MusicWeb International One of the most grown-up review sites around 2024
60,000 reviews
... and still writing ...

Search MusicWeb Here Acte Prealable Polish CDs
 

Presto Music CD retailer
 
Founder: Len Mullenger                                    Editor in Chief:John Quinn             

Some items
to consider

new MWI
Current reviews

old MWI
pre-2023 reviews

paid for
advertisements

Acte Prealable Polish recordings

Forgotten Recordings
Forgotten Recordings
All Forgotten Records Reviews

TROUBADISC
Troubadisc Weinberg- TROCD01450

All Troubadisc reviews


FOGHORN Classics

Alexandra-Quartet
Brahms String Quartets

All Foghorn Reviews


All HDTT reviews


Songs to Harp from
the Old and New World


all Nimbus reviews



all tudor reviews


Follow us on Twitter


Editorial Board
MusicWeb International
Founding Editor
   
Rob Barnett
Editor in Chief
John Quinn
Contributing Editor
Ralph Moore
Webmaster
   David Barker
Postmaster
Jonathan Woolf
MusicWeb Founder
   Len Mullenger

Chopin Banhalmi FR1956
Availability

Frédéric Chopin (1810-1849)
Variations on a German Theme (Posth.)
Nocturne No.20 in C Sharp minor, Lento Con Gran' Espressione
Tarantella in A Flat Op.43
Introduction and Rondo in E Flat Major Op.16
Prelude in A Flat Major (Posth.)
Prelude in C Sharp Minor Op.45
Barcarolle in F Sharp Major Op.60
Variations Brillantes Op.12
Bolero Op.19
George Banhalmi (piano)
rec. June 1957, New York
FORGOTTEN RECORDS FR1956 [53]

As with the majority of their releases, Forgotten Records don’t supply any notes with this disc, and neither does the internet yield much information about the pianist on this recording, George Banhalmi. What little I have gleaned is here. He was a Hungarian, born in Budapest in 1926. He studied at the Franz Liszt Academy of Music, where his teachers included Zóltan Kódaly, Béla Ambroczy, János Ferencsik, János Viski, and Leó Weiner. He was a laureate of the Queen Elisabeth of Belgium competition in 1956. That same year, during the Hungarian uprising against Soviet control, he left Hungary and settled in the United States. He taught for many years at the Music Center of the North Shore (now the Music Institute of Chicago), in Winnetka, Illinois and died in 1985. He was also a composer. A Chicago Tribune obituary said of him: ''He loved the romantics, particularly Liszt and Bartók. He had a broad repertoire and was a brilliant pianist with a reputation for playing difficult pieces and performing them well.''

What I find attractive about this disc is that Banhalmi has included some less well known Chopin piano works rather than opting for a recital consisting of wall to wall familiar and popular repertoire. Three of the rarities are new to me: Variations On A German Theme (Posth.), Prelude A Flat Major (Posth.) and Variations brillantes on 'Je vends des scapulaires' from Hérold's Ludovic in B flat major, Op 12. Granted, they’re not masterpieces, but it’s good to be acquainted with them and hear them from time to time. The Introduction and Rondo E Flat Major Op.16 I did know. There’s a marvellous film of Horowitz performing it in his living room in 1974, and whilst Banhalmi doesn’t have quite the range of colour and dynamics that Horowitz possesses, it’s a riveting performance nevertheless. The Variations brillantes on 'Je vends des scapulaires' from Hérold's Ludovic in B flat major, Op 12 is an early work of shallow brilliance from 1833. It’s base on a melody from an opera by Hérold and Halévy.

The Bolero, which closes the disc, showcases Banhalmi’s technical virtuosity in spectacular fashion. He dispatches it with relish, and his glittering finger work is something to behold. The Tarantelle, likewise has the requisite dazzling moments. The Barcarolle is invested with poise and elegance, and certainly doesn’t fall short on poetry.

All in all, this is an enjoyable disc by a pianist who seems no longer to be on the radar. Forgotten Records’ transfers do the recording full justice. I wouldn’t mind hearing more from this pianist.

Stephen Greenbank



Advertising on
Musicweb


Donate and keep us afloat

 

New Releases

Naxos Classical
All Naxos reviews

Hyperion recordings
All Hyperion reviews

Foghorn recordings
All Foghorn reviews

Troubadisc recordings
All Troubadisc reviews



all Bridge reviews


all cpo reviews

Divine Art recordings
Click to see New Releases
Get 10% off using code musicweb10
All Divine Art reviews


All Eloquence reviews

Lyrita recordings
All Lyrita Reviews

 

Wyastone New Releases
Obtain 10% discount

Subscribe to our free weekly review listing