Alexander Brailowsky (16 February 1896 – 25 April 1976) was a Russian-born French pianist who specialised in the works of Frédéric Chopin. He was a leading concert pianist in the years between the two World Wars.
Brailowsky was born in Kiev, then part of the Russian Empire, to a Jewish family, and as a boy, he studied piano with his father, a professional pianist. When he was 8, he studied in Kiev with Vladimir Puchalsky, a pupil of Theodor Leschetizky. At the age of 18, he attended Kiev Conservatory, graduating with a gold medal in 1911. He went on to study with Leschetizky in Vienna until 1914, then with Ferruccio Busoni in Zürich, and finally with Francis Planté in Paris. He became a French citizen in 1926.
Careeredit
Brailowsky made his concert debut in Paris in 1919.
Brailowsky programmed all 160 piano pieces by Frédéric Chopin for playing in a series of six concerts. In 1924, he gave a recital in Paris of the complete cycle of the works of Chopin, the first in history, using the composer's own piano for part of the recital. He then went on to present a further thirty cycles of Chopin's music in Paris, Brussels, Zurich, Mexico City, Buenos Aires and Montevideo. A highly successful world tour followed.[1] Brailowsky's American debut was at Aeolian Hall in New York City in 1924.
He toured the United States in 1936. During a series of nineteen recitals in Buenos Aires, he never repeated a single work.
During World War II, he gave recitals for the USO. In 1960, he played the Chopin cycle again in Paris, and in Brussels in honor of the 150th anniversary of Chopin's birth.
Between 1925 and 1930 he recorded at least twenty three works for the Ampico reproducing pianos, preserving his earliest recorded legacy in this medium.
Brailowsky's first audio recordings were produced in Berlin from 1928 to 1934 and released on 78 rpm discs. In 1938, he recorded in London for HMV. Later discs were produced for RCA Victor and, in the 1960s, for CBS. Besides his huge output of Chopin, his repertoire also included Rachmaninoff, Saint-Saëns, Liszt, Debussy and others.
Deathedit
Brailowsky died in New York City at the age of 80 from complications brought on by pneumonia and was survived by his wife Felicia Brailowsky who died in 1993. He and his wife are buried on the Mount Judah Cemetery in Ridgewood, Queens.[2][3][4]
Techniqueedit
Brailowsky said that the technique used to play Chopin's music should be "fluent, fluid, delicate, airy, and capable of great variety of color."
Brower, Harriette (January 2003). . Dover. p. 224. ISBN0-486-42781-1. Archived from the original on 2011-07-25. Retrieved 2010-08-16.
External linksedit
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Alexander Brailowsky.
All Music
Interview with Felicia Karzmar Brailowsky, ca. 1982
January 01, 1970
alexander, brailowsky, february, 1896, april, 1976, russian, born, french, pianist, specialised, works, frédéric, chopin, leading, concert, pianist, years, between, world, wars, brailowsky, 1965, contents, early, life, career, death, technique, selected, recor. Alexander Brailowsky 16 February 1896 25 April 1976 was a Russian born French pianist who specialised in the works of Frederic Chopin He was a leading concert pianist in the years between the two World Wars Brailowsky in 1965 Contents 1 Early life 2 Career 3 Death 4 Technique 5 Selected recordings 6 References 7 External linksEarly life editBrailowsky was born in Kiev then part of the Russian Empire to a Jewish family and as a boy he studied piano with his father a professional pianist When he was 8 he studied in Kiev with Vladimir Puchalsky a pupil of Theodor Leschetizky At the age of 18 he attended Kiev Conservatory graduating with a gold medal in 1911 He went on to study with Leschetizky in Vienna until 1914 then with Ferruccio Busoni in Zurich and finally with Francis Plante in Paris He became a French citizen in 1926 Career editBrailowsky made his concert debut in Paris in 1919 Brailowsky programmed all 160 piano pieces by Frederic Chopin for playing in a series of six concerts In 1924 he gave a recital in Paris of the complete cycle of the works of Chopin the first in history using the composer s own piano for part of the recital He then went on to present a further thirty cycles of Chopin s music in Paris Brussels Zurich Mexico City Buenos Aires and Montevideo A highly successful world tour followed 1 Brailowsky s American debut was at Aeolian Hall in New York City in 1924 He toured the United States in 1936 During a series of nineteen recitals in Buenos Aires he never repeated a single work During World War II he gave recitals for the USO In 1960 he played the Chopin cycle again in Paris and in Brussels in honor of the 150th anniversary of Chopin s birth Between 1925 and 1930 he recorded at least twenty three works for the Ampico reproducing pianos preserving his earliest recorded legacy in this medium Brailowsky s first audio recordings were produced in Berlin from 1928 to 1934 and released on 78 rpm discs In 1938 he recorded in London for HMV Later discs were produced for RCA Victor and in the 1960s for CBS Besides his huge output of Chopin his repertoire also included Rachmaninoff Saint Saens Liszt Debussy and others Death editBrailowsky died in New York City at the age of 80 from complications brought on by pneumonia and was survived by his wife Felicia Brailowsky who died in 1993 He and his wife are buried on the Mount Judah Cemetery in Ridgewood Queens 2 3 4 Technique editBrailowsky said that the technique used to play Chopin s music should be fluent fluid delicate airy and capable of great variety of color Selected recordings editChopin The Fourteen Waltzes Columbia MS 6228 Chopin The Complete Mazurkas Vol 1 Columbia Chopin The Complete Mazurkas Vol 2 Columbia A Chopin Recital Columbia MS 6569 Chopin Nocturnes Vol 1 Chopin Nocturnes Vol 2 Chopin Polonaises Columbia Chopin The 24 Preludes Columbia MS 6119 Chopin Concerto No 1 in E Minor Op 11 Chopin The Complete Etudes RCA Chopin Concerto No 1 Liszt Todtentanz Columbia Brailowsky Plays Liszt RCA LM1772 Liszt 15 Hungarian Rhapsodies Rachmaninoff Piano Concerto No 2 RCA Schumann Etudes Symphoniques RCA Chopin Sonata in B Minor Op 58 HMV DB 3701 Chopin Waltzes Volume 1 Op 18 Op 34 Nos 1 2 and 3 Op 42 Op 64 Nos 1 2 and 3 Victor Red Seal Records M863 References edit Jean Pierre Thiollet 88 notes pour piano solo Solo nec plus ultra Neva Editions 2015 p 52 ISBN 978 2 3505 5192 0 Felicia Ela Brailowsky 1908 1993 Find a www findagrave com Retrieved 2023 09 26 Alexander Brailowsky Jewish Genealogy Jewish Cemeteries Jewish Tombstones Jewish History jewishdata com Retrieved 2023 09 26 Mount Judah Cemetery Chmelnicker Society Brower Harriette January 2003 Piano Mastery The Harriette Brower Interviews Dover p 224 ISBN 0 486 42781 1 Archived from the original on 2011 07 25 Retrieved 2010 08 16 External links edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Alexander Brailowsky All Music Interview with Felicia Karzmar Brailowsky ca 1982 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Alexander Brailowsky amp oldid 1213334447, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
