Mischa Levitzky (1898-1941) (also spelled Levitzki) was a leading American pianist of
his day, made numerous transcriptions and composed a number of attractive salon pieces.
Levitzky studied piano in Warsaw with Aleksander Michalowski, making his début at the
age of eight in Antwerp. He studied from 1906 until 1911 at the Institute of Musical Art
in New York, where he was a pupil of Sigismund Stojowski. Levitzky completed his
piano studies in 1915 at the Berlin High School for Music, working with Ernst von
Dohnányi, where he received the Mendelssohn Prize. By this time he had performed
throughout Europe and Scandinavia. He made his American début in New York in 1916,
then made his permanent home in the United States and later became an American citizen.
Levitzky gave concerts worldwide up until the time of his death. He made a roll of his
composition ‘The Enchanted Nymph’ in which his playing had great charm, a degree of
melody anticipation and a Viennese waltz lilt. He made a number of discs. Because he
died in his early forties, at a time when America was pre-occupied with the Second
World War, he was largely forgotten after his death.
Georg Liebling (1865-1946) was a German pianist and Liszt pupil. He made a Liszt disc
and two Liszt rolls, the Hungarian Rhapsody no. 4 and the Waltz from Faust. He
probably performed this rhapsody at a Liszt masterclass on 10 August 1885. Both
performances are very free and full of mannerisms.
Nicholas Medtner (1880-1951) was a Russian/English pianist and composer. He
recorded a number of his own compositions on roll and disc. They show no mannerisms.
Sophie Menter (1846-1918) was a German pianist and was one of Liszt’s two celebrated
female pupils, the other being Vera Timanoff. Menter did not make any discs but made a
number of Liszt rolls, including a roll of the Liszt/Mendelssohn ‘On Wings of Song’ in
which she used a noticeable degree of melody delaying.
Aleksander Michalowski (1851-1938) was a Polish pianist and was one of the first
pianists to record on disc. He was taught by Ignaz Moscheles (Beethoven’s disciple and
friend of Mendelssohn and Chopin) and Carl Reinecke, and then by Carl Tausig (Liszt’s
greatest pupil). He later sought advice on Chopin interpretation from Chopin’s pupil Carl
Mikuli and also from Liszt (who enthusiastically endorsed his performance of Chopin).
Michalowski spent most of his life as a teacher in Warsaw. He taught Wanda Landowska,
Mischa Levitsky and Vladimir Sofronitsky and also gave some lessons to Heinrich
Neuhaus. In 1905 he made discs of the Chopin A major Polonaise and C minor Prelude,
the Schubert/Liszt Soirées de Vienne, and of his paraphrase of the ‘Minute’ Waltz. In the
Schubert/Liszt he captures the subtle Viennese lilt, displays his virtuosity, and at one
point uses arpeggiata several times.
José Vianna da Motta (1868-1948) was a Portuguese pianist, editor and Liszt pupil. He
made Liszt discs and Liszt rolls and a roll of Chopin’s Scherzo in E major which was
sensitively played.