Description

ALFRED DENIS CORTOT (NYON, VAUD, SWITZERLAND 26 SEPTEMBER, 1877 – LAUSANNE, VAUD, SWITZERLAND, 15 JUNE, 1962)

He was a Franco-Swiss pianist, conductor, and teacher who was one of the most renowned classical musicians of the 20th century. He was especially valued for his poetic insight into Romantic piano works, particularly those of Chopin, Saint-Saëns and Schumann. Cortot was born in Nyon, Vaud, in the French-speaking part of Switzerland, to a French father and a Swiss mother. His first cousin was the composer Edgard Varèse. He studied at the Paris Conservatoire with Émile Decombes (a student of Frédéric Chopin), and with Louis Diémer, taking a premier prix in 1896. He made his debut at the Concerts Colonne in 1897, playing Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 3. Between 1898 and 1901 he was a choral coach and subsequently an assistant conductor at the Bayreuth Festival. In 1902 he conducted the Paris premiere of Wagner’s Götterdämmerung. He formed a concert society to perform Wagner’s Parsifal, Beethoven’s Missa solemnis, Brahms’ German Requiem, and new works by French composers. In 1905, Cortot formed a trio with Jacques Thibaud and Pablo Casals, which established itself as the leading piano trio of its era. In 1907, he was appointed Professor by Gabriel Fauré at the Conservatoire de Paris, replacing Raoul Pugno. He continued to teach at the Paris Conservatoire until 1923, where his pupils included Yvonne Lefébure, Vlado Perlemuter, Simone Plé-Caussade and Marguerite Monnot. In 1919 Cortot founded the École Normale de Musique de Paris. His courses in musical interpretation were legendary. For his many notable students, see here. As a leading musical figure, Cortot traveled for many international music events. The French government sponsored two promotional tours to the United States, and one to the new Soviet Russia in 1920. He conducted several orchestras and was often called upon to provide piano accompaniment for touring artists when in Paris. Involved in music until his health failed, like Franz Liszt in his advanced years he taught master classes in piano. On 21 March 1925, Cortot, working with Victor Records, made the world’s first electrical recording of classical music: Chopin’s Impromptus and Schubert’s Litanei. During World War II Cortot supported the German occupation of France. He accepted the position of Haut-Commissaire (“High Commissioner”) for arts in the Vichy government and served twice (1941 and 1942) as a member of the Vichy’s Conseil national (“National Council”). He participated in official concerts in Paris during the occupation as well as in Germany in 1942. After the war’s conclusion, Cortot was found guilty by a French government panel of collaboration with the enemy and was suspended from performing for a year. Once the suspension expired he returned to performing more than 100 concerts a season.

TRACKLIST

1. Etude Pathetique Op 8 No 12 (Scriabin) Duo-Art 6623
2. Au Bord Dune Source (Liszt) Duo-Art 6664
3. Prelude Raindrop Op 28 No 15 (Chopin) Duo-Art 6773
4. Adagio from Concerto F Minor BWV1056 (Bach-Cortot) Duo-Art 6330
5. Etude Op 10 No 3 E Major La Tristesse (Chopin) Duo-Art 6524
6. Etude en Forme de Valse Op 52 No 6 in D Flat (Saint-Saëns) Duo-Art 6372
7. Etude In Waltz Form Op.52 No.6 (Saint-Saëns) Duo-Art 6372
8. “Polish Songs”, Op. 74, No. 1 The Maiden’s Wish (Chopin-Liszt) Duo-Art 6478
9. Andante Spianato & Polonaise In E Flat Major Op.22 (Chopin) Duo-Art 6365
10. Etude Op.25 No.9 Op.10 No.5 (Chopin) Duo-Art 6593