More performers and composers whose exceptional musical gifts emerged at an early age are our subject this week. It’s amazing to think that many of these musicians, like Mendelssohn, are still best known today for works that they composed in their early teens. Conductor Eugene Ormandy said that all his violinists were prodigies, so we end the week with Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov’s Flight of the Bumblebee played by the entire first and second violin sections of the Philadelphia Orchestra. Please enjoy this week of wunderkinder playing the works of wunderkinder.
Wunderkinder – Musical Prodigies, Part II
Playlist
Episode 1
Liszt, Franz: Transcendental Etude No. 3 after Paganini, S. 140, La Campanella (excerpt)
David Helfgott, piano
Brilliantissimo / David Helfgott
RCA 46725
:40
Liszt, Franz: Les Jeux D’Eaux À La Villa D’Este
Claudio Arrau, piano
Claudio Arrau
Phi 456706
8:49
Liszt, Franz: Piano Concerto No. 1 in E-flat, I.
NY Philharmonic/ Bernstein André Watts, piano
Great Pianists Of The 20th Century – Andre Watts
Phi 456985
5:28
Liszt, Franz: Concerto No. 1 In E-Flat, III. Allegro
London Symphony Orchestra/Abbado; Martha Argerich, piano
Piano Concerto No. 1 / Piano Concerto No. 1
DG 415061
3:57
Liszt, Franz: Hungarian Rhapsody No. 11 in A Minor, S. 244
György Cziffra, piano
10 Hungarian Rhapsodies
EMI 67555
5:03
Liszt, Franz: Christus: XIV. Resurrexit
Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra & Slovak Philharmonic Choir/ James Conlon; Krause, baritone; Lindroos, baritone; Marjana Lipovsek, mezzo soprano; Valente, soprano
Christus
Erato 88231
6:51
Liszt, Franz: Transcendental Etude No. 3 after Paganini, S. 140, La Campanella
David Helfgott, piano
Brilliantissimo / David Helfgott
RCA 46725
4:57
Alkan, Charles Valentin: Saltarelle in E Minor, Op. 23
Bernard Ringeissen, piano
Romantic Pieces For Piano – Alkan, Liszt, Prokofiev
Challenge 72154
3:36
Bellini, Vincenzo: Norma: Casta Diva (excerpt)
Scintilla Chamber Orchestra/Adam Fischer; Cecilia Bartoli
Maria
Decca 001639200
3:39
Bellini, Vincenzo: Rataplan
Scintilla Chamber Orchestra/Adam Fischer; Cecilia Bartoli
Maria
Decca 001639200
2:24
Episode 2
Casals, Pau: Sant Marti del Cantigo (excerpt)
Prades Festival Orchestra/ Casals, violoncello
Concerto in A Minor For ‘Cello and Orchestra, Op. 129 / Encores
CBS 4926 (LP)
1:46
Dvorák, Antonín: Concerto for Cello and Orchestra in B Minor, III.
Czech Philharmonic Orchestra/ George Szell; Pablo Casals, violoncello
Dvorak, Elgar: Cello Concertos / Casals, Szell, Boult
EMI 62953
11:45
Walton, William: Cello Concerto, I.
Boston Symphony Orchestra/Charles Münch; Gregor Piatigorsky, violoncello
Cello Concertos
RCA 61498
8:15
Prokofiev, Sergei: Symphony-Concerto in E Minor, Op. 125, III.
Royal Philharmonic/Sir Malcolm Sargent; Mstislav Rostropovich, violoncello
Prokofiev: Symphony-Concerto; Miaskovsky: Cello Concerto
EMI 80012
10:15
Elgar, Edward: Cello Concerto in E Minor, Op. 85, IV.
London Symphony Orchestra/John Barbirolli; Jacqueline Du Pré, violoncello
Impressions
EMI 69707
12:18
Saint-Saëns, Camille: Le Carnaval des Animaux: Le Cygne
Jacqueline du Pré, violin cello; Osian Ellis, harp
The Complete EMI Recordings
EMI 91934
2:49
Sheng, Bright: 7 Tunes Heard in China: Little Cabbage
Yo-Yo Ma, violin cello
Solo
Sony 64114
2:00
Episode 3
Wieniawski, Henryk: Etude Caprice in A Minor, Op. 18/4
Michael Rabin, violin
Michael Rabin 1936-1972
EMI 64123
1:25
Glazunov, Alexander: Violin Concerto in A Minor, Op. 82 III. Allegro
London Philharmonia Orchestra/Lovro von Matacic; Michael Rabin, violin
Michael Rabin 1936-1972
EMI 64123
5:44
Glazunov, Alexander: Caprice No. 1 in E Major, Op. 1
London Philharmonia Orchestra/Lovro von Matacic; Michael Rabin, violin
Michael Rabin 1936-1972
EMI 64123
1:41
Kreisler, Fritz: Caprice Viennois
Hollywood Bowl Symphony Orchestra/ Felix Slatkin; Michael Rabin, violin
Michael Rabin 1936-1972
EMI 64123
4:34
Chaminade, Cecile (arr. Fritz Kreisler): Chanson Serenade
Espagnole, Op. 150 Josef Gingold, violin; Charles H. Webb, piano
The Art Of Josef Gingold – Faure, Kreisler
Music and Arts 286
2:39
Bruch, Max: Violin Concerto No. 1 in G Minor, Op. 26, III.
Academy of St. Martin in The Fields/ Marriner; Joshua Bell, violin
Violin Concertos
Lon 421145
7:28
Beethoven, Ludwig Van: Sonata No. 5 in F Major, Op. 24, Spring, IV.
Pamela Frank, violin; Claude Frank, piano
Beethoven: Sonatas for Violin & Piano
Music and Arts 1143
6:38
Barber, Samuel: Violin Concerto, Op. 14, III.
St. Paul Chamber Orchestra/Hugh Wolff; Hilary Hahn, violin
Barber & Meyer Violin Concertos
Sony 89029
3:22
Vivaldi, Antonio: The Four Seasons: Winter, Finale
New York Sinfonietta/ Goberman; Nadia Koutzen, violin
The Four Seasons, Op. 8
Odyssey 32 16 0132
2:31
Bach, J.S.: Violin Concerto No. 2 In E, BWV 1042, II.
Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra/Pinchas Zukerman; Midori, violin
Double Concertos Violin Concertos
Phi 416389
6:36
arr. Fritz Kreisler: Fantasia on Two Russian Themes, Op. 33 (excerpt)
Josef Gingold, violin; Charles Webb, piano
The Art of Josef Gingold – Faure, Kreisler
Music and Arts 286
1:14
Episode 4
Schubert, Franz: Variation in C minor on a Waltz by Diabelli, D. 718
Michael Endres, piano
Complete Dances for Piano
Capriccio 49242
1:27
Schubert, Franz: Gondelfahrer, D. 808
Matthias Goerne, tenor, Helmut Deutsch, piano
Schubert Lieder Volume 2: An Mein Herz
HM 902004
2:05
Schumann, Clara: Romance No. 3 in B (Leidenschaftlich Schnell)
Isabelle Van Keulen, violin; Ronald Brautigam, piano
Isabelle van Keulen; Ronald Brautigam
Koch 6554
3:06
Bizet, Georges: Symphony in C IV. Allegro Vivace
Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra/ Hugo Wolff
Bizet, Prokofiev, Haydn: Symphonies Nos. 1
Teldec 77309
6:25
Korngold, Erich Wolfgang: Die Tote Stadt
English Chamber Orchestra/Jeffrey Tate; Renée Fleming, soprano
Renée Fleming – The Beautiful Voice
London 458858
6:00
Barber, Samuel: The School for Scandal, Overture, Op. 5
Royal Scottish National Orchestra/ Marin Alsop
Orchestral Works, Vol. 1 – Symphonies Nos. 1 and 2
Naxos 8.559024
8:39
Copland, Aaron: Piano Concerto, 2. Molto Moderato
Seattle Symphony Orchestra/ Gerard Schwarz; Lorin Hollander, piano
Piano Concerto; Appalachian Spring: Symphonic Ode
Delos 3154
9:46
Bach, JS: The Art of Fugue, BWV 1080 – Contrapunctus 9 A4, Alla Duodecima
Glenn Gould, organ
The Art of Fugue
Sony 52595
3:07
Prokofiev, Sergei: Sonata No.7 in B-Flat Major, Op. 83 III. Precipitato
Eldar Djangirov, piano
Bach/ Brahms/ Prokofiev
Motema 116
3:56
Finkel, Ian: The Gypsy Virtuoso (excerpt)
Evelyn Glennie & the Black Dyke Band
Evelyn Glennie Meets The Black Dyke Band- Reflected In Brass
RCA 63234
2:18
Episode 5
Chopin, Frederic: Waltz in A Minor
Alicia de Larrocha, piano
The catalan Piano Tradition
Desmar IPA 109
3:03
Metheny, Pat: Waltz for Ruth
Pat Metheny, guitar; Charlie Haden, double bass
Beyond the Missouri Sky
Verve 537130
4:29
Tao, Conrad: Vestiges – “Upon Waking Alongside Green Glass Bottles”
Conrad Tao, piano
Voyages / Conrad Tao
EMI 344 762
2:20
Rachmaninov, Sergei: Prelude No. 2 In B Flat, Op. 23/2
Conrad Tao, piano
Voyages / Conrad Tao
EMI 344 762
3:27
Debussy, Claude: Sonata for cello and piano, III. Finale
Zara Nelsova, violoncello; Grant Johannesen, piano
Zara Nelsova
CBC PSCD 2018
3:12
Friml, Rudolph: Rose-Marie “Indian Love Call”
Beverly Sills, soprano; Sherrill Milnes, baritone
Beverly Sills And Sherrill Milnes – Up In Central Park
EMI 47203
4:31
Puccini/ Todd: “O Mio Babbino Caro”
Jackie Evancho, soprano
Jackie Evancho
iTunes
2:20
Puccini: Turandot “Nessun Dorma”
Aretha Franklin, soprano
Concert for Darwin
iTunes
3:15
Loewe, Frederick: My Fair Lady “Show Me”
Julie Andrews & Leonard Weir
My Fair Lady
Sony Classic
2:09
Wonder, Stevie: Fingertips
Stevie Wonder
Fingertips
Tamla TM 54080
4:00
Krauss, Alison: Little Liza Jane
Alison Krauss & Union Station
So Long So Wrong
Rounder 0365
1:42
Thomson, Richard: Dimming of the Day
Alison Krauss & Union Station
Paper Airplane
Rounders 0665
5:37
Gershwin, George: Rialto Ripples
Gershwin, George piano
Rhapsody In Blue – Concerto in F – Catfish Row – Rialto Ripples
iTunes
1:53
Gershwin, George & Gershwin, Ira: Mischa-Yascha-Toscha-Sascha
The Funnyboners
iTunes
1:27
Rimsky-Korsakov, Nikolai: Flight of the Bumblebee
Philadelphia Orchestra/ Eugene Ormandy
The Tsar – Greatest Hits
Sony 62683
1:26
