Livia Rev

[Pianorak]

Last night I was listening to one of my favourite recordings of the Liszt Paganini Studies by that wonderful pianist Livia Lev who was born in 1916. Tonight I was pleased to discover her website; cf. http://www.livia-rev.com/. Have a look and be amazed!

[Serial_Apologist]

I read the thread heading and thought this was about a very funny TV programme...

[johnb]

Her Debussy recordings (on Saga LPs I think) were very highly regarded but seem to have disappeared from the catalogue long ago. However there are Debussy recordings from the 1990s available but only, it seems, from the Hyperion website.

By the way, I remember Peter Katin saying nice things about her playing, not too long ago.

[Ferretfancy]

Her Saga recordings did turn up on CD for a while, and I found them in a bargain shop some years ago. They are fine performances which need a new reissue, I haven't heard the later performances.

[johnb]

During an idle moment (i.e. indulging in displacement activity) I was searching for Rev's Saga Debussy on CD and came across a four CD set on Ebay, being sold by a Swiss vendor for £6.99 (there were 4 available).

Yes, you've guessed what I did next.

(Fingers crossed.)

[Ferretfancy]

johnb

I think I paid about the same in one of those shops which sold CDs almost by mistake ! I don't think you will be disappointed.

[Barbirollians]

According to wikipedia she was 100 on July 5th !

[Bryn]

During an idle moment (i.e. indulging in displacement activity) I was searching for Rev's Saga Debussy on CD and came across a four CD set on Ebay, being sold by a Swiss vendor for £6.99 (there were 4 available).

Yes, you've guessed what I did next.

(Fingers crossed.)

There are one or two items which were on the original Saga LPs which are missing from the CD set. I can't remember off had which pieces they were. There may be a reference somewhere in the ancient history of this forum.

[Pulcinella]

There are one or two items which were on the original Saga LPs which are missing from the CD set. I can't remember off had which pieces they were. There may be a reference somewhere in the ancient history of this forum.

That's odd. The fourth CD was criticised for its short playing time, so I would have thought that there was plently of opportunity (space) to have included everything from the LPs.
Great favourites here in Casa Pulcinella.

[Bryn]

That's odd. The fourth CD was criticised for its short playing time, so I would have thought that there was plently of opportunity (space) to have included everything from the LPs.
Great favourites here in Casa Pulcinella.

Yes, I think that very point was raised when we discussed the CD set on the old BBC Message Boards. I will have to search out my LP and CD sets, it may take some time though.

[Bryn]

Turns out it's rather more than one or two missing pieces. Seven in all were omitted:

Masques,
L'Isle joyeuse,
Réverire,
Estampes: Pagodes, La soirée dans Grenade, Jardins sous la pluie,
The Little Nigar

[Pulcinella]

Turns out it's rather more than one or two missing pieces. Seven in all were omitted:

Masques,
L'Isle joyeuse,
Réverire,
Estampes: Pagodes, La soirée dans Grenade, Jardins sous la pluie,
The Little Nigar

Thanks Bryn.
That's shame; would have liked to have Estampes (especially Pagodes)!

[Bryn]

Thanks Bryn.
That's shame; would have liked to have Estampes (especially Pagodes)!

The good news is that she re-recorded Masques, L'Isle Joyeuse and Estampes for Hyperion, hence my recalling just one or two items being missing from her CD coverage (Réverie and The Little Nigar):

[MickyD]

Am I right in thinking that she also did some Chopin for Hyperion?

[Bryn]

Am I right in thinking that she also did some Chopin for Hyperion?

Indeed she did.