Felicja Blumental
Felicja Blumental was one of the more highly respected pianists of the twentieth century, known for her advocacy of new works, her incisive Mozart interpretations, and for performance of neglected repertory from the early nineteenth century. She was one of the relatively few women born in the first quarter of the twentieth century to have achieved an important career as a concert pianist. She was a gifted child pianist who developed an interest in composing, as well. She studied both composition and piano at the Warsaw Conservatory, the former craft with Karol Szymanowski and the latter with Joseph Goldberg and Zbigniew Drzewiecki. She launched her career as a concert pianist in pre-World War II Poland, when political turmoil and impending war impeded public notice of her unusual talents. She fled her homeland in 1942 and settled in Rio de Janeiro, from where she slowly built her career. She gave her debut concert there that same year and made many extensive tours in South America in 1940s and 1950s. After the war, Blumental was a bit slow to establish connections abroad and thus did not return to European concert stages until 1954, when she made appearances in London (with the London Philharmonic Orchestra), Paris (Orchestre National de France), and Vienna (Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra). The following year, she appeared in several memorable concerts, among the most notable being her 1955 premiere of the Villa-Lobos Piano Concerto No. 5 in London, with the composer conducting. Villa-Lobos had written the work for her (and dedicated it to her) after being favorably impressed the previous year by her performance at a concert in Brazil of his 1938 Bachianas Brasileiras No. 3. The two teamed up to record the concerto with the Vienna Symphony Orchestra in 1955 (taped at sessions just after the premiere), an effort that has been reissued several times. Beginning in the 1960s, Blumental began unearthing neglected compositions from the early nineteenth century, works by Hummel, Czerny, Field, and several others. In many respects, she was instrumental in establishing a climate favorable to the rediscovery of numerous unjustly neglected compositions in the last quarter of the twentieth century. Blumental's talents drew the attention of Krzysztof Penderecki, who became a strong admirer and friend. He composed his 1971 Partita for Harpsichord and Chamber Orchestra for her. She would subsequently record the work for EMI, with the composer conducting the Polish National Radio Symphony Orchestra. Blumental's performing and recording activities also included serving as accompanist to singers and other instrumentalists. She made many appearances with her daughter, Brazilian soprano Annette Celine. The pair collaborated on a memorable recording in 1973 of Chopin's complete songs. Blumental remained quite active in the 1970s and 1980s and appeared with increasing frequency in Israel. She died in Tel-Aviv on December 31, 1991. A music festival was established in her honor in 1999 in Tel-Aviv, the Felicja Blumental International Music Festival, a yearly event that presents mostly classical music in performances by established as well as new artists.
© TiVo
-
Concerto In Brazilian Forms
London Symphony Orchestra, Anatole Fistoulari, Felicja Blumental
Concertmuziek - Released by Brana Records on 23 mei 2006
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Friends & Rivals: Beethoven & Hoffmeister
Wiener Symphoniker, Robert Wagner, Felicja Blumental
Concertmuziek - Released by Brana Records on 23 mei 2006
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Czerny: Piano Concerto in A Minor - Rubinstein: Concertstück
Felicja Blumental, Vienna Chamber Orchestra, Wiener Symphoniker, Helmut Froschauer
Concertmuziek - Released by Vox on 1 jan. 1971
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Piano Concerto In D, Op. 61
Klassiek - Released by Baroque Records on 27 sep. 1968
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Romantic Piano Concertos, Vol. 29
Felicja Blumental, Salzburg Symphony Orchestra, Theodor Guschlbauer
Concertmuziek - Released by Vox on 1 jan. 2015
24-Bit 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Tchaikovsky: Overture 1812, Piano Concerto No. 1, Sérénade mélancolique & Symphonie No. 4 (Mono Version)
Felicja Blumental, Aaron Rosand, Michael Gielen
Divers - Released by BNF Collection on 1 jan. 1960
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Tavares: Concerto in Brasilian Forms No. 2 for Piano and Orchestra - Paderewski: Polish Fantasy On Original Themes (Mono Version)
Felicja Blumental, London Symphony Orchestra, Anatole Fistoulari
Klassiek - Released by BNF Collection on 1 jan. 1960
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Beethoven Piano Concerto Nos. 1 & 2
Concertmuziek - Released by Brana Records on 8 apr. 2011
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Romantic Piano Concertos, Vol. 2
Felicja Blumental, Prague New Chamber Orchestra, Alberto Zedda
Concertmuziek - Released by Vox on 1 jan. 2015
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
The Pupils Of Beethoven
Vienna Chamber Orchestra, Helmut Froschauer, Felicja Blumental
Concertmuziek - Released by Brana Records on 23 mei 2006
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
The Italian Collection, Volume 2
Mozarteum Orchestra of Salzburg, Michiyoshi Inouë, Felicja Blumental
Concertmuziek - Released by Brana Records on 23 mei 2006
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Chopin Polish Songs
Annette Celine, Felicja Blumental
Klassiek - Released by Everest Records on 2 mrt. 1965
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Villa-Lobos: Symphonie No. 4, W 153 & Concerto pour piano No. 5, W 521 (Mono Version)
Orchestre National de France, Heitor Villa-Lobos, Felicja Blumental
Divers - Released by BNF Collection on 1 jan. 1957
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Mendelssohn Songs With and Without Words
Annette Celine, Felicja Blumental
Opera - Released by Everest Records on 2 mrt. 1965
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Romantic Piano Concertos, Vol. 19
Concertmuziek - Released by Vox on 1 jan. 2016
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Schumann: Piano Concerto, Op. 54 - Grieg: Piano Concerto, Op. 16 (Mono Version)
Felicja Blumental, Hans Swarowsky, Pro Musica Orchester Wien
Klassiek - Released by BNF Collection on 1 jan. 1961
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Rachmaninoff: Concerto pour piano No. 2, Op. 18 (Mono Version)
Felicja Blumental, Orchestre de l'association des concerts Colonne, Jean Giardino
Divers - Released by BNF Collection on 1 jan. 1953
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Chopin: Waltzes
Klassiek - Released by Claudio Records on 1 jan. 1959
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Portugese Keyboard Music Vol.2
Klassiek - Released by Claudio Records on 1 jan. 1976
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Portugese Keyboard Music Vol.1
Klassiek - Released by Claudio Records on 1 jan. 1976
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Mozart to Weill
Felicja Blumental, Annette Celine
Kamermuziek - Released by Claudio Records on 1 jan. 1999
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo