subject of the exposition. He made discs of Tchaikovsky’s Humoreske, Balakirev’s
Mazurka no. 3, Liadov’s Musical Snuff Box, Mendelssohn’s Scherzo in E minor, the
Wagner/Liszt Spinning Song and his own Gavotte opus 3. His playing was crisp, natural
and melodious.
Emil von Sauer (1862-1942) was a German pianist and composer and Liszt pupil. He
recorded a number of Liszt rolls and, towards the end of his life, recorded both Liszt
piano concertos on disc.
Xaver Scharwenka (1850-1924) was a German pianist and composer. He met Liszt at
fairly regular intervals during the 1870s and 1880s and often travelled down to Weimar to
mix in Liszt’s circle. He attended Liszt’s masterclasses at Weimar in 1884 but does not
seem to have performed at them. His roll of Liszt’s Ricordanza shows his playing to
have been refined and musical. He recorded his famous Polish Dance in E flat minor on
disc and roll.
Ernest Schelling (1876-1939) was an American pianist. He was a pupil of Paderewski
and even outdid his teacher’s use of arpeggiata. He made rolls of the Liszt Sonata, some
of the Chopin nocturnes, and a number of his own compositions. His playing in his roll
of the Chopin etude opus 25 no. 3 in F major treated it extremely musically.
Artur Schnabel (1882-1951) was an Austrian pianist, composer, teacher and editor. He
studied piano with Theodor Leschetizky and composition with Eusebius Mandyczewski
who was a friend of Brahms. He specialised in the performance of the piano music of
Beethoven, Schubert and Brahms. At the time the Schubert piano sonatas were not
widely known and Schnabel helped to make them better known. He was the first pianist
to record the complete Beethoven Sonatas and his playing was based on a scholarly
analysis of the original sources and a reluctance to accept piano playing ‘traditions’. His
elaborately footnoted edition of the Beethoven Sonatas was celebrated in its day and is
still highly regarded. He also recorded the five Beethoven piano concertos. Schnabel’s
tempos in the fast movements of the Beethoven Sonatas tended to be on the fast side and
in the slow movements on the slow side. Schabel’s playing overall was noted for its
intellectuality and spiritual profundity and it contained no nineteenth century mannerisms.
Alexander Siloti (1863-1945) was a Russian/American pianist, of Italian ancestry, and
was a Liszt pupil. He did not make any commercial discs but made two Liszt rolls.
Solomon (1902-1988) was an English pianist. He was regarded in his day as one of the
leading performers and recording artists especially of the works of Beethoven. His
playing had precision and clarity and was devoid of mannerisms. He made a wonderful
disc of the Chopin Berceuse. His career was unfortunately cut short by illness.
Benhard Stavenhagen (1862-1942) was a German pianist and composer and was a Liszt
pupil. He did not make any discs, except possibly a Chopin disc since lost. He made a
number of Liszt rolls in which his playing was rhythmically free and contained many
mannerisms.