Five Degrees of Separation

A program about teachers and students – about how teachers pass on technique and musicianship, but also about how they use stories about their own teachers to pass on the spirit of a musical life.

As a young pianist, Michael Tilson Thomas studied with John Crown, who’d studied with Moritz Rosenthal, the last student of Liszt, who’d studied with Czerny, who’d studied with Beethoven. In this program, MTT explores what it takes to be a great teacher, and takes us backward in time to hear the stories passed down through five generations of great pianists. Included are interviews with pianist and Liszt expert Garrick Ohlsson, and with pianist Ralph Grierson, a fellow student of John Crown.

Playlist

(If no performer is listed, piece performed by San Fransisco Symphony and Michael Tilson Thomas.)

Schubert: Sonata in A minor, Op. 143,
Allegro vivace (1957 at Capitol Records, with slate)
John Crown
(personal collection of the family)

Debussy: La danse de Puck (1957 at Capitol Records, with slate)
John Crown
(personal collection of the family)

Chopin: Etude, Op. 10, No. 1 (1957 at Capitol Records, with slate)
John Crown
(personal collection of the family)

George Tremblay: Prelude and Dance
John Crown
(personal collection of Ralph Grierson)

John Crown on “The Enchanted Keyboard”(1940’s Armed Forces Radio Services broadcast)
(personal collection of Ralph Grierson)

John Crown Radio Lecture of Franz Liszt
(1958-59)
(personal collection of Ralph Grierson)

Stravinsky: “The Rite of Spring” for piano duet
Michael Tilson Thomas and Ralph Grierson
(Angel S-36024 – LP)

Chopin: Etude in G-flat, Op. 10/5 (Black key) (HMV recording)
Moriz Rosenthal
Appian CDAPR 7002

Chopin: Prelude, Op. 28, No. 3 in G (HMV recording)
Moriz Rosenthal Appian
CDAPR 7002

J. Strauss/Rosenthal: New Carnaval de Vienne (HMV recording)
Moriz Rosenthal Appian
CDAPR 7002

Liszt: Mephisto Waltz
Earl Wild
Vanguard Classics OVC 4035

Liszt: Gnomenreigen
Earl Wild
Vanguard Classics OVC 4035

Czerny: The Art of Finger Dexterity, Op. 740, Articulation of the finger with quiet hand
Francesco Libetta
(VAI Audio 1241)

Czerny: The Art of Finger Dexterity, Op. 740, Agility and clarity
Francesco Libetta
(VAI Audio 1241)

Czerny: Variations brillantes, Op. 14
Stephen Hough, piano
Virgin Classics 7243 5 61498 2 3

Beethoven: Piano Sonata No. 29 in B-flat, Op. 106 (“Hammerklavier”)
Garrick Ohlsson
Arabesque 26736

Beethoven: Fantasy in G minor, Op. 77
Jonathan Biss
(EMI 7243 5 85894 2 9)

Beethoven: Fantasy in G minor, Op. 77
Melvyn Tan, forte piano
(EMI CDC 7 54526 2)

Beethoven: Choral Fantasy in C, Op. 80, Adagio
Helene Grimaud/Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra & Choir/Salonen
Deutsche Grammophon B0001732-02

Beethoven: Choral Fantasy in C, Op. 80, Adagio
Melvyn Tan, forte piano/London Classical Players/Norrington
(EMI CDC 7 49965 2)

Beethoven: Two Preludes Through All Major Keys, Op. 39
(each goes from C through all the sharp keys, back through all the flat keys)
Jeno Jando Naxos 8.553798

Beethoven: Piano Sonata No. 32 in C minor, Op. 111
Mitsuko Uchida
Phillips B0006379-02

 

Other episodes

Program 1: You Call That Music?!
Program 2: What Does America Sound Like? — Part 1
Program 3: What Does America Sound Like? — Part 2
Program 4: Igor Stravinsky’s Copyright Blues
Program 5: The Last Virtuoso
Program 6: Freud and the Ballet
Program 7: We Were Playing Boulez, But We Were Listening To James Brown!
Program 8: Five Degrees of Separation

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