Ronald Smith, John Ogdon, and C.V. Alkan

[orangesodaking]

I posted a status update on Facebook about how much I loved John Ogdon's recording of Brahms 1, and Jack Gibbons commented on it. We got into a discussion about Ogdon, and it eventually let to talking about Ronald Smith, John Ogdon, and Alkan. Gibbons said this:

"By the way, it was because of Ronald Smith that John Ogdon got into Alkan of course, having heard Smith play part of the Alkan Concerto at the Wigmore Hall in London in the early 1960s. He then beat Ronald Smith to it with the first complete recording of the work, which he rush recorded (almost sight-reading it in the recording sessions, hence all the mistakes) in order to be the first one to record it - I think Decca forced Ogdon's hand on this. This definitely hurt Smith's feelings who felt that Alkan was the main loser (as well as himself!) as a result (needless to say I prefer Ronald Smith's two recordings of the Alkan Concerto to Ogdon's - especially Smith's first abridged Concerto recording, which pre-dated Ogdon's recording)."

Earlier, we were talking about his IMMENSE sightreading ability, including how he sightread Messiaen's Vingt Regards in a performance, and how he sightread Brahms Concerto 2 WITH the orchestra playing during rehearsal. That's still crazy if he really did sight read some of the Alkan while recording it.

[argerichfan]

Earlier, we were talking about his IMMENSE sightreading ability, including how he sightread Messiaen's Vingt Regards in a performance, and how he sightread Brahms Concerto 2 WITH the orchestra playing during rehearsal. That's still crazy if he really did sight read some of the Alkan while recording it.

But are you SURE that is was the Brahms Bb?  For many years the received wisdom has been that is was the D minor.  I believe Ronald Stevenson (amongst others) has recounted this, though I do not know if he was there at the time. 

But indeed, Ogdon was the stuff of legend, and many thanks for your post.  Lucky you to communicate with Jack Gibbons, a pianist I admire more than I could ever say here.  In addition to Alkan, his Gershwin is... well words fail me.  After Earl Wild, this is our man. 

[ahinton]

But are you SURE that is was the Brahms Bb?  For many years the received wisdom has been that is was the D minor.  I believe Ronald Stevenson (amongst others) has recounted this, though I do not know if he was there at the time. 

But indeed, Ogdon was the stuff of legend, and many thanks for your post.  Lucky you to communicate with Jack Gibbons, a pianist I admire more than I could ever say here.  In addition to Alkan, his Gershwin is... well words fail me.  After Earl Wild, this is our man. 

I'm not sure whether Ronald Stevenson was there at the time and I don't now have the details of the event immediately to hand but, as I recall, it was indeed the Brahms second concerto and the circumstances were that John Ogdon had agreed to stand in for an indisposed Gina Bachauer at improbably short notice and the performance, which I think took place in Manchester, was conducted by John Pritchard; John apparently "practised" the piece on a train journey to the venue, although I have also heard that he gave the performance from the music rather than trust to memory (I'm not sure whether or not this is true) but, when asked afterwards how he had accomplished such a feat, he shrugged off the question in his typically innocuous and non-self-aggrandising manner with the words "but I'd heard it lots of times"...

Notwithstanding the circumstances of John's Alkan Concerto recording (which is certainly far from one of his best), Ronald Smith was most generous towards John in correspondence with me and he retained an immense respect for him. Incidentally, Ronald Smith himself "got into" Alkan largely as a result of persuasion from the composer and Liszt scholar Humphrey Searle, with whom I myself later studied.

Best,

Alistair

[birba]

Interesting this "but I'd heard it lots of times".  It seems that's how Argerich learned the prokofiev.

[ahinton]

Interesting this "but I'd heard it lots of times".  It seems that's how Argerich learned the prokofiev.

I cannot comment about that but I would say that I wish that she would play more repertoire than she does!

Best,

Alistair

[birba]

You and me both.  It's more limited then Michelangeli's was!

[richard black]

Argerich plays lots of repertoire, but these days very little of it is solo.

[ahinton]

Argerich and her one-time teacher Michelangeli play/ed a substantial amount of repertoire but, in each case, the rest of us just don't/didn't get to hear it in their respective hands; it is/was their decision, I suppose, but it's a shame nevertheless. The same could almost certaily have been said of Arrau and Cherkassky.

Best,

Alistair

[argerichfan]

I'm not sure whether Ronald Stevenson was there at the time and I don't now have the details of the event immediately to hand but, as I recall, it was indeed the Brahms second concerto...

Thank-you for the interesting info, Alistair.  I do not recall when or where I read that the concerto in question was the D minor, but I prefer to think that the source was wrong rather than me forgetting it was Bb instead of the D minor!