Witold Malcuzynski – The Polish Master Pianist (8 CD box set, APE)

Performer: Witold Malcuzynski
Audio CD
Number of Discs: 8 CD box set
Format: APE (image+cue)
Label: Warner Classcis
Size: 1.97 GB
Recovery: +3%
Scan: yes

CD 01
Chopin
01. Waltzes – No. 1 in E flat major Op. 18 (‘Grande Valse brillante’)
02. Waltzes – No. 2 in A flat major Op. 34 No. 1 (‘Valse brillante’)
03. Waltzes – No. 3 in A minor Op. 34 No. 2
04. Waltzes – No. 4 in F major Op. 34 No. 3 (‘Valse brillante’)
05. Waltzes – No. 5 in A flat major Op. 42 (‘Grande Valse’)
06. Waltzes – No. 6 in D flat major Op. 64 No. 1
07. Waltzes – No. 7 in C sharp minor Op. 64 No. 2
08. Waltzes – No. 8 in A flat major Op. 64 No. 3
09. Waltzes – No. 9 in A flat major Op. 69 No. 1
10. Waltzes – No. 10 in E minor Op. 69 No. 2
11. Waltzes – No. 11 in G flat major Op. 70 No. 1
12. Waltzes – No. 12 in F minor Op. 70 No. 2
13. Waltzes – No. 13 in D flat major Op 70 No. 3
14. Waltzes – No. 14 in E minor Op. posth
15. Sonata for Piano No. 3 in B minor Op. 58 – I. Allegro maestoso
16. Sonata for Piano No. 3 in B minor Op. 58 – II. Scherzo (molto vivace)
17. Sonata for Piano No. 3 in B minor Op. 58 – III. Largo
18. Sonata for Piano No. 3 in B minor Op. 58 – IV. Finale (presto, ma non tanto)

CD 02
Chopin
01. Mazurkas – B flat, Op. 7/1 (1831)
02. Mazurkas – F minor, Op. 7/3 (1831)
03. Mazurkas – C, Op. 24/2 (1834-35)
04. Mazurkas – B flat minor, Op. 24/4 (1834-35)
05. Mazurkas – D flat, Op. 30/3 (1836-37)
06. Mazurkas – C sharp minor, Op. 30/4 (1836-37)
07. Mazurkas – G sharp minor, Op. 33/1 (1837-38)
08. Mazurkas – D, Op. 33/2 (1837-38)
09. Mazurkas – B minor, Op. 33/4 (1837-38)
10. Mazurkas – E minor, Op. 41/2 (1838-40)
11. Mazurkas – C sharp minor, Op. 50/3 (1842)
12. Mazurkas – C sharp minor, Op. 63/3 (1846)
13. Mazurkas – A minor, Op. 67/4 (1846)
14. Mazurkas – A minor, Op. 68/2 (1827)
15. Mazurkas – F minor, Op. 68/4 (1849)
16. Concerto for Piano and Orchestra No. 2 in F minor Op. 21 – I. Maestoso
17. Concerto for Piano and Orchestra No. 2 in F minor Op. 21 – II. Larghetto
18. Concerto for Piano and Orchestra No. 2 in F minor Op. 21 – III. Allegro vivace

CD 03
Chopin
01. Polonaises pour Piano – No. 1 in C Sharp Minor, Op.26 No. 1
02. Polonaises pour Piano – No. 2 in E Flat Minor, Op.26 No. 2
03. Polonaises pour Piano – No. 3 in A Major, Op.40 No. 1 ‘Military’
04. Polonaises pour Piano – No. 4 in C Minor, Op.40 No. 2
05. Polonaises pour Piano – No. 5 in F Sharp Minor, Op.44
06. Polonaises pour Piano – No. 6 in A Flat Major, Op.53 ‘Heroic’
07. Piano Sonata No. 2 in B minor – I. Grave – Doppio movimento
08. Piano Sonata No. 2 in B minor – II. Scherzo
09. Piano Sonata No. 2 in B minor – III. Marche funèbre: Lento
10. Piano Sonata No. 2 in B minor – IV. Finale: Presto

CD 04
Chopin
01. Scherzo No. 2 in B flat minor Op.31
02. Scherzo No. 3 in C sharp minor Op. 39
03. Nocturne No. 5 in F sharp, Op. 15 No. 2
04. Nocturne No. 13 in C minor Op. 48 No. 1
05. Fantaisie in F minor Op. 49
06. Ballades – No. 1 in G minor Op. 23
07. Ballades – No. 2 in F Op. 38
08. Ballades – No. 3 in A flat Op. 47
09. Ballades – No. 4 in F minor, Op. 52

CD 05
Liszt
01. Piano Concerto No. 2 in A – Adagio sostenuto assai –
02. Piano Concerto No. 2 in A – Allegro agitato assai –
03. Piano Concerto No. 2 in A – Allegro moderato
04. Piano Concerto No. 2 in A – Allegro deciso
05. Piano Concerto No. 2 in A – Marziale un poco meno allegro
06. Piano Concerto No. 2 in A – Allegro animato
07. Piano Sonata in B minor – Lento assai – Allegro energico – Grandioso
08. Piano Sonata in B minor – Allegro energico – Recitativo
09. Piano Sonata in B minor – Andante sostenuto – Quasi adagio
10. Piano Sonata in B minor – Allegro energico (Fugue)
11. Piano Sonata in B minor – (Recapitulation) – Più mosso – Stretta quasi presto
12. Piano Sonata in B minor – (Coda) Presto – Prestissimo – Andante sostenuto – Allegro moderato – Lento assai
13. Piano Sonata in B minor – Rapsodie espagnole in G minor

CD 06
Tchaikovsky
01. Piano Concerto No. 1 in B flat minor Op. 23 – I. Allegro non troppo e molto maestoso – Allegro con spirito
02. Piano Concerto No. 1 in B flat minor Op. 23 – II. Andantino semplice – Prestissimo – Tempo I
03. Piano Concerto No. 1 in B flat minor Op. 23 – III. Allegro con fuoco

Rachmaninov
04. Piano Concerto No. 3 in D minor – I. Allegro ma non tanto
05. Piano Concerto No. 3 in D minor – II. Intermezzo (Adagio)
06. Piano Concerto No. 3 in D minor – III. Finale (Alla breve)
07. Piano Concerto No. 3 in D minor – Prélude in G Op. 32 No. 5
08. Piano Concerto No. 3 in D minor – Prélude in G sharp minor Op. 32 No, 12

CD 07
Brahms
01. Piano Concerto No. 1 in D minor Op. 15 – I. Maestoso
02. Piano Concerto No. 1 in D minor Op. 15 – II. Adagio
03. Piano Concerto No. 1 in D minor Op. 15 – III. Rondo (Allegro non troppo)
04. Variations and Fugue on a Theme by Handel Op. 24 – Aria
05. Variations and Fugue on a Theme by Handel Op. 24 – Variation 1
06. Variations and Fugue on a Theme by Handel Op. 24 – Variation 2
07. Variations and Fugue on a Theme by Handel Op. 24 – Variation 3
08. Variations and Fugue on a Theme by Handel Op. 24 – Variation 4
09. Variations and Fugue on a Theme by Handel Op. 24 – Variation 5
10. Variations and Fugue on a Theme by Handel Op. 24 – Variation 6
11. Variations and Fugue on a Theme by Handel Op. 24 – Variation 7
12. Variations and Fugue on a Theme by Handel Op. 24 – Variation 8
13. Variations and Fugue on a Theme by Handel Op. 24 – Variation 9
14. Variations and Fugue on a Theme by Handel Op. 24 – Variation 10
15. Variations and Fugue on a Theme by Handel Op. 24 – Variation 11
16. Variations and Fugue on a Theme by Handel Op. 24 – Variation 12
17. Variations and Fugue on a Theme by Handel Op. 24 – Variation 13
18. Variations and Fugue on a Theme by Handel Op. 24 – Variation 14
19. Variations and Fugue on a Theme by Handel Op. 24 – Variation 15
20. Variations and Fugue on a Theme by Handel Op. 24 – Variation 16
21. Variations and Fugue on a Theme by Handel Op. 24 – Variation 17
22. Variations and Fugue on a Theme by Handel Op. 24 – Variation 18
23. Variations and Fugue on a Theme by Handel Op. 24 – Variation 19
24. Variations and Fugue on a Theme by Handel Op. 24 – Variation 20
25. Variations and Fugue on a Theme by Handel Op. 24 – Variation 21
26. Variations and Fugue on a Theme by Handel Op. 24 – Variation 22
27. Variations and Fugue on a Theme by Handel Op. 24 – Variation 23
28. Variations and Fugue on a Theme by Handel Op. 24 – Variation 24
29. Variations and Fugue on a Theme by Handel Op. 24 – Variation 25
30. Variations and Fugue on a Theme by Handel Op. 24 – Fugue

CD 08
Bach, Beethoven, Franck, Debussy, Szymanowski, Paderewski, Scriabin, Prokofiev
01. Chromatic Fantasia and Fugue in D minor BWV903 – Fantasia
02. Chromatic Fantasia and Fugue in D minor BWV903 – Fuga
03. Piano Sonata No. 23 in F minor Op. 57 ‘Apassionata’ – I. Allegro assai
04. Piano Sonata No. 23 in F minor Op. 57 ‘Apassionata’ – II. Andante con moto
05. Piano Sonata No. 23 in F minor Op. 57 ‘Apassionata’ – III. Allegro ma non troppo – Presto
06. Prélude, Chorale and Fugue – I. Prélude
07. Prélude, Chorale and Fugue – II. Chorale
08. Prélude, Chorale and Fugue – III. Fugue
09. Prélude, Chorale and Fugue – La Cathédrale engloutie
10. Prélude, Chorale and Fugue – Étude in B flat minor
11. Prélude, Chorale and Fugue – Cracovienne fantastique
12. Prélude, Chorale and Fugue – Étude in C sharp minor Op. 2 No. 1
13. Prélude, Chorale and Fugue – Étude in D sharp minor Op. 8 No. 12
14. Prélude, Chorale and Fugue – March from ‘Love of Three Oranges’

Fine overview of the aristocratic artistry of Witold Małcuźński

This 8-CD set offers an excellent introduction and overview of a sadly neglected pianist, Witold Małcužński.

Małcužński had an aristocratic approach to the piano, especially in the works of Chopin, where his plummy left hand does wonders in adding shape and sonority to the music. His Angel recording of the Waltzes (CD 1) was one of the earliest piano recordings in my collection back in high school, and it holds up extremely well in this transfer, which sounds heads above my old Angel blue label LP. This set treats us to four very-full CDs of Chopin, as well as concerti by Liszt, Tchaikovsky, Rachmaninoff and Brahms. Every one of the CDs in this set should inspire repeat hearings.

Recommended.

The perfect collection

I am very pleased with my purchase. I think I underestimated the beauty of the instrument as I had not been listening to much of it for some time. But the piano is still a beautiful instrument and Malcuzynski has reinforced that. I bought this collection especially for the Mazurkas But I was also fascinated by the waltzes.This is a fabulous collection for anyone who revels in the peaceful beauty of soft piano music. If of course one wants to get symphonic the collection also caters for you. It is a perfect collection for those of us who are a little older and who are accustomed to the piano providing its own source of entertainment

Witold Malcuzynski is a great pianist and Master Musician.

Before I write a rewiev, I would like to say few words about Witold Malcuzynski because he is virtually unknown to the younger generation of Amazon.COM customers.Witold Malcuzynski (1914-1977) was a distinguished Polish pianist who specialized in the works of Frederic Chopin(1810-1849).His playing was marked by passion and poetry. He began playing piano at the age of 5, starting regular lessons four years later.He studied at the Warsaw Conservatory under the guidance of Profesor Jozef Turczynski . In 1936 he received an invitation to study under
Margaurite Long and Isidor Phillipin France. He won the third prize at the Third Chopin Piano Competition in 1937 . He was also introduced by Turczynski to Ignacy Jan Paderewski, who spoke very highly about his talent and gave him valuable instruction. The present anthology in the Icon Series was recorded by EMI between 1949-1963 . Despite half of it beeing recorded in mono, the whole Collection is in excellent Sound. The Chopin Sonatas, Polonaises, Mazurkas and Ballades are among the Best recordings available in their Genre. They are equall in artistic
Value and Sound To the Best recordings of Rubinstein, Horowitz, Arrau and of any other great Pianist you can Name.His Recording of Brahms Piano Concerto is very dramatic, while his Liszt and Tchaikovsky performances shown him as a great romantic pianist. He is also very successful In the performance of the Third Piano Concerto of
Rachmaninov conducted by Paul Kletzki. It is impossible to believe that he was neglected and forgotten for such a long time, but that happened also to other once famous pianists like Brailowsky and Uninsky. We should be thankful to EMI that they finally decided to restore the excellent recordings of Witold Malcuzynski to American musical public,and Amazon.COM customers.Very Highly. Recommended.