Description

MISCHA LEVITZKI (KREMENCHUK, UKRAINE MAY 25, 1898 – AVON-BY-THE-SEA, NEW JERSEY JANUARY 2, 1941)

 

 

 

 

Mischa Levitzki was a Russian-born U. S.-based concert pianist. He was born in Kremenchuk, Ukraine (then part of the Russian Empire), to Jewish parents who were naturalised American citizens on a return trip to Ukraine. He was playing the violin at the age of three, but soon developed an interest in the piano, which he studied in Warsaw with Aleksander Michałowski before making his debut in Antwerp in 1906. In New York, his father brought him to the attention of Walter Damrosch, who obtained a scholarship for him at the Institute of Musical Art (now the Juilliard School) as a pupil of Zygmunt Stojowski, with whom he studied from 1907 to 1911. In 1913 Levitzki entered the Berlin Hochschule für Musik, where he became the youngest student of Ernst von Dohnányi and was awarded the Mendelssohn Prize in 1915. By this time he had performed throughout Europe and Scandinavia. He made his American debut in New York on October 17, 1916, at Aeolian Hall, and soon made his permanent home in the United States, later becoming an American citizen. Levitzki concertized worldwide up until the time of his death. He toured in the United States, Australia, New Zealand and Asia, making a reputation with his performances of the Romantic repertory. He was elected an honorary member of the Alpha chapter of Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia fraternity at the New England Conservatory in 1917. He transcribed numerous pieces for piano, prepared a cadenza for Beethoven’s Third Piano Concerto, and wrote small pieces for the piano. Among his most popular compositions for piano were The Enchanted Nymph, Valse in A, Valse tzigane, and a gavotte. He also recorded extensively for the AMPICO Piano Roll Company during the 1920s. Levitzki died suddenly of a heart attack aged 42, in 1941, at his home in Avon-by-the-Sea, New Jersey. Levitski’s papers are conserved at the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts.

 

 

TRACKLIST

 

 

Orfeo ed Euridice Melodie (Gluck-Sgambati) (18-12-1923) Columbia 65030-D98109-5

Marche Militaire in D major, D. 733, No. 1 (Schubert-Tausig) (05-06-1924) Columbia A-3949 80810-6 and 80811-5

Spring Song (Mendelssohn) (17-12-1923) Columbia (Unpublished) 81331-5

Waltz No. 14 in E minor, Op. Posth. (Chopin) (07-04-1924) Columbia 65030-D 98142-4

Waltz No. 11 in G flat major, Op. 70, No. 1 (Chopin) (19-12-1923) Columbia 65000-D 98110-2

Etude No. 5 in G flat major, Op. 10, No. 5, ‘Black Key’ (Chopin) (19-12-1923) Columbia 6S000-D 98110-2

Etude No. 13 in A flat major, Op. 25, No. 1, ‘Harp Study’ (Chopin) (20-12-1923) Columbia 65000-D 98111-2

La jongleuse, Op. 52, No. 4 (Moszkowski) (20-12-1923) Columbia 65000-D 98111-2

Hungarian Rhapsodies, S244-R106 No. 6 in D flat major (Liszt) (07, 11-06-1923) Columbia 7007-M 98056, 98057

Valse de concert, Op. 1 (Levitzki) (23-05-1924) Columbia 65024-D98143-5

Waltz in A major, Op. 2 (Levitzki) (23-05-1924) Columbia 65024-D 98150-9

Les Saisons, Op. 37b- No. 11. November Troika (Tchaikovsky) (23-05-1924) Columbia 65024-D 98150-9

Waltz No. 14 in E minor, Op. Posth. (Chopin) (19.11.1924) Columbia Unpublished experimental electrical recording 6466-1

Grandes Etudes de Paganini, S141-R3b No. 3 in G sharp minor, ‘La campanella’ (Liszt) (12-10-1925) Columbia 2039-M 140442, 140532

 

Prelude and Fugue in A minor S. 462 (Bach-Liszt) (16-12-1927) HMV D1619 Cc 12147-1, D1619 Cc 12147-1

Sonata in A major, K. 113 (Scarlatti) (22-11-1928) HMV E 537 Bb 117774

Gavotte from Iphigenie en Aulide (Gluck-Brahms) (15-12-1927) HMV DA 1223 Bb 11778-3

Ecossaise in E flat major, WoO 86 (Beethoven) (15-12-1927) HMV E 537 Bb 2145-1

Marche Militaire in D major, D. 733, No. 1 (Schubert-Tausig) (22-11-1928) HMV D 1809 Cc 4781-1

Rondo capriccioso in E major, Op. 14 (Mendelssohn) (16-03-1933) HMV DA 1317 OB 6333-3, OB 6334-3

 

Schumann

Sonata No. 2 in G minor, Op. 22

So raseh wie moglich

Andantino: Getragen

III. Scherzo: Sehr rasch and markiert

Rondo: Presto

Recorded 10th March 1933

Gramophone DB 1906/7 2B 6335-2, 6336-3, 6337- I, and 6338-2

 

Liszt

Piano Concerto No. 1

In E flat major, 5.124

With the London Symphony Orchestra conducted by Sir Landon Ronald

Allegro maestoso

Quasi Adagio

Allegretto vivace

Allegro marziale animato

Recorded llth and 14th November 1929

Gramophone CR 2467-4, 2468-la, 2469-2a, and 2470-5; D 1775/6

 

Hungarian Rhapsody No. 6 in D flat major, S.244

Recorded 15th December 1927

Gramophone D1383 Cc 11790-2 and Cc 11791-2

 

Hungarian Rhapsody No. 12 in C sharp minor, 5.244

Recorded 16th March 1933

Gramophone DB 1904 2B 6348-1, and 20 6349-2

 

Hungarian Rhapsody No. 13 in A minor, S.244

Recorded 16th March 1933

Gramophone DB 1905 20 6340-3, and 20 6347-2

 

Etude de Concert No. 3 in D flat major, lin sospiro’, 5.144

Recorded 21st November 1928

Gramophone D 1721Cc 14780-3

 

Etude d’execution transcendante d’apres

Paganini No. 3 in C sharp minor,

‘La Campanella’, S.140

Recorded 16th December 1927

Gramophone D 1489 Cc 12152-1

 

Etude d’execution transcendante d’apres

Paganini No, 3 in C sharp minor,

‘La Campanella’, 8,140

Recorded 22nd November 1928

Gramophone D 1489 Cc 12152-4

 

Moszkowski

La Jongleuse, op. 52/4

Recorded 16th December 1927

Gramophone EW 97 Oh 11789-4

 

Levitzki

Waltz in A major, Op. 2 (Volse amour)

Recorded 21 November 1929

Gramophone EW 97 Bb 11788-5

 

Chopin

Prelude in C major, Op. 28 0:55

Prelude in A major, Op. 28, No. 7

Prelude in F major, Op. 28, No. 23

Recorded 21st November 1929

Gramophone DA1223 Bb 18113-3a

 

Waltz No. 8 in A flat major, Op. 64, No. 3

Recorded 19th November 1928

Gramophone ED18 151 Cc 14770-1

 

Waltz No. 11 in G flat major, Op. 70, No. 1

Recorded 19th November 1928

Gramophone ED18 10 Cc 14769-3

 

Ballade No. 3 in A flat major, Op. 47

Recorded 22nd November 1928

Gramophone EW64 Bb 11786-5 and 11787-5

 

Nocturne No. 5 in F sharp major, Op. 15, No, 2

Recorded 19th November 1928

Gramophone D1721 Cc 14771-1

 

Nocturne No, 13 in C minor, Op. 48, No. 1 5:04

Recorded 21st November 1929

Gramophone Unpublished Cc 18199-2a

 

Polonaise No. 6 in A flat major, Op. 53

Recorded 16th March 1933

Gramophone DA1316 0B 6350- I and 6351-1

 

Scherzo No. 3 in C sharp minor, Op. 39

Recorded 31st October 1929

Gramophone D1814Cc 18114-2 and 18115-1a

 

Rubinstein

Etude in C major, Op. 23, No. 2

(Staccato etude)

Recorded 16th December 1927

Gramophone D 1489 Cc 12153-1

 

Rachmaninoff

Prelude in G minor, Op. 23, No. 5

Recorded 21st November 1929

Gramophone D 1809 Cc 18200-1a

 

Levitzki

Waltz in A major, Op. 2

Recorded 5th May 1938

Victor 2008-A BS 023101-1, BS 0231.01-IA (NP)

BS 023101-2, BS 023101-2A (NP)

 

Arabesque valsante, Op. 6

Recorded 5th May 1938;

Victor 2008-B BS 023100-1, BS 023100- IA (NP), BS 023100-2, BS 0231100-2A (NP), BS 023100-3, BS023100-3A (NP)

 

Broadcasts 26th January, 1935:

Chopin

Opening Announcement

Ballade No. 3 in A flat major, Op. 47

Waltz in. C sharp minor, Op. 64, No. 2

Etude in G flat major, Op. 10, No. 5 (‘Black Key’)

Prelude in A major, Op. 28, No. 7

(announcer intrudes)

 

28th April, 1935

Saint-Saëns

Concerto No. 2 in G minor, Op. 22 2nd movement: Allegro scherzando with Ford Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Victor Kolar

Levitzki: Arabesque valsante, Op. 6

 

Chopin

Etude in G flat major, Op. 10, No. 5 (Black Key)

 

6990 AMPICO DEBUSSY – Arabesque No. l, E

6222 AMPICO SCHUMANN – Aufschwung (Soaring) Op. 12, No. 2 “Fantasiestücke”

5927 AMPICO CHOPIN – Ballade No. 3, Op. 47, Ab

6672 AMPICO A. RUBINSTEIN – Barcarolle No. 4, G

7083 AMPICO SCHUBERT-LISZT – Die Erlkönig (The Erl-King) Op. 1

5798 AMPICO CHOPIN – Etude, Op. 10, No. 5, Gb “Black Key”

6362 AMPICO CHOPIN – Fantaisie, Op. 49, f – Part One

6363 AMPICO CHOPIN – Fantaisie, Op. 49, f – Part Two

5743 AMPICO LISZT – Hungarian Rhapsody No. 6, Db

6116 AMPICO SCHUMANN – Piano Sonata No. 2, Op. 22, g lst Mvt.

5990 AMPICO MOSZKOWSKI – La Jongleuse (The Juggleress) Op. 52, No. 4

7026 AMPICO MENDELSSOHN – Rondo Capriccioso, Op. 14, E

6837 AMPICO BEETHOVEN – Piano Sonata, Op. 53, f “Appassionata” lst Mvt. #1

6846 AMPICO BEETHOVEN – Piano Sonata, Op. 53, f “Appassionata” 3rd Mvt.

6801 AMPICO LISZT – Un Sospiro (A Sigh) – Etude de Concert No. 3, Db

6945 AMPICO CHOPIN – Waltz Brilliant, Op. 34, No. l, Ab

6245 AMPICO LEVITZKI – Valse de concert

6105 AMPICO LEVITZKI – Valse