Emil von Sauer - Etudes de Concert Nos. 1-20 (Oleg Marshev)

Information

Composer: Emil von Sauer

1. Etudes de Concert: No. 1 in G flat major
2. Etudes de Concert: No. 2 in E flat major "Vogelstimmen"
3. Etudes de Concert: No. 3 in B major "Murmure du Vent" (Sighing Breezes)
4. Etudes de Concert: No. 4 in E major "Octaven-Etüde"
5. Etudes de Concert: No. 5 in F major "Près du Ruisseau" (Am Bache)
6. Etudes de Concert: No. 6 in B minor "Frisson de Feuilles" (Espenlaub)
7. Etudes de Concert: No. 7 in E minor "Flammes de Mer" (Meeresleuchten)
8. Etudes de Concert: No. 8 in G major "Au Vol" (Im Fluge)
9. Etudes de Concert: No. 9 in, D major "Orage d'Avril" (Frühlingssturm)
10. Etudes de Concert: No. 10 in  G major "Sylphes glissandes" (Lichtelfen)
11. Etudes de Concert: No. 11 in A flat major "A Cheval" (Kavalkade)
12. Etudes de Concert: No. 12 in D flat major "L'Eteuf" (Fangball)
13. Etudes de Concert: No. 13 in B flat minor "La Chasse" (Die Jagd))
14. Etudes de Concert: No. 14 in A major "Prélude Érotique"
15. Etudes de Concert: No. 15 in A minor "Tarantelle Fantastique"
16. Etudes de Concert: No. 16 in D flat major "Etude en Trilles" (Triller-Studie)
17. Etudes de Concert: No. 17 in A flat major "Les Sirènes" (Sirenen)
18. Etudes de Concert: No. 18 in G flat major "Volubilité"
19. Etudes de Concert: No. 19 in B minor "Vision"
20. Etudes de Concert: No. 20 in F major "A la Valse"

Oleg Marshev, piano
Date: 1998
Label: Danacord
http://www.danacord.dk/frmsets/records/487-r.html

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Review

Emil Georg Konrad Sauer (1862-1942) (later ennobled with the 'von' prefix by the last Austrian Emperor, Charles I), was one of the legendary pianists of the late 19th Century.  He studied with Nikolay Rubinstein and later was one of many young pianists to study with Franz Liszt -- although later Sauer said, "I stayed with him only for a few months when he was very old and he couldn't teach me much."  Sauer was 76 in 1938 when he made his Paris recording of  the two Liszt concertos with Felix Weingartner conducting.  These are rather cautious performances, as one might expect.  You also can hear his artistry in a live performance recorded October 10, 1940, Schumann's Piano Concerto with Willem Mengelberg and the Concertgebouw -- a grand reading that shows aging fingers.   In earlier days Sauer was praised by Busoni, Hofmann, Schnabel, Artur Rubinstein, Horowitz, Mahler and Bartok.  Reportedly Sauer had a humorous outlook on life and presented a bit of spectacle when playing...."he lifts his hands sometimes as much as a meter high, turns his head this way and that, looks heavenwards and then, as though it suddenly occurred to him what to play, commences.  At the end of each piece he lifts his hands to the skies once more than lets them fall into his lap."

Sauer's works include 2 piano concertos, 2 sonatas and 29 concert studies, 20 of which are included on this recent CD issued in Europe about two ears ago, only now (May 2001) in the U.S. Only one, the first, is actually called "concert-etude," in G-flat; with a playing time of 8:34 it is the longest of all.  The others have colorful, imaginative titles (Sighing Breezes, The Hunt, Sirens, Bird Songs etc. with one called "L'Eteuf" (which apparently has something to do with a tennis ball) translated as "fangball."   Although all are of extreme difficulty, several are devoted to specific piano techniques, i.e. octaves and trills.  All are salon music of the highest order with an abundance of arpeggios and gossamer textures.  The sedate center section of Vision, in B minor is quite similar to the central section of Chopin's Scherzo No. 3.

Young Russian pianist Oleg Marshev, winner of many prestigious prizes in the piano competition world, plays Sauer's music with finesse as well as technical assurance. It's a delectable program, best taken in small doses and has been very well recorded.  If you have a keen interest in Emil von Saueryou might investigate the superb 3-CD set (Marston 53002) containing his Liszt recordings along with many shorter pieces recorded in the late '20s and '30s when Sauer was in his prime -- a collection that includes two of the concert etudes on the new Danacord recording.  A second Marshev is in the works which will include the remaining concert etudes and other Sauer pieces. (June 2001)

-- Robert E. Benson, Classical CD Review

More reviews:
http://www.musicweb-international.com/classrev/2001/Dec01/Sauer_Piano_Works.htm
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Sauer-Etudes-Concert-Emil-von/dp/B000026A1D

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Emil von Sauer (October 8, 1862 – April 27, 1942) was a notable German composer, pianist, score editor, and music (piano) teacher. He studied with Nikolai Rubinstein at the Moscow Conservatory between 1879 and 1881. He was also a pupil of Franz Liszt and one of the most distinguished pianists of his generation. Sauer was considered as emphasizing the original Liszt approach to pianism.  Along with editing the complete piano works of Johannes Brahms, Sauer wrote piano concertos, piano sonatas, concert études, piano pieces and lieder.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emil_von_Sauer

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Oleg Marshev (born 1961 in Baku, Azerbaijan) is a Soviet and Russian pianist. He studied at the Moscow Conservatory with Mikhail Voskresensky. Now he is a resident of Italy. He has recorded over 30 CDs for Danacord label,  featuring works by Schubert, Brahms, Strauss, Rubinstein, Rachmaninov and others. He has made the world premier recording of Emil von Sauer’s piano music in 6 volumes. Another result of the artist’s abiding interest in little-known or forgotten music is a recording of Danish romantic piano concertos in 4 CDs.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oleg_Marshev
http://olegmarshev.com/

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