Russian born Leff Pouishnoff (1891–1959) studied piano in St Petersburg with Annette Essipov but settled in the UK after the revolution where he became particularly renowned as a Chopin player. His earlier Columbia recordings reveal a brilliant technique and a penchant for fast tempi, but perhaps most interesting is his premiere recording of Schubert’s G major Sonata. The set includes several of the pianist’s own compositions and closes with his late recording of the variations by his composition teacher Glazunov.

This is the first time his complete 78rpm recordings have been reissued and is the only currently available recording of his work. The set is completed with a representative sample from the single LP and EP he made for Saga shortly before his death. Research into these Saga recordings for this project uncovered a mysterious case of fraud which cannot yet be fully explained. All the details are revealed in the booklet.

Contents:

CD 1:
The Columbia acoustics 1922–1923
1. Bach/Saint-Saëns - Overture, BWV29
2. Beethoven/Saint-Saëns - Chorus of Dervishes
3. Schubert/Pouishnoff - Ballet music from ‘Rosamunde’
4. Chopin - Étude, Op.25/9
5. Chopin - Étude, Op.10/4
6. Liszt - Gnomenreigen, S145/2
7. Debussy - Arabesque in G major
8. Glazunov - Polka, Op.42/2
9. Rachmaninov - Humoresque, Op.10/5
10. Pouishnoff - Quand il pleut
11. Pouishnoff - Petite valse
12. Pouishnoff - Music box
The Columbia electrics 1926–1929
13. Schubert/Pouishnoff - Ballet music from ‘Rosamunde’
14. Schubert/Godowsky - Moment musical, Op.94/3
15-18. Schubert - Piano Sonata, Op.78
19. Schubert - Impromptu, Op.142/2
20. Liszt - Waldesrauschen, S145/1
21. Liszt - Gnomenreigen S145/2

CD 2:
The Columbia electrics 1926–1929 (cont.)
1. Albéniz/Godowsky - Tango, Op.165/2
2. Saint-Saëns/Godowsky - The Swan (previously unpublished)
3. Paderewski - Caprice, Op.14/3
4. Glazunov - Polka, Op.42/2
5. Rachmaninov - Prelude in B flat major, Op.23/2
6. Rachmaninov - Polichinelle, Op.3/4
7. Grainger - Shepherd’s Hey
The HMV recordings 1948
8. Chopin - Étude, Op.25/1
9. Chopin - Étude, Op.25/2
10. Chopin - Mazurka, Op.30/4
11. Chopin - Nocturne, Op.32/1
12. Chopin - Waltz, Op.34/1
The Saga recordings 1958
13. Chopin - Nocturne, Op.9/2
14. Chopin - Berceuse, Op.57
15. Chopin - Barcarolle, Op.60
16. Chopin - Fantaisie-Impromptu, Op.66
17. Glazunov - Theme and Variations, Op.72