Moritz Moszkowski - Piano Works Vol. I (Seta Tanyel)

Information

Composer: Moritz Moszkowski

1. Tarantelle in G flat major, Op. 27 No. 2
2. Barcarolle from Offenbach's "Les Contes d'Hoffmann"
3. Valse, Op. 34 No .1
4. 8 morceaux caractéristiques, Op. 36: 2. Rêverie
5. 8 morceaux caractéristiques, Op. 36: 3. Expansion
6. 8 morceaux caractéristiques, Op. 36: 4. En Automne
7. 8 morceaux caractéristiques, Op. 36: 5. Air de Ballet
8. Albumblatt, Op. 2
9. 4 morceaux, Op. 68: 1. Nocturne
10. 4 morceaux, Op. 68: 2. Minuetto
11. 4 morceaux, Op. 68: 3. Au crépuscule
12. 4 morceaux, Op. 68: 4. Danse russe
13. Poème de Mai, Op. 67 No. 1
14. Serenata, Op. 15 No. 1
15. La Jongleuse, Op. 52 No. 4
16. Tristesses et sourires, Op. 58: 3. Près du Berceau
17. Chanson Bohème from Bizet's "Carmen"

Seta Tanyel, piano
Date: 1993
Label: Hyperion (original on Collins Classics)
http://www.hyperion-records.co.uk/dc.asp?dc=D_CDH55141

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Review

When Paderewski claimed "after Chopin he best understands how to write for the piano" he paid Moszkowski a shrewd and ingenuous compliment. For although Moszkowski could be limited and facile he wrote superbly for his chosen instrument, decking out one charming melody after another with the most grateful and scintillating virtuosity. The opening Tarantella with its bunny-hopping tune is gloriously raffish, Expansion beautifully illustrates its intriguing title and "Au Crepuscule" (from op. 68) shows how Moszkowski often achieves not only a genuine pianistic sophistication but also rises above picture-postcard evocation. Air de Ballet summons its dancers smartly to the floor while Albunthlast contains roseate memories of both Field and Chopin (the D flat Study from the latter's Trois Nouvelles Etudes in particular). 

Clearly I could go on celebrating this or that item in this box of delights and Seta Tanyel, a pianist with an unerring sense of keyboard graciousness, is perfectly attuned to her task, weaving her way through every intricacy with nonchalant expertise. She is hardly the sort to throw her hat to the winds and an air of sweet reasonableness replaces the impish lilt and sparkle of, say, Eileen Joyce in her famous 78rpm disc of the Va/se mignonne (reissued on EMI, 11/87 - nla) or the winking, mischievously inflected magic of Stephen Hough's Serenata (Virgin Classics). Yet her virtues are as natural as they are affectionate and fluent. So let's hope that there are further délices in store; a continuing Moszkowski series from this artist would be more than welcome. The recordings are of demonstration quality, though there was a pressing fault (commencing at track II and continuing through to the end) on both my copies of this recital.

-- Gramophone [10/1995]
reviewing the original release Collins 1412

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Moritz Moszkowski (23 August 1854 – 4 March 1925) was a German-Jewish composer, pianist, and teacher of Polish descent on his paternal side. Among his teachers are Eduard Franck, Friedrich Kiel, and Theodor Kullak. Moszkowski was quite prolific, composing over two hundred small-scale piano pieces, which brought him much popularity. He also wrote larger scale works including two Piano Concertos, a Violin Concerto, three orchestral suites, and a symphonic poem. Although less known today, Moszkowski was well respected and popular during the late nineteenth century.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moritz_Moszkowski

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Born in Istanbul of Armenian parentage, Seta Tanyel studied at the Vienna Hochschule für Musik with Dieter Weber and Bruno Seidlhofer, and in London with Louis Kentner. She was a major prizewinner at the 1973 Beethoven Competition and the 1974 Arthur Rubinstein Competition. Acclaimed as much for her distinguished performances of the core repertoire as for her consistent championing of the works of lesser-known composers, Tanyel has excited much attention from audiences around the world. She has received countless critical accolades for her recordings on the Chandos, Collins Classics and Hyperion labels.
http://www.hyperion-records.co.uk/a.asp?a=A140

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