Newly Re-Released Recordings of the Chopin-Godowsky Studies

[theexarion]

This isn't meant to be self-promotion of my channel, I promise. I genuinely believe everyone who likes these studies should know about these recordings.

Earlier this year, someone made me aware of the fact that most of Robert Henry's recordings of a selection of the Chopin-Godowsky studies were available via Internet Archive. As soon as I learned of this, I pounced on the opportunity to make a score video out of them:

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Each of these performances surpasses all other existing recordings of the studies, in my opinion - with the exception of the "Ignus Fatuus" study on Op.10 No.2, which I think Sukyeon Kim captures in a more musically appealing way and Marc-Andre Hamelin nails the voicing and grace notes in the recapitulation of the main theme.

There are a few really noteworthy aspects of Robert Henry's performances:
1. His voicing and attention to dynamics overall adds entirely new flare that moves the studies beyond the sanitized, "academic" performances by others. The Op.10 No.1 and Op.25 No.11 studies are the ones where his voicing really gets to shine in soaring and menacing ways, respectively. I've always said that Chopin's works are at their best when they're "sung", and Henry demonstrates this postulate in truly remarkable ways.

2. His courage to "tamper" with Godowsky's writing and insert his own melodic lines at times is admirable and refreshing, in my opinion. After all, anyone who is okay with Godowsky remixing Chopin's etudes should feasibly be fine with the changes Henry made here lol. The new line he adds in the Op.10 No.1 makes it so much more interesting to listen to and perfectly plays with the descending melody line that Godowsky was shaping with the chords at every down beat. The embellishment he adds in Op.10 No.2 makes me wish Godowsky wrote it himself. I personally have no complaints about the major chord ending in Op.10 No.9. And the more contemplative ending he added to the end of Op.25 No.6 is just a thing of beauty.

3. Not only did he choose some of the most difficult studies, and not only does he play them like they're second nature to him, BUT these performances are also LIVE. Nothing more to say there.

Please, if nothing else, at least check out that stellar recording of the Op.10 No.1; it's almost as if Henry read that study in a different language than most. His recordings have rewired my brain in regard to how I approach piano music from now on.

[kosulin]

Thanks!
Amazing composer, amazing playing!

[liszt-and-the-galops]

I've listened to this video before but didn't comment on it, so I'll just put my thoughts here.

I definitely agree that these are probably the best recordings of any of the Godowsky Studies (though I'd add Susanne Anatchkova's recording of No. 47 "Badinage" to the list as well). Henry's No. 36 in particular blows virtually every other recording out of the water.

[rob47]

another pianist who i think has an incredible and original take on some of these is georg fredrich schenck; i THINK the abovementioned sukyeon kim maybe studied these etudes with him. . .i thought i once read that many years ago but i'm not sure so don't quote that

the way he organizes the sound, sense of timing, brilliant technique etc. it's always upsetting because this video ends before he is done, it looks like he had more to go
man i'm listening to it again right now for the first time in a long time his control is out of this world, the a flat major wow