Description

EMIL VON SAUER (HAMBURG, GERMANY 8 OCTOBER 1862 – VIENNA, AUSTRIA 27 APRIL 1942)

He was born in Hamburg, Germany on 8 October 1862 as Emil Georg Conrad Sauer. He studied with Nikolai Rubinstein at the Moscow Conservatory between 1879 and 1881. On an 1884 visit to Italy he met the Countess von Sayn-Wittgenstein, who recommended him to her former paramour, Franz Liszt. He went on to study with Liszt for two years, but did not for some time consider himself a Liszt pupil. In an 1895 interview, he even denied it: “It is not correct to regard me as a pupil of Liszt, though I stayed with him for a few months. He was then very old, and could not teach me much. My chief teacher has been, undoubtedly, Nicholas Rubinstein.” In his later years, however, Sauer realized the influence of Liszt on himself and on music in general. From 1882 Sauer made frequent and successful tours as a virtuoso pianist; his performing career lasted until 1940. He premiered in London in 1894 and New York in 1899. In 1901 he was appointed head of the Meisterschule für Klavierspiel at the Vienna Academy. Sauer left this post in April 1907 but returned to it in 1915. Some of his pupils continued on to successful concert or other significant music careers. In 1917, Sauer was raised to the peerage by the Austrian-Hungarian Monarchy, which added the nobiliary particle “von” to his name. He was also awarded the Gold Medal of the Royal Philharmonic Society of London. Regardless of his own opinion initially, Sauer was considered as emphasizing the original Liszt approach to pianism as well as a strong Romantic approach to a musical technique that demanded a total command of the keyboard in what was known as the Liszt School of piano. Unlike his fellow pupil Moriz Rosenthal, who could overwhelm the keyboard with orchestral force, von Sauer was said to caress the piano in a suave, polished manner. His recordings show him to have been a smooth pianist who was inclined toward relaxed tempos and exactitude of detail over temperament. While his playing may have sometimes lacked in breadth, it was always elegant and beautifully finished. Emil von Sauer was married twice. Angelica Morales (Sauer), his second wife, carried on his legacy in teaching. Sauer had two sons with Morales — Julio and Franz. He died in Vienna, Austria on 27 April 1942, aged 79.

TRACKLIST

1. Rondo ala Turca from Sonata in A, K. 331 (Mozart) Columbia 5546 1923
2. Adagio Sostenuto from ‘Moonlight Sonata’, op. 27, no. 2 (Beethoven) Columbia 5547 1923
3. Waltz in C-sharp minor, op. 64, no. 2 (Chopin) Columbia 5547 1923
4. On Wings of Song (Mendelssohn-Liszt) Columbia 5546 1923
5. Hungarian Rhapsody No. 12 (Liszt) Columbia 5548 1923
6. Carnaval, op. 9 (Schumann) Columbia 5549-50 1923
7. Adagio Cantabile from ‘Pathetique’ Sonata, op. 13 (Beethoven) Vox (2229A) 06260 1925
8. Konzert-Polka (Sauer) Vox (2230A) 06254 1925
9. Hungarian Rhapsody No. 15 (Liszt) Vox (2231 1/2A) 06254 1925
10. Waltz in E minor, op. Posth (Chopin) Vox (2232A) 06253 1925
11. Berceuse in D-flat, op. 57 Chopin) Vox (2233A) 06253 1925
12. Impromptu in A-flat, op. 29 Chopin) Vox (2234A) 06260 1925
13. Spieluhr (Sauer) Vox (2235A) 06249 1925
14. Scherzo in E minor, op. 16, no. 2 (Mendelssohn) Vox (2236A) 06249 1925
15. Liebestraum in A-flat (Liszt) Vox (2237A) 06264 1925
16. Concert Etide No. 7, ‘Meeresleucten’ (Sauer) Vox (2238A) 06264 1925

1. Echo aus Wien (Sauer) Vox (2239-40A) 06268 1925
2. An der schonen blauen Donau (Strauss- Schultz-Evler) Vox (2241-2A) 06273 1925
3. Fantasie-Impromptu, op. 66 (Chopin) Odeon (XXB-8261) 0-6817 1928
4. Koncertpolka (Sauer) Odeon (XXB-8262) 0-6764 1928
5. Gnomenreigen (Liszt) Odeon (XXB-8263) 0-6764 1928
6. Waltz in A-flat, op. 42 (Chopin) Odeon (XXB-8264) 0-6817 1928
7. Etude in E, op. 10, no. 3 (Chopin) Parlophone P-9533 2- 21120 1928
8. Spieluhr (Sauer) (2-21121) Parlophone E10863 1928
9. Turkish March from Ruins of Athens (Beethoven-Rubinstein) Parlophone (36841) 0-4762 1928
10. Concert Etude No. 6, Espenlaub (Sauer) Parlophone (36842) 0-4762 1928
11. Impromptu in F-sharp, op. 36 (Chopin) Pathé (N 300520 AR) X-5506 1930
12. Scherzo from A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Mendelssohn-Sauer) Pathé (N 300522 A1) X-5504 1930
13. Concert Etude No. 6, Espenlaub (Sauer) Pathé (N 300523 B) X-5505 1930
14. La Campanella (Paganini-Liszt) Pathé (N 300524 A1) X-5504 1930
15. Galop de Concert (Sauer) Pathé (N 300525 B1) X-5505 1930
16. Etude in C-sharp minor, op. 25, no. 7 (Chopin) Pathé (N 300550 A) X-5506 1930

1. Piano Concerto No. 1 in E-flat (Liszt) Columbia (LX 2112-1, 2113-1, 2114-2, 2117-1, 2118-1, 2119-2) LX 789-91 1938
2. Piano Concerto No. 2 in A (Liszt) Columbia (LX 2120-1, 2121-1, 2122-1, 2123-1, 2124-1, 2125-1) LX 862-64 1938
3. Consolation No. 3 in D-flat (Liszt) Columbia LX807 CLX 2126 1938-12-02
4. Valse Oubilee No. 1 (Liszt) Columbia (2126-1) LX 807 1938
5. Waltz in F, op. 34, no. 3 (Chopin)  Columbia (CR 758-1) LW 38 1940
6. Etude in C minor, op. 25, no. 12  (Chopin) Columbia (CR 759-1) LW 38 1940
7. Moment Musical in A-flat, op. 94, no. 2 (Schubert) Columbia (CRX 196-2) LWX 381 1941
8. Moment Musical in F minor, op. 94, no. 3 (Schubert) Columbia (CRX 197-1) LWX 381 1941
9. Etude in F minor, op. 25, no. 2 (Chopin) Columbia (CRX 197-1) LWX 381 1941
10. Transcendental Etude No. 9 in F minor, Ricordanza (Liszt) Columbia (CRX 200-1, 201-1) LWX 353 1941