Alfred Grünfeld
Born the son of a Prague leather merchant, pianist and composer Alfred Grünfeld was regarded at the end of his life as one of Vienna's most celebrated musicians, having for years served as court keyboardist for the Austrian Imperial family.
Grünfeld was born in 1852; his parents guided both him and his cellist brother, Heinrich, toward lives as professional musicians from early childhood. In his teens, Grünfeld went to Berlin to study piano with the renowned Theodor Kullak. He moved to Vienna -- then Europe's unchallenged cultural pearl -- in 1873 and set about making a living teaching and performing. His cream-puff transcriptions of Johann Strauss' waltzes made him a favorite with the Viennese public, and he also included these works on his programs when touring abroad. As a composer, Alfred Grünfeld limited himself to piano showpieces, characteristic sketches and to operetta, the latter genre being represented by two items: Der Lebemann (1903) and Die Schönen (1907). Even by the standards of his own time, Alfred Grünfeld's compositions were appropriate for their intended audience, but unremarkable beyond that.
The same is not true in terms of Grünfeld's activity as a pioneer recording artist. Grünfeld was the first pianist of significance to leave behind a sizable legacy of recordings, both on early discs and on Welte piano rolls. Alfred Grünfeld's first recordings were made in 1899 for Emile Berliner's newly-formed Deutsche Grammophon Gesellschaft label, and by the time Grünfeld made his last records in 1914 he had made more than a hundred. Original copies of Grünfeld's records exchange hands at significant rates, and not all of the titles he is known to have made are believed extant. Grünfeld's recordings reveal that he was an outstanding pianist, and not nearly as stylistically old hat as his compositions might have suggested on their own.
© TiVo
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Johann Strauss II: Transcriptions & Paraphrases for Solo Piano
Classical - Released by APR on 23 Nov 1999
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
The Welte Mignon Mystery, Vol. 21
Classical - Released by TACET Musikproduktion on 5 Feb 2021
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
The Piano G & Ts, Vol. 2: Recordings from the Gramophone & Typewriter Era (Recorded 1900-1907)
Alfred Grünfeld, Raoul Pugno, Natalia Maria Cecylia Janotha
Classical - Released by APR on 1 May 1997
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
J.S. Bach: 6. Gavotte
Classical - Released by Deutsche Grammophon (DG) on 19 Oct 1911
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Grieg: 4. Little Bird
Classical - Released by Deutsche Grammophon (DG) on 1 Jan 1907
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Schubert: Fantasy on Schubert's "Wohin?" and "Die Forelle" (Arr. Grünfeld)
Classical - Released by Deutsche Grammophon (DG) on 1 Jan 1905
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Paderewski: Menuet célèbre No. 1
Classical - Released by Deutsche Grammophon (DG) on 1 May 1909
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Moszkowski: 2. Guitarre
Classical - Released by Deutsche Grammophon (DG) on 19 Oct 1911
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Grieg: 3. I Love You
Classical - Released by Deutsche Grammophon (DG) on 1 Jan 1907
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Chopin: Mazurka No. 4 in B Minor
Classical - Released by Deutsche Grammophon (DG) on 19 Oct 1911
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Grünfeld: Piano Pieces, Op. 53: 5. Capriccio
Classical - Released by Deutsche Grammophon (DG) on 1 May 1909
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Grünfeld: Ungarische Fantasie, Op. 55
Classical - Released by Deutsche Grammophon (DG) on 26 Oct 1910
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Schubert: Impromptu No. 2 in E-Flat Major
Classical - Released by Deutsche Grammophon (DG) on 19 Oct 1911
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Brahms: 16 Waltzes, Op. 39: No. 6, 7, 8 & 15
Classical - Released by Deutsche Grammophon (DG) on 26 Oct 1910
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Grünfeld: 4. Sérénade espagnole
Classical - Released by Deutsche Grammophon (DG) on 10 May 1912
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Grünfeld: Paraphrase on J.Strauss's Cinderella Waltz
Classical - Released by Deutsche Grammophon (DG) on 29 Apr 1913
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Grünfeld: 3. Etude à la tarentelle
Classical - Released by Deutsche Grammophon (DG) on 19 Oct 1911
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Grünfeld: Polka No. 3 in F
Classical - Released by Deutsche Grammophon (DG) on 19 Oct 1911
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Grünfeld: Gavotte in E-Flat Major, Op. 32
Classical - Released by Deutsche Grammophon (DG) on 19 Oct 1911
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Chopin: Waltz No. 2 in A Minor
Classical - Released by Deutsche Grammophon (DG) on 1 Jan 1907
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Grünfeld: Impromptu, Op. 23
Classical - Released by Deutsche Grammophon (DG) on 30 Apr 1913
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo