Last Recordings: 10 Great Pianists’ Swan Song

I chose the last recording of 10 great pianists. Many of the recordings are a few days or even weeks before the pianists leave the world. Some knew it was probably a farewell recording, some didn’t. What is a “swan song“? Swan Song: “A metaphorical phrase for a final gesture, effort, or performance given just before death or retirement. The phrase refers to an ancient belief that swans sing a beautiful song just before their death since they have been silent (or alternatively not so musical) for most of their lifetime. The belief, whose basis has been long debated, had become proverbial in ancient Greece by the 3rd century BC and was reiterated many times in later Western poetry and art.“ 1. Vladimir Horowitz. Horowitz’s final recordings in November 1989, four (4) days before his death. 00:00 Horowitz - Bach/Liszt - Weinen, Klagen, Sorgen, Zagen 05:20 Horowitz - Wagner/Liszt - Isoldes Liebestod from Tristan und Isolde 2. Glenn Gould. Gould’s final recording in early September 1982, a month before his death. 12:00 Gould - Richard Strauss Sonata for Piano in B Minor, Op. 5: II. Adagio cantabile 3. Elly Ney. The recording is from 1968, I don’t remember the exact date, but as I remember it was a few weeks before Ney’s death. 18:45 Elly Ney - Beethoven Sonata 29 “Hammerklavier“, Adagio 4. Walter Gieseking. Gieseking’s final recording in 18 October 1956, eight (8) days before his death. I heard that Gieseking actually recorded a Beethoven sonata the day before his death and was unable to complete that sonata recording, but I have not seen that unfinished recording anywhere. 37:02 Gieseking - Chopin Barcarolle 5. Wilhelm Backhaus - This is a recording from his last recital in June 28 1969. He gets really bad when he’s on stage and he predicts he’s probably going to die. He was hospitalized after the recital and died a week later. 46:20 Backhaus - Improvised prelude, and Schumann Des Abends from Fantasiestücke. 6. Emil Gilels. This is a recording from his last recital, in March 18 1984. 50:24 Gilels - Schumann Symphonic Studies, Movement I and II 7. Dinu Lipatti. This is a recording from his last recital, in September 16 1950. He was seriously ill at this time, he died less than 3 months later. 57:35 Lipatti - Schubert Impromptu in G-Flat Major 8. Benno Moiseiwitsch. This is a recording from his last concert in 6 March 6 1963, he died less than a month later. 1:02:38 Moiseiwitsch - Beethoven Piano Concerto No. 5 - II. Adagio un poco mosso 9. Konstantin Igumnov. These recordings are from the 1947 recital. He was seriously ill at this time, and he died than 3 months later. 1:09:55 Igumnov - Lyadov - Prelude in B minor, Opus 11 No. 1 1:12:30 Igumnov - Tchaikovsky “Aveu passionné“ Source of these two records: @pianopera 10. Sergei Rachmaninoff. Rachmaninoff’s final recordings in February 27 1942. Rachmaninoff fell seriously ill shortly after these recordings and was unable to play the piano. He died about a year later. 1:15:17 Rachmaninoff - Schubert Serenade, from Schwanengesang (“Swan Song“, D. 957 (arr. Franz Liszt)