Godowsky briefly studied with Ernst Rudorff, a pupil of Clara Schumann and Moscheles, at the Berlin Musikhochschule before making his American debut.
Composer Biography
Godowsky had a three-year relationship with Camille Saint-Saëns, a distinguished pianist and composer, who offered to adopt him if he changed his name.
Performer Biography
Konstantin Scherbakov is committed to recording the complete piano music of Leopold Godowsky for Marco Polo.
Performer Biography
Konstantin Scherbakov, the pianist on this recording, won the first Rachmaninov Competition in Moscow in 1983 and performed all Rachmaninov's solo piano works in four recitals, approved by Sviatoslav Richter.
Compositional Technique
Godowsky's transcriptions exploit the piano's greater technical possibilities by expanding and developing the music, often adding contrapuntal elements and expanding harmonies.
Composer's Artistic Vision
Godowsky's transcriptions of Bach's cello suites are described as 'very freely transcribed and adapted for the pianoforte', creating virtually new compositions.
Composer Biography
Leopold Godowsky, a Polish-American pianist, showed exceptional musical ability by age three and made his public debut as a pianist at seven.
You might also enjoy...
Raff: Complete Piano Suites, Vol. 1
Schulhoff: Suite Dansante En Jazz / Piano Sonata No. 1 / Hot Music
Holmboe, V.: Piano Music
Cascioli: 12 Études
Karlheinz Stockhausen: Mantra (1970)
Charpentier: 72 Etudes karnatiques
Shostakovich: 3 Fugues for Piano: No. 3
Mahler: Symphony No. 2 in C Minor "Resurrection" (Arr. H. Behn for 2 Pianos & Voices) [Live]
The Charterhouse Suite - Six Short Pieces for Piano
