Abbey Simon
An enduring artist, Abbey Simon enjoyed a lengthy career as both concert pianist and teacher; although less well-known by the general public than more widely publicized performers, he made a strong showing on recordings, especially for the Vox label. He specialized in works of the Romantic and early 20th century periods, notably those by Chopin, Schumann, Rachmaninov, and Ravel. In addition to an active performing career, Simon distinguished himself as a pedagogue at several institutions and was the founder of a prestigious international piano competition.
Simon was born in New York on January 8, 1920. After private studies, he was awarded a scholarship to the Curtis Institute by the legendary pianist Josef Hofmann; he trained there from 1932 to 1940. Among his teachers were David Saperton (son-in-law of Leopold Godowsky), Harold Bauer (a pianist rooted in the Romantic tradition, but modern in his approach to questing after the essence of the printed score), and Dora Zaslavsky. In 1940, he won the Walter W. Naumburg Foundation Award, an honor that led to his New York recital debut at Town Hall. Simon played several Carnegie Hall recitals before undertaking his first European tour in 1949. There, as he put it, he "found himself" and initiated the process of refining his approach to the works he performed. Subsequent tours took him to many parts of the world, including South Africa, South America, Australia, and the Middle East.
A variety of honors followed, among them the National Orchestral Award, the Elizabeth Sprague Coolidge Award, and the Harriet Cohen Medal. Critics approved of his virtuosity and conscientious musicianship. The New York press routinely offered such comments as "Phenomenal! Control of near-miraculous order" and "One of the finest, most hypnotic virtuoso techniques of the day." Beginning in 1960, Simon held several academic posts and proved himself an effective and sensitive teacher. From 1960 to 1974, he was a faculty member at Indiana University, and then he held dual positions at Juilliard School of Music and the University of Houston, where he was a Cullen Distinguished Professor at the University's Moores School of Music. Simon established the International Piano Festival at the school, an event that offered recitals by prominent pianists, including Simon himself, master classes, and conversation lunches.
Simon's performances reflected, to a considerable degree, the balance between force and clarity learned under Bauer. While his was a generous, virtuosic technique, a thoughtful side kept in check any impulse toward excess or bombast. Reviewing Simon's all-Chopin Carnegie Hall recital in 1999, critic Allan Kozinn noted that the event served as a reminder that "there is also a coolly rational side to his pianism." An extensive discography, including such labels as EMI, Philips, and especially Vox, kept Simon's name before those of the public who may not have heard him in concert. The complete piano works of Ravel, complete recordings of works for piano and orchestra by Chopin and Rachmaninov, as well as numerous solo works by Schumann, Chopin, Saint-Saëns, Brahms, and Paganini. Simon died in Geneva on December 18, 2019.
© Erik Eriksson /TiVo
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Discographie
19 album(s) • Trié par Meilleures ventes
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Rachmaninoff: Piano Concertos Nos. 1 & 4 & Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini, Op. 43 (Remastered 2023)
Abbey Simon, St. Louis Symphony Orchestra, Leonard Slatkin
Musique concertante - Paru chez Vox le 1 janv. 1978
24-Bit 192.0 kHz - Stereo -
Rachmaninoff: Piano Concerto No. 2 in C minor, Op. 18 & Piano Concerto No. 3 in D minor, Op. 30 (2023 Remastered Version)
Abbey Simon, Leonard Slatkin, Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra
Classique - Paru chez Vox le 24 mars 2023
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Chopin: Piano Concerto No. 2, Rondo à la Krakowiak & Variations on "Là ci darem la mano" (Remastered 2024)
Abbey Simon, Hamburg Symphony Orchestra, Heribert Beissel
Classique - Paru chez Vox le 1 janv. 1973
24-Bit 192.0 kHz - Stereo -
Chopin: Piano Concerto No. 1, Fantasy on Polish Airs & Andante spianato and Grande polonaise brillante (Remastered 2024)
Abbey Simon, Hamburg Symphony Orchestra, Heribert Beissel
Musique concertante - Paru chez Vox le 26 janv. 2024
24-Bit 192.0 kHz - Stereo -
Ravel: Complete Music for Solo Piano
Classique - Paru chez Vox Box le 1 janv. 1990
9 de Répertoire5 de Diapason16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Chopin: Complete Nocturnes
Classique - Paru chez Vox Box le 1 janv. 1995
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Piano Concerto No. 2 in C Minor, Op. 18 (2023 Remaster)
Abbey Simon, Leonard Slatkin, Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra
Classique - Paru chez Vox le 7 avr. 2023
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Ravel: Complete Works for Orchestra, Vol. 2
Abbey Simon, Minnesota Orchestra, Luxembourg Radio Orchestra, Stanisław Skrowaczewski, Louis De Froment
Classique - Paru chez Vox Box le 1 janv. 1991
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Ravel: Complete Works for Orchestra, Vol. 1
Abbey Simon, Minnesota Orchestra, New Hungarian Quartet, Luxembourg Radio Orchestra, Stanisław Skrowaczewski, Louis De Froment
Classique - Paru chez Vox Box le 1 janv. 1991
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Piano Concerto No. 3 in D minor, Op. 30 (2023 Remaster)
Abbey Simon, Leonard Slatkin, Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra
Classique - Paru chez Vox le 7 avr. 2023
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Chopin: Sonatas, Scherzos, Ballades, Impromptus, Berceuse & Barcarolle
Classique - Paru chez Vox Box le 1 janv. 2001
4 étoiles du Monde de la Musique9 de Répertoire16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Chopin: Complete Works for Piano & Orchestra
Abbey Simon, Hamburger Symphoniker, Heribert Beissel
Classique - Paru chez Vox Box le 1 janv. 1990
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Chopin: Complete Études & Waltzes
Classique - Paru chez Vox Box le 1 janv. 1996
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Rachmaninoff: Piano Concertos Nos. 1-4 & Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini
Abbey Simon, Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra, Leonard Slatkin
Classique - Paru chez Vox Box le 1 janv. 1990
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Schumann: Carnaval, Op. 9 & Fantasie in C Major, Op. 17
Classique - Paru chez Allegretto le 1 janv. 1995
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Grieg: Concerto pour piano, Op. 16 (Mono Version)
Abbey Simon, Willem van Otterloo, Het Residentie Orkest
Divers - Paru chez BNF Collection le 1 janv. 1954
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Brahms: Variations pour piano sur un thème de Paganini, Op. 35 & Variations et fugue pour piano sur un thème de Handel, Op. 24 (Mono Version)
Classique - Paru chez BNF Collection le 1 janv. 1955
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Grieg: Concerto pour piano, Op. 16 (Mono Version)
Abbey Simon, Willem van Otterloo, Het Residentie Orkest
Divers - Paru chez BNF Collection le 1 janv. 1954
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Paganini Variations, Vol. 2
Jerome Rose, Peter Frankl, Abbey Simon
Classique - Paru chez Vox le 1 janv. 2003
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo