William Kapell discography

William Kapell (September 20, 1922 – October 29, 1953) was an American classical pianist who recorded for RCA Victor.

Recordings

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Many of Kapell's recordings were originally issued as 78RPM records. Some were issued on LP, but by 1960, all of Kapell's commercial recordings were out of print. RCA reissued Beethoven's Concerto No. 2 and Prokofiev's Concerto No. 3 on LP in the early 1970s, and bootlegged copies of the commercial recordings and unlicensed recordings of live performances circulated among collectors.

In the 1980s, RCA Victor released two compact discs of Kapell's recordings, including the Prokofiev Third and Khachaturian Piano Concerto, and an all-Chopin disc.

A nine CD survey, The William Kapell Edition, released by RCA Victor in 1998 contains all of the pianist's authorized recordings with that label, several previously unreleased tracks, and an interview. The set sold well internationally and sparked a revival of interest in Kapell's artistry.

In 1999 Philips Classics included Kapell's studio performances of Prokofiev and Rachmaninov with Antal Doráti in Dallas, and William Steinberg and Fritz Reiner in Philadelphia along with the solo studio performances of works by Albéniz, Bach, Chopin and Liszt as part of their 200-CD Great Pianists of the 20th Century set.

In addition, recordings taken from radio broadcasts of live performances have been issued on several labels, including Kapell ReDiscovered, which documents his final appearances.

Discography

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The listing below contains only compact disc releases and does not contain 78rpm, LP, cassette, or 8-track cartridge releases.

Year of issue Album title and details Recording date(s) Record label
2008 Kapell ReDiscovered – The Australian Broadcasts (2 CDs)
  • Rachmaninoff: Piano Concerto No. 3 in D minor, Op. 30
  • Traditional: God Save the King
  • J. S. Bach: Suite in A minor, BWV 818
  • Mussorgsky: Pictures at an Exhibition
  • Mozart: Piano Sonata in B-flat major, K. 570
  • Chopin: Barcarolle, Op. 60 / Nocturne in E-flat major, Op. 55, No. 2 / Scherzo in B minor, Op. 20
  • Prokofiev: Piano Sonata in B-flat major, Op. 83
  • Debussy: Suite bergamasque
1953 RCA
1998 William Kapell Edition, Volume 1
  • Chopin: Twenty-nine Mazurkas
1951–1952 RCA
1998 William Kapell Edition, Volume 2
  • Chopin: Sonata in B-flat minor, Op. 35 / Sonata in B minor, Op. 58 / Waltz in E-flat major, Op. 18 / Nocturne in B-flat minor, Op. 9, No. 1
  • Mendelssohn: Song without Words in B minor, Op. 67, No. 5
  • Schumann: Romance in F-sharp major, Op. 28, No. 2
  • W. A. Mozart: Piano Sonata in C major, K. 545
1945–1953 RCA
1998 William Kapell Edition, Volume 3 1944–1951 RCA
1998 William Kapell Edition, Volume 4 1945–1949 RCA
1998 William Kapell Edition, Volume 5
  • Beethoven: Piano Concerto No. 2 in B-flat major, Op. 19
  • Schubert: Moment Musical No. 3 in F minor, D. 780, No. 3 / Four Waltzes from D. 145 / Two German Dances from D. 783 / Waltz, D. 365, No. 34 / Two Ländler, D. 734
  • Schumann: Romance in F-sharp major, Op. 28, No. 2
  • Brahms: Intermezzo in E major, Op. 116, No. 6
  • Liszt: Sonetto 104 del Petrarcha, S. 161, No. 5 / Hungarian Rhapsody No. 11 in A minor, S. 244 / Mephisto Waltz, S. 110, No. 2
1945–1953 RCA
1998 William Kapell Edition, Volume 6
  • J. S. Bach: Suite in A minor, BWV 818 / Partita in D major, BWV 828
  • D. Scarlatti: Sonata in E major, K.380
  • W. A. Mozart: Adagio from Piano Sonata in B-flat major, K. 570
  • Albeniz: Evocación from Iberia, Book 1
  • Chasins: Piano Playtime: No. 1, By the Brook; No. 5: Dancing Bagpipes; No. 6, Tricky Trumpet
  • Debussy: Children's Corner Suite
  • Palmer: Toccata ostinato
1945–1953 RCA
1998 William Kapell Edition, Volume 7
  • Brahms: Sonata for Violin and Piano in D minor, Op. 108
  • Brahms: Sonata for Viola and Piano in F minor, Op. 120, No. 1
  • Rachmaninoff: Sonata for Cello and Piano in G minor, Op. 19
1947–1950 RCA
1998 William Kapell Edition, Volume 8

Frick Collection Recital – March 1, 1953

  • Copland: Piano Sonata
  • Chopin: Nocturne in E-flat major, Op. 55, NO. 2 / Mazurka in C major, Op. 33, No. 3 / Polonaise-Fantasie, Op. 61
  • Mussorgsky: Pictures at an Exhibition
  • Schumann: Of Foreign Lands and People from Kinderszenen, Op. 15
  • D. Scarlatti: Sonata in E major, K. 380
1953 RCA
1998 William Kapell Edition, Volume 9

An Artist at Work

  • Fragments
  • Alternate Takes
  • Interview
RCA
2000 William Kapell in Performance 1949–1953 Music & Arts
1997 Kapell in Recital
  • Beethoven: Largo and Rondo from Piano Concerto No. 3 in C minor, Op. 37
    • National Orchestral Association/Leon Barzin, conductor
  • Piano Concerto No. 1 in C minor, Op. 35
  • Mussorgsky: Pictures at an Exhibition

J. S. Bach: Nun komm der Heiden Heiland (arr. Busoni)

1937–1951 Arbiter
1996 Pearl
2002 Unissued Broadcasts 1944–1951 Music & Arts
1994 Broadcast Performances, Volume 1 1945–1948 VAI Audio
1995 Broadcast Performances, Volume 2
  • Debussy: Children's Corner
  • Liszt: Hungarian Rhapsody in D-flat major, S. 244, No. 6 / Hungarian Rhapsody in A minor, S. 244, No. 11
  • Mussorgsky: Pictures at an Exhibition
  • W. A. Mozart: Piano Sonata in B-flat major, K. 570
  • J. S. Bach: Allemande and Courante from Partita in D major, BWV 828
1942–1953 VAI Audio

References

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