The Welte Mignon Mystery, Vol. 19

Featuring

Alexander Glazunov
Artur Lemba

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Recording & Production

This album is not a historical recording but uses modern techniques to reproduce original 1910 interpretations from Welte Mignon piano rolls on a modern Steinway piano.

Composer's Artistic Vision

Despite his piano compositions, Alexander Glazunov considered the orchestra his preferred instrument, describing it as 'a great, wonderful toy'.

Performer Biography

Artur Lemba, a pianist from Tallinn, was the founding father of Estonian symphonism and opera and the first Estonian composer of international importance.

Composer Biography

Alexander Glazunov, a central figure in Russian music around 1900, was a child prodigy who began studying with Nikolai Rimski-Korsakov at age 15 and had his First Symphony premiered at 16.

Composer Biography

Glazunov was highly respected throughout his life, even remaining Rector of the St. Petersburg Conservatory after the October Revolution and undertaking successful concert tours in Western Europe and North America in his later years.

Interpretation

The Welte Mignon recordings of Glazunov's highly virtuosic Sonata No. 2 and the demanding Valse de concert were likely played by Artur Lemba due to their difficulty, showcasing a more modern and accurate piano style compared to Glazunov's own playing.

Instruments

The Welte Mignon player piano, invented in 1904, was a system that could record and authentically reproduce 'all the subtleties of a pianist's performance' using perforated paper rolls.