Description

MARK HAMBOURG (MAY 31 (OR JUNE 1), 1879 – BOGUCHAR, RUSSIA – AUGUST 26, 1960 – CAMBRIDGE, ENGLAND)

 

 

 

 

The Russian pianist, Mark Hambourg, was born into a musical family. His father, Michael [Mikhail] Hambourg (1855-1916) was a pianist and a teacher. Mark studied with his father, made his debut in Moscow in 1888, at age 9. Then he went to Vienna to study with the celebrated pedagogue Theodor Leschetizky. It was Leschetizky who prepared Hambourg for his Vienna debut in 1894 with the Wiener Philharmoniker under Hans Richter, playing Frédéric Chopin’s First Piano Concerto. The following year he made his first appearance with the Berliner Philharmoniker playing Johannes Brahms’ First Piano Concerto – unknown to him until after the performance, the composer had been in attendance! Mark’s pianistic hero in the earliest phase of his career was Paderewski. Later he became a close friend of both Ferruccio Busoni and Moriz Rosenthal. He performed the titanic F. Busoni Piano Concerto under the baton of the composer and replaced him on tour with violinist Ysa e during 1901. Mark Hambourg soon began performing as a concerto player throughout the major cities of Europe. Eventually he settled in London, England and, along with occasional orchestral engagements, he primarily focused on recital-giving, and toured all over the world. Mark Hambourg performed a very wide repertoire ranging from J.S. Bach to contemporary, and winning acclaim for his zigeuner-like personality (as demonstrated in his recordings of Franz Liszt’s Hungarian Rhapsodies and Dvorák’s Slavonic Dances). Among other works he was the dedicatee of F. Busoni’s forward-looking Sonatina seconda (1912) and claimed to have given the British premieres of Ravel’s Gaspard de la nuit (he also recorded Ondine for the first time) and Jeux d’eau, as well as of the transcription of Debussy’s Prélude à l’après-midi d’un faune by Leonard Borwick (which he also recorded). He recorded Falla’s Fantasia baetica in 1923, two years before Rubinstein gave its ‘official premiere’, and showed an affinity for Iberian and South American music through his advocacy of unfamiliar works by Heitor Villa-Lobos, Albéniz and Enrique Granados. Between about 1909 and 1933, Mark Hambourg recorded copiously for the Gramophone Company (HMV). He made over 200 recordings for the gramophone between 1910 and 1935. Their quality is variable and suggests that he was essentially an artist dependent on the spontaneity of the moment. They also reveal his avowed dislike of the recording process. He continued to perform in public until the late 1950’s. Mark Hambourg occupies a unique place in early 20th-century pianism, and was regarded by his contemporaries as an artist of the first rank. Mark Hambourg’s younger brothers were also successful performing musicians. Jan (1882-1947) was a violinist and Boris (1885-1954) was a cellist. Mark Hambourg’s daughter Michal (1919-2004) was also a pianist and for some time they played and recorded together as piano duo.

 

 

TRACKLIST 

 

 

1. Berceuse in D flat major Op 57 (Chopin) 1929
2. Hark hark the lark (Schubert arr Liszt) 1928
3. Ballade No.1 (Chopin) 1928
4. Ballade No.3 (Chopin) 1931
5. Hungarian Rhapsody No.1 in E major (Liszt) 1934
6. Hungarian Rhapsody No.2 in C sharp minor (Liszt) (1st recording) 1926
7. Hungarian Rhapsody No.2 in C sharp minor (Liszt) 1932
8. Hungarian Rhapsody No.3 in B flat major (Liszt) 1934
9. Hungarian Rhapsody No.4 in E flat major (Liszt) 1932
10. Hungarian Rhapsody No.5 in E minor Heroide-elegiaque (Liszt) 1934
11. Hungarian Rhapsody No.6 in D flat (Liszt) 1934
12. Hungarian Rhapsody No.8 in F sharp minor Capriccio (Liszt) 1927
13. Hungarian Rhapsody No.9 in E flat major Carnaval de Pesth (Liszt) 1932
14. Hungarian Rhapsody No.10 in E major Preludio (Liszt) 1929
15. Hungarian Rhapsody No.11 in A minor (Liszt) 1927
16. Hungarian Rhapsody No.12 in C sharp minor (Liszt) 1930
17. Hungarian Rhapsody No.13 in A minor (Liszt) 1934
18. Hungarian Rhapsody No.14 in F minor (Liszt) (1st recording) 1929
19. Hungarian Rhapsody No.14 in F minor (Liszt) 1933
20. La campanella (Paganini-Liszt) 1928
21. Marche de Rakoczy in A minor (Liszt) 1927
22. Nocturne in E Op.62 No. 2 (Chopin) 1928
23. Nocturne in F minor opus 55 no.1 (Chopin) 1930
24. Nocturne Op.9 No.2 (Chopin) 1927
25. Nocturne Op.37 No.2 (Chopin) 1933
26. On Wings of Song (Mendelssohn-Liszt) 1927
27. Polonaise in B flat major Op. 71 No.2 (Chopin) 1928
28. Prelude in D flat (‘Raindrop’) (Chopin) 1930