Louis Moreau Gottschalk (1829-1869)
Solo Piano Music

Le Bananier/The Banana Tree, RO 21
Souvenir de Porto-Rico, RO 250
Bamboula, RO 20
Le Banjo, RO 22
Danza, RO 66
Pasquinade/Caprice, RO 189
Union: Paraphrase on National Themes, RO 269
Le dernier espoir/The Last Hope, RO 133
Sixth Ballade, RO 14
Le poete mourant/The Dying Poet, RO 75

Noel Lee, piano
Recorded in Paris, 1984
Warner Apex 61183 [56:46]

Composer: Gottschalk was an adventurer, traveler, and womanizer.
Female audience members would swoon at his piano recitals, and it is
fair to say that Gottschalk led a more exciting life than most folks.
Essentially, he was the the first piano star of the United States.  If
he was alive today, his portrait would be adorning many magazine covers.

Musical Style: Pianists tend to use one of two styles in playing
Gottschalk's music.  One way is to emphasize the early American experience
of exploration, territorial acquisition, and the quest for greater stature
in the world community.  Cecile Licad's recording on Naxos is a perfect
example of this approach with sharp rhythms, fast tempos, and wide changes
in dynamics.  We can refer to the second style as European in nature
with much warmth and sensuality; Philip Martin's series of Gottschalk
piano recordings for Hyperion well reflects this approach.

Reviewer's Preference: This reviewer definitely prefers the early
American style epitomized by Licad.  The visceral excitement afforded
by this style is astounding, and the approach is alive with the American
personality before and during Gottschalk's era.  Further, it also
represents the adventurous nature of the composer.

Noel Lee's Performance Style: Neither adventurous nor sensuous, Lee's
interpretations possess no particular style unless we would call 'dry
and clinical' a viable style.  His readings never take flight, rhythms
are on the rigid side, and changes in dynamics are minimal compared to
the better recordings on the market.  Listening to the disc, I wonder
why Lee had any interest in Gottschalk at all.

Recommendation: Pass by this disc and head directly to the Licad.  If
you prefer your Gottschalk on the suave side, Martin's recordings should
do the trick.

P.S.: Involved in a sexual scandal in California, Gottschalk fled to
South America and eventually died there of malaria at the age of 40 -
another good reason to do your cooking close to home.

Don Satz
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