody in C sharp minor S244/12
12. WAGNER/ERNEST HUTCHESON Ride of the Valkyries
13. GRIEG Nocturne Op 54/4
14. MOSZKOWSKI Étincelles Op 36/6
15. DEBUSSY Clair de lune, Suite bergamasque, No 3
16. JUON Najaden im Quell Op 18/1
COMPACT DISC 2 (78.54)
OLGA SAMAROFF Victor Company, USA: electric recordings, 1930
1. J S BACH/SAMAROFF Fugue in G minor BWV578
2. DEBUSSY La cathédrale engloutie, Préludes Book 1, No 10
3. GRIFFES The White Peacock Op 7/1
4. ERNESTO LECUONA Malagueña from Andalucía
FRANK LA FORGE Victor Company, USA: acoustic recordings, 1907-1913; electrical recordings 1925 (tracks 21 & 22)
5. MACDOWELL Étude de concert in F minor Op 36
6. BEETHOVEN Piano Concerto No 5 ‘Emperor’ Op 73; II. Adagio un poco moto
Victor Orchestra, conductor unknown
7. CHOPIN Nocturne in D flat major Op 27/2
8. Berceuse in D flat major Op 57
9. GRIEG Butterfly Op 43/1
10. Piano Concerto in A minor Op 16; II. Adagio (slightly abridged)
Victor Orchestra, Walter Rogers conductor
11. LISZT Liebesträume No 3 S541/3
12. LISZT Fantasia on Hungarian Folk Themes S123 (vivace only)
Victor Orchestra, conductor unknown
13. GOTTSCHALK Pasquinade ‘Caprice’ Op 59 RO189
14. CHAMINADE La Lisonjera Op 50
15. CHAMINADE Les Sylvains Op 60
16. CHAMINADE Pas des Écharpes
17. CHAMINADE Danse créole Op 94
18. CALIXA LAVALLÉE Le Papillon ‘Étude de Concert’ Op 18
19. LA FORGE Gavotte
20. LA FORGE Souvenir de Vienne
21. LA FORGE Romance
22. LA FORGE Valse de concert
OLGA SAMAROFF (1880–1948) and FRANK LA FORGE (1879–1953) were amongst the earliest pianists to record for the US Victor label, both making most of their discs in the acoustic era before 1925. Though American, both went to Europe to study – Samaroff to the Paris Conservatoire and La Forge to Leschetizky in Vienna.
Samaroff was the greater virtuoso, as can be heard in her famous recording of Wagner’s ‘Ride of the Valkyries’, but after a fall, in 1926 she retired to an equally successful teaching career at the Juilliard School, her pupils including William Kapell, Raymond Lewenthal and Rosalyn Tureck amongst many others.
La Forge gravitated towards accompanying and went on to record hundreds of discs for Victor in that capacity. His discs as soloist include some of the earliest attempts to record concerted works.
APR6044 Available on Compact Disc, as a Digital Download and to Stream