I just love how seriously the pianist approaches the theme even though we’re dealing with very simple music. Well-thought-out dynamics, phrasing, accentuation and rubato, it’s all there.
Moritz Moszkowski: 1854-1925 Alexander Moszkowski: 1851-1934 Composition year (according to IMSLP): 1896 Carl Czerny: 1791-1857 Muzio Clementi: 1752-1832 J.S. Bach: 1685-1750 Johannes Brahms: 1833-1897 Carl Maria von Weber: 1786-1826 Frédéric Chopin: 1810-1849 Anton Rubinstein: 1829-1894 Franz Liszt: 1811-1886 I wanted to document this because I just think it's so wonderful how amazing these composers' styles were captured before the digital age. Granted, Bach's variation is essentially _just_ a fugue and Chopin's variation is more of a "Theme in the style of Chopin's Heroic Polonaise", but still, this is incredible.
Thanks for putting this on RU-vid. I heard it on Radio 3 some 15 - 20 years ago when they had a "Moszkowski Day" and never managed to track it down, having missed the "Anton Notenquetscher" reference. It's a pity we don't hear MM played much nowadays. He was popular with audiences in his time, but not critics.
Haha Brahms and his overly complicated 3:2 rhythms and awkward jumps and descending-broken chords or interval-sequences. What is missing is his eighth note syncopations, though.
Just wanted to say that I think some may be missing the point of the Chopin variation; my guess is that Moszkowski noticed that the opening three notes of the theme mimic the "Holz-auk-tion" bar of the theme, and inserted the arpeggio bar beforehand to link back to "Im Grunewald, im Grunewald". Hence, as some have stated, the otherwise quite literal cribbing of the Polonaise gains in comedic value - I'm sure that Moszkowski could have written an original variation in the style of Chopin if he thought it would fit better. In any case, I'd missed this piece when I tried to listen to all of Moszkowski's works a few years ago, so thank you very much for uploading this score-video!
Thank you for uploading this. Classical Music has lost its sense of humor, therefore I haven't heard this set of parody-cal variations in over 50 years. If Moszkowski only included one Schumann style in this set...! - BTW, the title means "In Grunewald, in Grunewald, there's a lumber auction going on", and "Notenquetcher" means "[music-]Note Squeezer"!
I would’ve loved a more original interpretation of Chopin. I’m sure Moszkowski is capable of a beautiful variation in the Chopin style but this is a little unoriginal
Heh, in Norway this theme (although the part after bar 8 has been exchanged with a new one to finish off the verse) is used in an old, very well known Christmas song. (Not an explicitly religious one, it's about the Norwegian equivalent of Santa Claus.)
It's also literally the first notes of the Brazilian anthem, which precede these pieces by a few decades. Who knows, mere coincidence or another reference for the parodies?
Brilliant throughout, though I would've laughed more had "Chopin" been a sentimental slow nocturne, with such a ridiculous charming polka tune like this.
