Moritz Moszkowski: Complete Music for Solo Piano, Volume One
Moritz Moszkowski (1854–1925) wrote a considerable quantity of piano music, but it is generally remembered today only for a single piece, ‘Étincelles’, which Horowitz enjoyed playing. The early works on this first instalment in Ian Hobson’s survey of Moszkowski’s complete music for solo piano reveal a debt to Mendelssohn and Schumann, but the craftsmanship already justifies a later remark of Paderewski’s: ‘After Chopin, Moszkowski best understands how to write for the piano, and his writing embraces the whole gamut of piano technique’.
Ian Hobson, piano
Listen To This Recording:
- Conservatoristen-Polka, Op. ½ (1875)*
- Scherzo, Op. 1 (1874)*
- Albumblatt, Op. 2 (1875)
- Caprice, Op. 4 (1875)*
- Fantaisie (Hommage à Schumann), Op. 5 (1875)
- Fantaisie-Impromptu, Op. 6 (1875)
- No. 1 Allegramente
- No. 2 Con moto
- No. 3 Tranquillo e semplice
- No. 1 Melodie
- No. 2 Thema
- No. 3 Mazurka in G major
- No. 4 Impromptu über ‘Sachs’
- Humoreske, Op. 14
Trois Moments Musicaux, Op. 7 (1875)*
Skizzen, Vier kleine Stücke, Op. 10 (1876)*
Humoreske, Op. 14 (1877)*
* FIRST RECORDINGS
Gramophone :
‘I am grateful for this first disc in a much-needed series, one which will give ‘delight, hours and hours of it, glittering like the Carnival at Nice and yet as innocent as a baby’s birthday’ (Priestley).’
—Jeremy Nicholas, Gramophone
WTJU :
‘And so Toccata Classics launches yet another series I’ll be following closely. […]
These are no mere salon pieces. A lot of technical skill is required. And that requirement raises the quality of these works, I think. […]
Ian Hobson is a champion of Moszkowski’s music. His performances bring out the lyrical beauty of these works. […] On the whole, though, the music seemed fully realized, especially as played by Hobson. […]
I am very much looking forward to Volume Two.’
—Ralph Graves, WTJU
MusicWeb International :
‘As I have said before, I am very fond of Moszkowski’s music; it is full of good tunes, is frequently cheerful and generally bounces along very nicely. It also seems to be having something of a resurgence, at least in the recording studio. It’s great that Toccata classics are leading the reassessment of this composer with their ongoing orchestral music series and now they have started on the complete piano music, as well. […]
[The Conservatory Polka] is well played with some agreeably witty touches by Ian Hobson. […] [The Scherzo] is certainly a piece to put a smile on your face, once you get to know it. It has nothing in common with Chopin’s four Scherzi; this is very much a work from a later era and is again extremely well played. […]
The writing [of Caprice] is full-on virtuoso stuff and Mr. Hobson makes a super job of it. […] The playing [of the Fantaisie – Homage to Schumann] is exemplary as well, perfectly in tune with the fluid nature of Moszkowski’s superb piano writing and his channelling of Schumann. […]
[The Fantaisie-Impromptu] is marvellously played and recorded, and overall this is a rather marvellous piece, well deserving of a wider audience. […]
[The Op.7 is] very well played and has a rather lovely wistful ending. […] [The Op.10] is again a genial and smiling work, distinctively Moszkowskian and is here given a splendid performance. […]
There is a lot of playful music scattered throughout [the Humoreske] which holds together very well in this performance despite the changes in mood and key. This really is splendid stuff – why don’t we ever hear this in concert? […]
I have been hoping for years that some enterprising record company would get around to the complete piano music by this composer and, finally, Toccata have begun to grant my wish. It’s also very good that the music here is performed in opus number order so it gives you a good idea of how the composer’s style evolved. It’s generously filled, the recording is bright and clear and the cover notes are very interesting.’
—Jonathan Welsh, MusicWeb International
The Whole Note :
‘Ian Hobson’s many recordings include all of Beethoven’s Piano Sonatas and Chopin’s complete piano works. He also conducted Moszkowski’s orchestral music on the fine CD I reviewed in the December 2020/January 2021 edition of The WholeNote. In Hobson’s very capable hands, future Moszkowski CDs promise many more hours of enjoyable discoveries.’
—Michael Schulman, The Whole Note