JOSEPH HAYDN (1732–1809)
1 Fantasia in C major, Hob.XVII:4°
WOLFGANG AMADEUS MOZART (1756–1791)
2 Minuet in D major, KV 355°
3 Gigue in G major, KV 574°
LUDWIG VAN BEETHOVEN (1770–1827)
4–6 Piano Sonata No. 26 in E flat major, Op. 81a ‘Les Adieux’*
FRANZ SCHUBERT (1797–1828)
7 Impromptu in F minor, D.935 (Op. 142) No. 1*
8–10 Piano Sonata in A major, D. 664 (Op. 120)*
FELIX MENDELSSOHN (1809–1847)
Lieder ohne Worte*
Songs without Words
11 Book I No. 1 in E major, Op. 19 No. 1 ‘Sweet Remembrance’
12 Book VIII No. 3 in C major, Op. 102 No. 3 ‘Children’s Piece’
13 Book VIII No. 4 in G minor, Op. 102 No. 4 ‘The Sighing Wind’
14 Book V No. 3 in E minor, Op. 62 No. 3 ‘Funeral March’
15 Book II No. 6 in F sharp minor, Op. 30 No. 6 ‘Venetian Gondola Song’
16 Book VI No. 4 in C major, Op. 67 No. 4 ‘Spinning Song’
ROBERT SCHUMANN (1810–1856)
17–29 Kinderszenen, Op. 15*
Albert Ferber, piano
*FIRST CD RELEASE ON DECCA
°PREVIOUSLY UNPUBLISHED
Recording Producers: unknown (Haydn, Mendelssohn, Schumann); Terence Gibbs (Mozart, Beethoven, Schubert)
Balance Engineers: unknown (Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven, Mendelssohn, Schumann); Arthur Lilley (Schubert)
Recording Location: Decca Studios, West Hampstead, London, UK, 19 December 1945 (Mozart), 17 July 1946 (Beethoven), 27 May 1946 (Schubert), 8 May 1947 (Haydn), 28-30 May 1951 (Mendelssohn, Schumann)
Transfers and Audio Restoration: Mark Obert-Thorn
‘Not another keyboard-racer, but a pianist of outstanding musical quality … a very warm-hearted and intimate performance of Beethoven’s beautiful sonata … Albert Ferber is very successful at catching the changing moods of the music … His scale passages are beautifully even and his singing tone is a joy.’ Gramophone, March 1947 (Beethoven)
‘His feathery touch in the last movement is delightful … and there are some lovely moments in the slow movement and a fine feeling for the delicate harmonic clashes which are one of [the sonata’s] most beautiful features.’ Gramophone, October 1948 (Schubert)
‘[Ferber] produces some beautiful tonal gradations; that he is not wanting in feeling may be seen in the admirably handled Träumerei.’ Gramophone, March 1952 (Schumann)