Gina Bachauer

[Barbirollians]

Perhaps not entirely PC - Barbirolli called her the glorious Greek.

I have just listened to a terrific Beethoven 4 from the pair of them on A double CD Barbirolli set live with the NYPO in 1962 .

It seems most of the rest of her largely Mercury recordings are deleted but Profil have just released a 4 CD set .

Is she a favourite with other forumites ? I certainly want to hear more of her recordings.

[richardfinegold]

My initial acquaintance with the Emperor Concerto was a budget lp that my sister had. I don’t remember the Conductor and Orchestra. I became reacquainted with her with a few recordings contained in the large Mercury boxes. I remember a Brahms Second with ? Dorati? I remember some Chopin that was somewhat mannered, but perhaps I would like it better now...Pianists of her day were somewhat more individualized than is the norm today.

[Bryn]

Perhaps not entirely PC - Barbirolli called her the glorious Greek.

I have just listened to a terrific Beethoven 4 from the pair of them on A double CD Barbirolli set live with the NYPO in 1962 .

It seems most of the rest of her largely Mercury recordings are deleted but Profil have just released a 4 CD set .

Is she a favourite with other forumites ? I certainly want to hear more of her recordings.

I was surprised to find that Volume 1 of the Mercury Living Presence boxes has gone from the catalogue. Hopefully, it will return with a revised booklet, (the original having has no listing, either on the box or in the booklet). Anyway, it has/had 4 discs featuting Gina Bachauer:

Beethoven: Piano Concertos Nos. 4 and 5
Chopin: Piano Concertos
Brahms: Piano Concerto No. 2
Debussy: Pour le piano, 3 Préludes, Stravinsky: Three Movements from "Petrouchka", and Ravel: Gaspard de la Nuit with recitation of Fry's translation of Bertrand's poems (John Gielgud).

[gradus]

She was the second concert pianist I ever saw and enjoyed a formidable reputation, oddly enough the first was also female and long-since forgotten, Shulamith Shafir.

[Bryn]

Just noticed, the four Mercury 'discs' are available as downloads from QOBUZ, as is the Profil set.

[Dave2002]

I might dig out the CDs from the box, and give them a spin.

I did see her perform once, I believe. Not sure if I ever saw Annie Fischer - perhaps not, nor Moura Lympany - all playing in roughly the same era. As I recall it was not only GB's reputation which was formidable, but the way she played. I'll have to listen to the Brahms 2 in the box - as I find it hard to believe she might be light enough in the last movement, nor serene enough (in moments) in the first, but other parts I'd expect to be imposing. I may be surprised, though.

[cloughie]

I was surprised to find that Volume 1 of the Mercury Living Presence boxes has gone from the catalogue. Hopefully, it will return with a revised booklet, (the original having has no listing, either on the box or in the booklet). Anyway, it has/had 4 discs featuting Gina Bachauer:

Beethoven: Piano Concertos Nos. 4 and 5
Chopin: Piano Concertos
Brahms: Piano Concerto No. 2
Debussy: Pour le piano, 3 Préludes, Stravinsky: Three Movements from "Petrouchka", and Ravel: Gaspard de la Nuit with recitation of Fry's translation of Bertrand's poems (John Gielgud).

There is recording of the Grieg Piano Concerto with RPO and George Weldon - was an HMV Concert Classics LP, but did appear in a CD Piano Concerto compilation on EMI. Her Mercury Brahms 2 also is available in a Reader's Digest 3 CD Brahms set which includes Sym 1 LSO Horenstein and Sym 4 RPO Reiner - of which I have 2 copies from charity shops bought at very favourable prices!

[Conchis]

Her version of Gaspard de la Nuit, with John Gielgud reading Christopher Fry's translations of the poems inbetween the piano tracks, was my first experience of the work. Still one of my favourites.

[Bryn]

Her version of Gaspard de la Nuit, with John Gielgud reading Christopher Fry's translations of the poems inbetween the piano tracks, was my first experience of the work. Still one of my favourites.

The Profil set has a performance sans recitation.

[Barbirollians]

Didn’t get round to finding any more of her recordings and of those that are available many are download only .

I did ,however,recently find for £1 a Royal Classics double Cd set of violin concertos onto which her recording of the Grieg with George Weldon had been added. A very enjoyable , fresh and unsentimental performance.

She was definitely one of Barbirolli’s favourite soloists they performed together 43 times - only Curzon of pianists appeared with him more I think.

[vibratoforever]

As it happens, in the past week I have been searching for her recordings and they are far more scarce than hoped for. The Beethoven PC 4 with Barbirolli in New York in 1962 is superb. Sadly the Brahms PC 2 in his 1959 visit was omitted from the Westhill box set.

I have enjoyed her playing Rachmaninoff, PCs 2, 3 and preludes. A PC3 with Barbirolli in Houston has recently surfaced on Youtube.

[cloughie]

Didn’t get round to finding any more of her recordings and of those that are available many are download only .

I did ,however,recently find for £1 a Royal Classics double Cd set of violin concertos onto which her recording of the Grieg with George Weldon had been added. A very enjoyable , fresh and unsentimental performance.

She was definitely one of Barbirolli’s favourite soloists they performed together 43 times - only Curzon of pianists appeared with him more I think.

No Curzon/Barbirolli recordings either - probably for contractual reasons - Curzon on Decca, Barbirolli on Pye/EMI. Look what we may have missed out on !

The 4CD Profil set is available on offer from Presto at £19.68 but strangely the download is £31.95 - I’ll never undrestand the pricing logic of record companies!

[Barbirollians]

As it happens, in the past week I have been searching for her recordings and they are far more scarce than hoped for. The Beethoven PC 4 with Barbirolli in New York in 1962 is superb. Sadly the Brahms PC 2 in his 1959 visit was omitted from the Westhill box set.

I have enjoyed her playing Rachmaninoff, PCs 2, 3 and preludes. A PC3 with Barbirolli in Houston has recently surfaced on Youtube.

Yes I listened to the first movement of that last night - rather shaky taped off the radio sound but one hell of a performance . It is surprising that Barbirolli seemed to have little time for Rachmaninov judging by the very few times he conducted the symphonies. Both this and the legendary recording with Horowitz shows him wholly inside the music.

That Profil box is on offer with Presto I see.

[Barbirollians]

No Curzon/Barbirolli recordings either - probably for contractual reasons - Curzon on Decca, Barbirolli on Pye/EMI. Look what we may have missed out on !

The 4CD Profil set is available on offer from Presto at £19.68 but strangely the download is £31.95 - I’ll never undrestand the pricing logic of record companies!

There is a live Brahms 2 with Curzon Barbirolli Society label from a Halle anniversary concert. I enjoyed it but I must listen to it again.

[cloughie]

There is a live Brahms 2 with Curzon Barbirolli Society label from a Halle anniversary concert. I enjoyed it but I must listen to it again.

I’ll check it out - I see that it includes Elgar 1. I see there is also a Curzon Brahms PC2 with the BostonSO/Barbirolli.