Livia Rev

[birba]

Has anyone ever heard of this lady?

[richard black]

Yes, a fine pianist, from the rather little I've heard. I used to be quite friendly with a young Hungarian pianist for lodged with her in Paris: he told me she's also a fine teacher and a splendid person all round.

[interpolatingmadman]

Absolutely heard of her!  In fact, I ran across her recording of the complete Debussy Preludes in the archives of the Opera National de Paris just last week.  I believe she lives here in Paris (at least, she did for many, many years and I've not heard differently).  She's had many fine pupils and has done lots of work with younger students (pre-college and the like).  I didn't know she was still playing; I certainly missed news of any 90th-birthday confab!  Good for her!

[edwardweiss]

Yes-in 1964 when I was a young student about to do LRAM. I got a vinyl record of her playing Liszt's Paganini studies which I was studying at the time and Schumann's ABEGG variations. A great pianist recorded far too infrequently-as often happens-while we are fed 'The Usual Suspects' whom recording companies have decided will be the Stars.

[richard black]

Rev had the misfortune to record for small labels like Concert Hall (I think) and Saga, which in many people's eyes made her an automatic 'second-rank' player. The same fate befell, for instance, Tomas Rajna, a superb pianist who also recorded for Saga. The problem really is that the folks at Saga did indeed record some slightly iffy players, and their sound quality and presentation weren't always up to snuff, and people do form preconceptions so easily.....