Description

SIMON BARERE (ODESSA, THEN RUSSIAN EMPIRE, NOW PART OF UKRAINE, 1 SEPTEMBER [O.S. 20 AUGUST], 1896 – NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK, USA, 2 APRIL, 1951)

Barere was born in Odessa (then Russian Empire, now part of Ukraine) as the eleventh of thirteen children in a Jewish family. He studied at the St. Petersburg Conservatory under Anna Yesipova and then Felix Blumenfeld. Pianist Vladimir Horowitz was also a pupil of Felix Blumenfeld, although Barere was Blumenfeld’s preferred student. After graduation, he played concerts throughout the region and taught at the Kiev Conservatory. He emigrated to Berlin, then to Sweden, and finally to the United States. During the autumn of 1935, he toured the UK under the management of Harold Holt, making a number of appearances as supporting artist to Richard Tauber. In 1985, his complete HMV recordings, made at Abbey Road Studios between 1934 and 1936, were remastered by Bryan Crimp and issued by APR. Barere was especially known for his speed and finger dexterity; his rendition of Balakirev’s Islamey and many other recordings were acclaimed. According to music critic Harold C. Schonberg, Barere produced a colourful piano tone and could also be highly musical. Barere gave annual recitals at Carnegie Hall which were often recorded by his son, Boris. Among the performances recorded live in 1947 at Carnegie Hall was Liszt’s Sonata in B minor, which was released on Remington Records in the 1950s. Other Barere performances include Liszt’s Spanish Rhapsody, Reminiscences de Don Juan and Hungarian Rhapsody No. 12, Blumenfeld’s Étude for the Left Hand Alone, and Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No. 2. Barere made a series of recordings for Remington in March 1951, showing the pianist in fine form before his sudden death next month. On 2 April 1951, Barere suffered a cerebral hemorrhage during a performance of Grieg’s Piano Concerto at Carnegie Hall, with Eugene Ormandy conducting the Philadelphia Orchestra. He collapsed and died backstage shortly thereafter.

TRACKLIST

1. La Leggierezza, for piano in F minor (Grandes études de concert No. 2), S. 144/2 (Liszt) HMV 2B 5578 1934-01-30
2. 3. Sonetto del Petrarca No. 104 (Pace non trovo; II) for piano (Années II/5), S. 161/5 HMV 2B 5579, 2B 5580 1934-01-30
3. Gnomenreigen, for piano (Zwei Konzertetüden No. 2), S. 145/2 (Liszt) HMV 2B 5580 1934-01-30
4. Waltz for piano No. 5 in A flat major, Op. 42 (Chopin) HMV DB2166 2B 5581 1934-01-30
5. 7. 8. 9. Réminiscences de Don Juan (I & II), for piano (after Mozart: Don Giovanni), S. 418 (Liszt) HMV 2EA 3073, 2EA 3074, 2EA 3076, 2B 5592 1936-01-31, 1934-01-31
6. Etude for piano in C sharp minor, Op. 2/1 (Scriabin) HMV 0EA 550 1934-11-27
7. 12. 13. Rhapsodie espagnole (Folies d’Espagne et jota aragonesa), for piano, S. 254 (Liszt) HMV 2EA 563, 2EA 564, 2EA 565 1934-11-29
8. Valse oubliée, for piano No. 1, S. 215/1 (Liszt) HMV 2EA 566 1934-12-07
9. Etude for piano in D sharp minor, Op. 8/12 (Scriabin) HMV 0EA 549 1934-12-07
10. Gigue in E minor (Book II, No. 12) Allegro vivace, ma non troppo for piano (after Loeillet) (Godowsky) HMV 0EA 551 1934-12-10
11. Tambourin in E minor (Book I, No. 6), Allegro for piano (after Rameau) (Godowsky) HMV 0EA 552 1934-12-10
12. Etude for piano (left hand), Op 36 (Blumenfeld) HMV 2EA 2431 1935-10-07
13. 20. Scherzo for piano No. 3 in C sharp minor, Op. 39 (Chopin) HMV 2EA 2428, 2EA 2429 1935-10-10
14. Toccata for piano in C major, Op. 7 (Schumann) HMV 2EA 2442 1935-10-10
15. Etude for piano in C major, Op. 31/1 (Glazunov) HMV 2EA 2430 1935-10-15
16. Etude for piano in D sharp minor, Op. 8/12 (Scriabin) HMV 0EA 549 1935-10-15
17. 25. Islamey, Oriental fantasy for piano (Balakirev) HMV 2EA 2432, 2EA 2433 1935-10-15
18. Toccata for piano in C major, Op. 7 (Schumann) HMV 2EA 2442 1935-10-15
19. Mazurka for piano No. 38 in F sharp minor, Op. 59/3 (Chopin) HMV 2EA 2443 1935-10-15
20. Mazurka for piano No. 38 in F sharp minor, Op. 59/3 (Chopin) HMV 2EA 2443 1936-01-31
21. 30. Islamey, Oriental fantasy for piano (Balakirev) HMV 2EA 2432, 2EA 2433 1936-01-31
22. Toccata for piano in C major, Op. 7 (Schumann) HMV 2EA 2442 1936-01-31
23. 33. 34. 35. Réminiscences de Don Juan (I & II), for piano (after Mozart: Don Giovanni), S. 418 (Liszt) HMV 2EA 3073, 2EA 3074, 2EA 3075, 2EA 3076 1936-01-31