Kapell reDiscovered

William Kapell was killed in a plane crash just south of San Francisco in October 1953 – the flight that was taking him home a week after he had completed a triumphant three-month tour of Australia.... — Gramophone Classical Music Guide, 2010 More…

Release Date: 1st Sep 2008
Catalogue No: 82876685602
Label: RCA
Series: reDiscovered
Length: 2 hours 9 minutes

Traditional, Thomas Arne: Disc 2

Work length23:00

$5.20

$6.80

William Kapell (piano)

God Save the Queen

Track length0:48

$1.30

$1.70

Barcarolle, Op. 60

Track length8:34

$1.30

$1.70

Nocturne in E-Flat, Op. 55, No. 2

Track length5:01

$1.30

$1.70

Scherzo No. 1 in B Minor, Op. 20

Track length8:37

$1.30

$1.70

Bach, J S: Suite in A minor, BWV818

Work length6:14

Album only

Courante

Track length1:18

Album only

Sarabandes I and II

Track length3:48

Album only

Gigue

Track length1:08

Album only

Mussorgsky: Pictures at an Exhibition

Work length29:33

Album only

Promenade

Track length1:30

Album only

The Gnome

Track length2:20

Album only

Promenade

Track length0:52

Album only

Il vecchio castello / The Old Castle

Track length3:49

Album only

Promenade

Track length0:30

Album only

Tuileries

Track length0:51

Album only

Bydlo

Track length2:38

Album only

Promenade

Track length0:45

Album only

Ballet of the Unhatched Chicks

Track length1:04

Album only

Samuel Goldenberg & Schmuyle

Track length1:59

Album only

Promenade

Track length1:29

Album only

Limoges - The Market

Track length1:13

Album only

Catacombs (Sepulchrum romanum)

Track length1:27

Album only

Con mortuis in lingua morta

Track length1:43

Album only

The Hut on Fowl's Legs

Track length3:00

Album only

The Great Gate at Kiev

Track length4:23

Album only

Traditional, Thomas Arne: God Save the Queen

Work length0:48

Album only

Mozart: Piano Sonata No. 17 in B flat major, K570

Work length15:59

Album only

Allegro

Track length5:37

Album only

Adagio

Track length6:51

Album only

Allegretto

Track length3:31

Album only

Debussy: Suite Bergamasque

Work length14:31

Album only

Prélude

Track length3:44

Album only

Menuet

Track length3:42

Album only

Clair de lune

Track length3:49

Album only

Passepied

Track length3:16

Album only

Chopin: Barcarolle in F sharp major, Op. 60

Work length8:34

Album only

Chopin: Nocturne in E-Flat, Op. 55, No. 2

Work length5:01

Album only

Chopin: Scherzo No. 1 in B minor, Op. 20

Work length8:37

Album only

Prokofiev: Piano Sonata No. 7 in B flat major, Op. 83

Work length17:15

Album only

Allegro inquieto; Andantino

Track length8:13

Album only

Andante caloroso

Track length5:45

Album only

Precipitato

Track length3:17

Album only

About
Reviews
Explore

About

Features five works new to Kapell’s discography: Prokofiev’s Sonata No. 7, Debussy’s Suite bergamasque, Chopin’s Barcarolle, Op. 60 & Scherzo No. 1, Op. 20, Kapell’s rendition of ‘God Save the Queen’

A virtuoso pianist of the mid-twentieth century, William Kapell’s brooding good looks and explosive interpretations of Russian piano literature made him a star. His death in a plane crash at the age of 31 put an end to a career marked by fiery personality, technical mastery, and unstinting devotion to his craft. Many considered him the first virtuoso American pianist — certainly the most famous one until Van Cliburn — whose early death denied him more enduring popularity. These recordings are a stirring reminder of the talent upon which his fame rested during his lifetime

This digitally remastered two-disc set — the latest in Sony BMG Masterworks’ reDiscovered series — compiles performances from four of the concerts on Kapell’s tour of Australia and makes them available for the first time as a lasting tribute to the incredible talent and influence of William Kapell.

Reviews

2010

William Kapell was killed in a plane crash just south of San Francisco in October 1953 – the flight that was taking him home a week after he had completed a triumphant three-month tour of Australia. He was 31 years old. Several items from this final trip have surfaced over the years (the Rachmaninov, Mussorgsky and Chopin's Second Sonata), but other rumoured recordings never materialised – until 2003, when the titles issued here were identified in a huge collection of acetate discs recorded off-air by an Australian music lover.
The surfaces are noisy, sometimes heavily swishy and the sound is often horribly distorted despite the best efforts of producer Jon M Samuels.
His apologia notes that, because they did not make it on to the acetates, a passage in the final movement of the Rachmaninov had to be patched (from a 1948 performance), and that the first movement of the Bach Suite and final pages of the Mussorgsky are taken from other sources.
You will not need to be told where these 'edits' occur.
So, is it all worth persevering with? Oh yes.
This is the playing of a sublimely gifted artist.

December 2008

This is the playing of a sublimely gifted artist.

Kapell reDiscovered

Downloads

Contents

Download queue