Godowsky ,born on 13 February 1870,was a famed pianist, composer, and teach… Read Full Bio ↴Godowsky ,born on 13 February 1870,was a famed pianist, composer, and teacher. He has been described as the "Pianist of Pianists".
He became a naturalised American, but was born to Polish parents in Sozły, near Wilno, in what was then Russian territory but is now part of Lithuania. He considered himself of Polish heritage.
Godowsky had studied under Ernst Rudorff at the Berlin High School for Music,but left after three months. Otherwise, he was self-taught.
His career as a concert pianist, which eventually would take him to every continent except Australia, began at age ten.Godowsky made his debut in America on 7 December in Boston.
Later,moving to France to study with Liszt ( who unfortunately died a few days before Godowsky's arrival there), he played for Tchaikovsky, and could count among his acquaintances Charles Gounod, Jules Massenet, Amboise Thomas, Gabriel Fauré, Gabriel Pierné, Charles-Marie Widor and Leo Delibes.
He died of stomach cancer in New York on November 21, 1938.
As a composer, Godowsky has been best known for his paraphrases of piano pieces by other composers, which he enhanced with ingenious contrapuntal devices and rich chromatic harmonies. His most famous work in this genre is the 53 Studies on Chopin's Etudes, in which he varies the already challenging originals by: introducing countermelodies.
He also transcribed for the piano a number of sonatas and partitas for solo violin and solo cello by Johann Sebastian Bach.
The Piano Sonata, the Passacaglia, and Triakontameron are amongst other works of his that have become more well-known of recent times. The Passacaglia is based on a theme from Franz Schubert's Unfinished Symphony;it has acquired an undeserved reputation for difficulty.
"Godowsky's achievement is greater than that of the mere transcriber or arranger. He aimed higher and opened up new vistas for developing our pianistic mechanisms...When teachers, performers and students wake up to the possibilities and potentials of the Godowsky legacy, and when they apply themselves to its enormous challenge, we will begin once again to enjoy the music they make, to find recitals less of a duty and more of a joy to attend, and to share in the experience of expressivity through beautiful sounds produced with freedom and ease."
- Frank Cooper
He became a naturalised American, but was born to Polish parents in Sozły, near Wilno, in what was then Russian territory but is now part of Lithuania. He considered himself of Polish heritage.
Godowsky had studied under Ernst Rudorff at the Berlin High School for Music,but left after three months. Otherwise, he was self-taught.
His career as a concert pianist, which eventually would take him to every continent except Australia, began at age ten.Godowsky made his debut in America on 7 December in Boston.
Later,moving to France to study with Liszt ( who unfortunately died a few days before Godowsky's arrival there), he played for Tchaikovsky, and could count among his acquaintances Charles Gounod, Jules Massenet, Amboise Thomas, Gabriel Fauré, Gabriel Pierné, Charles-Marie Widor and Leo Delibes.
He died of stomach cancer in New York on November 21, 1938.
As a composer, Godowsky has been best known for his paraphrases of piano pieces by other composers, which he enhanced with ingenious contrapuntal devices and rich chromatic harmonies. His most famous work in this genre is the 53 Studies on Chopin's Etudes, in which he varies the already challenging originals by: introducing countermelodies.
He also transcribed for the piano a number of sonatas and partitas for solo violin and solo cello by Johann Sebastian Bach.
The Piano Sonata, the Passacaglia, and Triakontameron are amongst other works of his that have become more well-known of recent times. The Passacaglia is based on a theme from Franz Schubert's Unfinished Symphony;it has acquired an undeserved reputation for difficulty.
"Godowsky's achievement is greater than that of the mere transcriber or arranger. He aimed higher and opened up new vistas for developing our pianistic mechanisms...When teachers, performers and students wake up to the possibilities and potentials of the Godowsky legacy, and when they apply themselves to its enormous challenge, we will begin once again to enjoy the music they make, to find recitals less of a duty and more of a joy to attend, and to share in the experience of expressivity through beautiful sounds produced with freedom and ease."
- Frank Cooper
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Pastorale : Andante tranquillo
Leopold Godowsky 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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vibraphonedan
This is wonderful! I'm actually doing a grad school paper on Emmanuel and his works, specifically the 1st and 4th of the Sonatines. Where did you get the info on the bells and such? I am finding it difficult to dig up a history on him (how unfortunate!), and was wondering if you could point me in the right direction. What you have shared here is already more than I'd found anywhere else! Thanks so much!
Hervé Verbaert
<3
Philippe Cirse
Ce compositeur a apporté un peu de lumière, d'émerveillement et d'humour dans une période d'obscurité et de lassitude dans ma vie. En l'écoutant de nombreuses années plus tard, la sensibilité et l’admiration que je ressentais pour elle grandirent. Il vous entraîne inévitablement dans son univers. Chaque écoute révèle un peu plus son mystère, sa magie ; cette architecture sonore est impériale et tellement féérique !
MREmusique The Music of Michel R. Edward
Lovely sonatinas, from a composer I did not know a thing about (and that's my favourite musical period, so I'm almost embarrassed by my ignorance).
It was so odd hearing the DSCH motif popping up in the various sonatinas! Years before Schostakovich. It's strange how coincidences like this happen.
Harry Andruschak
So today, thanks to you, I have heard all five sonatinas by this composer. And I had not heard any works of this composer before I came across your uploads. Thank you.
Javier Vivanco
Injusto que este gran compositor esté ta olvidado
Javier Vivanco
Manejo magnífico de los modos
KNIAZIGOR
The incomparable refinement of French music. What do you expect, pianists, to put the works of this magnificent composer to your programs? Thanks to Medtnaculus for sharing.
Javier Vivanco
Nada como ravel
Zed O'Haughy
Really like the last one.