One of the most persistent questions that musicians ask themselves while practicing a piece is the inevitable query of how the composer himself might have performed his music. There are many written reports on how the old masters such as Bach, Mozart, and Beethoven may have played or improvised; and there are lines of teacher/pupil relationships which can trace their lineage back to the pianistic greats such as Liszt, but still we have to imagine the sound since we cannot actually hear it.
This changed in the 20th century with Edison's invention of the recording machine. Since then, several composers have left us an extensive catalogue of recorded performances, most notably Edward Elgar, Igor Stravinsky, and Benjamin Britten. Others like Olivier Messiaen, Heitor Villa-Lobos, and William Walton have left us significant, although limited, editions. All too many, however, have left us a mere fraction of their output and it was in an attempt to bring these recordings to the record-buying public that EMI Classics is releasing this Composers in Person boxed set. These 22 CDs offer a stunning range of modern composers performing their own works either on the piano, organ or violin, or else from behind the podium. The set includes greats such as Holst, Prokofiev, Messiaen, Shostakovich, Britten, and Stravinsky, along with lesser known but equally talented luminaries like Medtner, Roussel, Pfitzner, Widor, and more!
A fascinating study for musicians and musicologists, as well as an excitingly varied selection of modern music for collectors!
