February 13 - Leopold Godowsky (The Musical Birthday Series, 4th Annual Cycle)

Previous posts for February 13th are here: Eileen Farrell (2020), Dale Wood (2021), and Feodor Chaliapin (2022)

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Leopold Godowsky Sr. (13 February 1870 – 21 November 1938) was a Lithuanian-born American pianist, composer and teacher.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Three Studies on Godowsky's Chopin Arrangements

The Studies on Chopin's Études are a set of 53 arrangements by Godowsky which are renowned for their technical difficulty. Two of the studies even combine two études.  – adapted from Wikipedia

Medice, cura te ipsum

If pianists go into conniptions

When faced with Godowsky’s transcriptions,

They should call their physician

And report their condition

And should ask for a batch of prescriptions.

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Infra dig

Godowsky, who adroitly combined

The etudes of Chopin, entwined

Two etudes in one,

Which is plenty of fun,

But his taste in this case was maligned.

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Ne plus ultra

“These etudes by Chopin aren’t tough enough

To challenged our technical stuff enough;

And so I’ll expand

The skills they demand

To ensure that we'll all huff and puff enough!”

 

 

 

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