Etudes Symphoniques Op. 13 (Schumann)
Géza Anda ['ge:zɒ 'ɒndɒ] (November 19, 1921–June 14, 1976) was a Hungarian … Read Full Bio ↴Géza Anda ['ge:zɒ 'ɒndɒ] (November 19, 1921–June 14, 1976) was a Hungarian pianist. He is considered by some to be one of the greatest pianists of the 20th century. A celebrated interpreter of classical and romantic repertoire, particularly noted for his performances and recordings of Mozart, he was also a tremendous interpreter of Beethoven, Schumann, Brahms and Bartók. In his heyday he was regarded as an amazing artist, possessed of a beautiful, natural and flawless technique that gave his concerts a unique quality. But since his death in 1976 at the age of fifty-four his high reputation has faded somewhat from view. Most of his recordings were done on the Deutsche Grammophone label.
Anda was born in 1921 in Budapest. He studied with some of the renowned teachers of the 20th century like Imre Stefaniai and Imre Keeri-Szanto, and became a pupil of master Ernst von Dohnányi and Zoltán Kodály at the Franz Liszt Academy in Budapest. In 1940 he won the Liszt Prize, and in the next year, he made an international name for himself with his performance of the Brahms B-flat Piano Concerto. In 1941, he also made his debut with the Berlin Philharmonic under Wilhelm Furtwängler, who dubbed him "troubadour of the piano." In 1943, he settled in Switzerland.
In the mid 1950s, Anda gave masterclasses at the Salzbuerg Mozarteum, and in [1960]] he took the position of director of the Lucerne masterclasses, succeeding Edwin Fischer. He was particularly noted for his interpretation of Schumann's piano music. The New Grove Dictionary cites his "charismatic readings of Bartók and Schumann." Indeed, he was regarded as the principle Bartók interpreter of his generation. Although he played very little Mozart in his early career, he matured into a well respected exponent of Mozart, and in fact, became the first pianist to record the full cycle of Mozart's piano concerti; he recorded them between 1967 and 1972, conducting himself from the keyboard. "From the outset of his career, he was what one might call a philosopher-virtuoso. In his lifelong quest for the perfect balance of head and heart, between intellect and instinct, he explored many facets of music-making." He was honored in 1965 by being named a Chevalier of the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres, and he also become an honorary member of the Royal Academy of Music in 1970.
Anda was born in 1921 in Budapest. He studied with some of the renowned teachers of the 20th century like Imre Stefaniai and Imre Keeri-Szanto, and became a pupil of master Ernst von Dohnányi and Zoltán Kodály at the Franz Liszt Academy in Budapest. In 1940 he won the Liszt Prize, and in the next year, he made an international name for himself with his performance of the Brahms B-flat Piano Concerto. In 1941, he also made his debut with the Berlin Philharmonic under Wilhelm Furtwängler, who dubbed him "troubadour of the piano." In 1943, he settled in Switzerland.
In the mid 1950s, Anda gave masterclasses at the Salzbuerg Mozarteum, and in [1960]] he took the position of director of the Lucerne masterclasses, succeeding Edwin Fischer. He was particularly noted for his interpretation of Schumann's piano music. The New Grove Dictionary cites his "charismatic readings of Bartók and Schumann." Indeed, he was regarded as the principle Bartók interpreter of his generation. Although he played very little Mozart in his early career, he matured into a well respected exponent of Mozart, and in fact, became the first pianist to record the full cycle of Mozart's piano concerti; he recorded them between 1967 and 1972, conducting himself from the keyboard. "From the outset of his career, he was what one might call a philosopher-virtuoso. In his lifelong quest for the perfect balance of head and heart, between intellect and instinct, he explored many facets of music-making." He was honored in 1965 by being named a Chevalier of the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres, and he also become an honorary member of the Royal Academy of Music in 1970.
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Etudes Symphoniques Op. 13
Géza Anda Lyrics
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The lyrics are frequently found in the comments by searching or by filtering for lyric videos
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MrGer2295
Beautiful! Thank you for posting!
LeonFleisherFan
I see! Thanks so much! In addition, there are so many live recordings available right (Anda revival?), it's confusing. Do you have a personal preference for this earlier studio recording?
LeonFleisherFan
It's some time ago that I last listened to the 1953 studio recording (I should really tidy up my mess of CD stacks sometime soon…), so I'm speaking in hindsight, but I believe I like the 1943 one better (it's the 1955 Carnaval I bought the Testament disc for).
LeonFleisherFan
Thanks! But notice the date of recording is 1953.
Joseph Laredo
Anda wasn't a pianist at all. He was a singer. Or, rather, ten singers – one for each finger. He shows that sublimely here in the introspective numbers, though some of the extravert studies disintegrate into noisy approximation. Thanks for posting.
Georges E. Melki
You're right, but I think the "noisy appproximation" has something to do with recording technique at that time!
pianotreasures
Absolutely not. You’re thinking of the English Columbia recording (EMI/Testament). This is a 1943 german Polydor (catalogue Nr 68057/9, matrix Nr 2316/21).