Erich Wolfgang Korngold plays his own piano fantasy on themes from his opera Die tote Stadt, with the celebrated Pierrots Tanzlied as the centrepiece. Conductors and Baritones would do well to observe his tempi in this aria. He makes it a genuine waltz song.

This was recorded in a single take, and improvised, on the spot, without a score (according to Marcel Prawy, who produced the recording). Korngold's piano playing is unique. Listen to his wonderful tonal range, to the way he incorporates numerous orchestral details within the overall texture and the skill with which he deploys the most seductive rubato without once losing the basic 3/4 metre.

This rare recording reminds me of the following statement, made by the great conductor Bruno Walter in his autobiography:-

"The experience of hearing the young Korngold play (and sing) for me.....I shall never forget. One might have compared his interpretation of his own works on the piano to the eruption of a musico-dramatic volcano, were it not that the lyrical episodes and graceful moments also found their insinuating expression in his playing."

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