Rating Key: * A dud: not recommended; ** Fair: could be worth a listen; *** A good, solid interpretation: recommended; **** A must-listen: highly recommended; ***** Sublime: A desert-island recording. In addition, for those who wish to focus their listening at a glance, I have highlighted in green what I believe are the “essential” recordings of the pianist, while those I place in more of an “honorable mention” category are in yellow.1Sources for factual details on Lhévinne’s recordings: (1) Liner notes and track listing of release by Marston Records; (2) database on the Web site of the Discography of American Historical Recordings.
Composer | Work and YouTube Link If Available | Other Performers If Applicable | Source CD Label (Original Label If Different) | Source CD Title and Link to Purchase Page | Recording Date (Place) | Rating |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Beethoven-Busoni | Écossaises | Marston (Pathé) | The Complete Josef Lhevinne | January 1921 (Pathé Studios, New York) | *** | |
Brahms | Piano Quartet #1 in g, Op. 25 | Members of the Perolé Quartet | Marston | The Complete Josef Lhevinne | December 30, 1942 (WQXR radio broadcast, New York) | ** |
Chopin | Etude in E-flat, Op. 10/11 | Marston (Victor) | The Complete Josef Lhevinne | June 10, 1935 (Victor Studios, New York) | **** | |
Chopin | Etude in g-sharp, Op. 25/6 (“Thirds”) | Marston | The Complete Josef Lhevinne | February 23, 1933 (NBC radio broadcast, New York) | **** | |
Chopin | Etude in g-sharp, Op. 25/6 (“Thirds”) | Marston (Victor) | The Complete Josef Lhevinne | June 10, 1935 (Victor Studios, New York) | **** | |
Chopin | Etude in b, Op. 25/10 (“Octave”) | Marston (Victor) | The Complete Josef Lhevinne | June 10, 1935 (Victor Studios, New York) | *** | |
Chopin | Etude in a, Op. 25/11 (“Winter Wind”) | Marston (Victor) | The Complete Josef Lhevinne | June 10, 1935 (Victor Studios, New York) | *** | |
Chopin | Etude in a, Op. 25/11 (“Winter Wind”) | Marston | The Complete Josef Lhevinne | October 24, 1935 (Fleischmann’s Yeast Hour radio broadcast, New York) | **** | |
Chopin | Polonaise in A-flat, Op. 53 (“Heroic”) | Marston | The Complete Josef Lhevinne | November 3, 1935 (Magic Key radio broadcast, New York) | *** | |
Chopin | Polonaise in A-flat, Op. 53 (“Heroic”) | Marston (Victor) | The Complete Josef Lhevinne | January 6, 1936 (Victor Studios, New York) | *** | |
Chopin | Prelude in b-flat, Op. 28/16 | Marston (Victor) | The Complete Josef Lhevinne | January 6, 1936 (Victor Studios, New York) | *** | |
Chopin | Prelude in b-flat, Op. 28/16 | Marston | The Complete Josef Lhevinne | October 6, 1936 (live from Worcester Music Festival, Worcester, Massachusetts) | *** | |
Chopin | Prelude in A-flat, Op. 28/17 | Marston | The Complete Josef Lhevinne | February 23, 1933 (NBC radio broadcast, New York) | ** | |
Chopin | Prelude in A-flat, Op. 28/17 | Marston (Victor) | The Complete Josef Lhevinne | January 6, 1936 (Victor Studios, New York) | ** | |
Debussy-Ravel | “Fêtes” (arr. for two pianos) | Rosina Lhévinne | Marston (Victor) | The Complete Josef Lhevinne | June 11, 1935 (Victor Studios, New York) | *** |
Mozart | Piano Concerto #7 in F, K. 242 (arr. for two pianos): | Rosina Lhévinne, piano II; John Barbirolli: New York Philharmonic | Marston | The Complete Josef Lhevinne | October 29, 1939 (CBS radio broadcast, New York) | **** |
I. Allegro | ||||||
II. Adagio | ||||||
III. Rondo: Tempo di menuetto | ||||||
Mozart | Sonata for Two Pianos in D, K. 448: | Rosina Lhévinne | Marston (Victor) | The Complete Josef Lhevinne | June 11, 1935 & May 23, 1939 (Victor Studios, New York) | **** |
I. Allegro con spirito | ||||||
II. Andante | ||||||
III. Allegro molto | ||||||
Rachmaninov | Prelude in g, Op. 23/5 | Marston (Pathé) | The Complete Josef Lhevinne | January 1921 (Pathé Studios, New York) | ** | |
Schumann | Toccata in C, Op. 7 | Marston (Victor) | The Complete Josef Lhevinne | June 7, 1935 (Victor Studios, New York) | ** | |
Schumann-Liszt | “Frühlingsnacht” | Marston (Victor) | The Complete Josef Lhevinne | June 7, 1935 (Victor Studios, New York) | **** | |
Schumann-Tausig | “Der Kontrabandiste” | Marston (Pathé) | The Complete Josef Lhevinne | January 1921 (Pathé Studios, New York) | ** | |
J. Strauss–Schulz-Evler | Arabesques on “The Blue Danube” | Marston (Victor) | The Complete Josef Lhevinne | May 1, 1928 (Victor Studios, Camden, New Jersey) | ***** | |
Tchaikovsky | Piano Concerto #1 in b-flat, Op. 23 | Albert Stoessel: Worcester Festival Orchestra | Marston | The Complete Josef Lhevinne | October 6, 1936 (live from Worcester Festival, Worcester, Massachusetts) | ** |
Tchaikovsky | Trepak | Marston (Pathé) | The Complete Josef Lhevinne | January 1921 (Pathé Studios, New York) | ** |