The legendary pianists; Rachmaninoff, Saint-Saens, Tchaikov

The following tape recorded program is made available to this station by the National Association of educational broadcasters. The legendary pianists. Washington State University brings you another in a series of recitals by the keyboard giants of the early 20th century. The masters of piano art made most of their recordings before the era of modern electronics. Legendary concert artists made their records on thick walls of perforated paper similar to the player piano rolls but designed for a much more complex instrument called the reproducing piano recital we will hear today as selected from more than a thousand of these roll recordings in the collection of Dr. Campbell style. The chairman of the music department at Washington State University. The performance will be on a

Steinway reproducing piano and Dr. Stout's home. Here now. Dr. Campbell star introduced today's mug. Today's artist Vladimir Horowitz was born in Kiev Russia in 1004. He began his study of piano at the age of six and at 17 was graduated from the Kiev conservatory shortly after that in 1903 he established a record for frequency of performances in Leningrad by giving 23 recitals in that city in one year. Actually however his first real triumph did not come until early in 1906 in Germany after three rather uneventful appearances in Berlin. He moved on to Hamburg where for his first recital he received some recognition from the critics but played a very small audience. His first break came when he was called upon at the last moment to substitute for a pianist who had fainted during the afternoon rehearsal with the homburg orchestra. By the time one of us was located the orchestra had

already started the evening concert with barely time to shave and dress he arrived at the symphony hall right at the intermission preceding the concerto. It wasn't until then that the conductor knew whether or not he had a soloist for the Tchaikovsky concerto. The performance turned out to be a sensation with the audience standing at the close the concerto screaming hysterically. One critic wrote Not since Homburg discovered Caruso has there been anything like this. After his appearance with the orchestra the location for the second recital was quickly changed from a hotel ballroom to a concert hall seating 3000. People within two hours after the announcement was made the hall was sold out his triumph in Homburg was followed by successful appearances in many other European cities in one thousand twenty eight he came to the United States for a series of 25 concerts including appearances with the New York Philharmonic Boston Symphony in the Chicago Symphony during the next few years his fame spread throughout Europe and the United States in one thousand thirty three harvests married Wanda Toscanini daughter of the late Arturo Toscanini. They have lived in this country most of the

time since then and presently are located in New York City. Shortly after his New York debut in one thousand twenty eight Horace recorded some piano rules for the reproducing piano. Today's program opens with his performance of two predators from Rocky Mountain also Opus 32 the number stand an 8. You had just heard to Rachmaninoff printed the next number on our concert featuring Vladimir

Horowitz. The list is done by Tchaikovsky. Yeah I just heard off by Tchaikovsky. We hear next a list transcription of the

Schubert song leave a small shaft as recorded by the horror of it. You had just heard leave us mooch off by Schubert as transcribed for piano by Franz Liszt.

We closed today's program with a performance by four of its. The Sentinels Danse Macabre. That was down smoke by Camille South signs as

transcribed for piano by Franz Liszt. It was played by Vladimir Horowitz the featured artist on today's program. This has been the legendary pianists a series of recitals From do our reproducing piano rolls by the great concert pianists of the early 20th century. Your host and commentator on these programs is Dr. Campbell Stout the chairman of the music department of Washington State University the legendary pianists is produced by Omar Erickson for Washington State University Radio. Here Randall speaking. This is be an APB Radio Network.