Shura Cherkassky, born in Odessa in the Crimea in 1909 (according to other sources in 1911), is unquestionably one of the most spirited pianists of the 20th century. Even in old age he did not seem to lose his effortless power. His extensive repertoire reached beyond styles and times. He loved to concertize, remained a lifelong traveler. At home in the musical capitals of all countries from 1928 until the beginning of World War II, after the end of the war he began to concentrate his performances with preference on Europe. He was often called a piano or sound magician when he took on the works of Liszt or Chopin, for example, with virtuosity and spontaneity. "Faithfulness to the original" was never his sole standard. In this he resembled his teacher, the great Josef C. Hofmann, at whose Curtis Institute in Philadelphia he studied after his family had found a new home in the USA in 1923. Previously, he had been taught by his mother, who had completed her piano studies with a diploma from the Petersburg Conservatory. Cherkassky gave his first public concert as a nine-year-old, and the discrepancy about his year of birth possibly results from an effort to preserve his "child prodigy" status for as long as possible. At the very least, his childlike joy in playing remained with him throughout his life and is still audible today in the legacy of his recordings.
Reviews
"The whole world of this artist is beautifully experienced in this collection. The technical preparation is impeccably done, so that, with the exception of the last recordings designated as historical, one does not notice their age. At least for friends of the artist and also of the piano, a worthwhile collection is offered here." (Pizzicato)
以下为对购买帮助不大的评价