Emanuel Feuermann (2nd Nov. 1902 – 25th May 1942) was the most important cellist of his time – perhaps even of the entire 20th century. His sudden death at age 39, presumably as a result of medical malpractice, shocked the entire music world. Toscanini and Ormandy, Serkin, Schnabel, Elman and Hubermann carried his coffin. The high esteem for Feuermann is still unanimous: “A talent of the century” (Jascha Heifetz), “The greatest cellist of all time” (Arthur Rubinstein). For the first time in this 10-CD set, the recordings reach from the beginnings in Berlin to the last test pressing (V. Herbert). Neither tape nor vinyl LPs existed yet, only the fragile shellac record with a playing time of three to seven minutes per side. Entire concerts had to be spread over several discs, nothing could be changed or repaired. That is why this set only presents live originals. Feuermann was a prodigy, debuted in Vienna at the age of 11 (Brahms’ double concerto), received a teaching position at the Cologne Conservatory at the age of 16, and ten years later a professorship at the Hochschule in Berlin. As a Jew, he was laid off by the Nazis in 1933, performing in Europe, in Japan (1934 and 36) and in the United States, where he finally settled in 1938.

CD 1

Johannes Brahms (1833 1897)
DOUBLE CONCERTO FOR VIOLIN AND CELLO IN A MINOR, OP. 102
Doppelkonzert fur Violine und Cello, a-Moll, op.102
1. I. Allegro 1423
2. II. Andante 641
3. Vivace non troppo Poco meno allegro 738

Jascha Heifetz violin
Emanuel Feuermann cello
Philadelphia Orchestra
conductor / Dirigent Eugene Ormandy
recorded / aufgenommen Dec. 1939

TRIO FOR PIANO, VIOLIN AND CELLO No. 1 IN B MAJOR, OP. 8
Trio fur Klavier, Violine und Cello Nr. 1, H-Dur, op. 8
4. I. Allegro con brio 852
5. II. Scherzo: Allegro molto Trio: Meno allegro 546
6. III. Adagio 708
7. IV. Finale: Allegro 539

Arthur Rubinstein piano
Jascha Heifetz violin
Emanuel Feuermann cello
recorded / aufgenommen Sep. 1941
Total Time 56’16

CD 2

Antonn Dvok (1841 1904)
CELLO CONCERTO IN B MINOR, OP. 104
Konzert fur Cello und Orchester, h-Moll, op. 104
1. I. Allegro 1212
2. II. Adagio ma non troppo 1037
3. III. Allegro moderato Andante Allegro vivo 1037
Emanuel Feuermann cello
Orchester der Berliner Staatsoper (Staatskapelle)
conductor / Dirigent Michael Taube
recorded / aufgenommen April 30, 1928 / Sept. 29, 1929
first recording of this concert

alternative takes:
4. Allegro (conclusion) 359
5. Adagio ma non troppo (beginning) 750
Emanuel Feuermann cello
recorded / aufgenommen Jan. 27 and April 30, 1928

6. II. Adagio ma non troppo 1140
Emanuel Feuermann cello
Orchestra Frank Black
recorded / aufgenommen ca. 1940/41
Total Time 57’04

CD 3

Richard Strauss (1864 1949)
DON QUIXOTE, OP. 35
Fantastic Variations on a Theme of a Knightly Character
Fantastische Variationen uber ein Thema ritterlichen Charakters
1. Introduction / Einleitung 533
2. Theme / Thema: Don Quixote, the Knight 201
of the Sorrowful Countenance
Don Quixote, der Ritter von der traurigen Gestalt
3. Variation I: The Adventure with the Windmills 230
Der Kampf mit den Windmuhlen
4. Variation II: The Battle with the Sheep 127
Der Kampf mit der Hammelherde
5. Variation III. Dialogue of Knight and Squire 728
Dialog zwischen Don Quixote und Sancho Pansa
6. Variation IV: The Adventure with the Penitents 150
Das Abenteuer mit der Buerprozession
7. Variation V: The Knights Vigil / Des Ritters Nachtwache 401
8. Variation VI: The False Dulcinea / Die falsche Dulcinea 102
9. Variation VII: The Ride Trough the Air / Der Ritt durch die Lufte 101
10. Variation VIII: The Adventure of the Enchanted Boat 139
Fahrt auf dem verzauberten Nachen
11. Variation IX: The Combat with the Two Magicians 106
Kampf gegen vermeintliche Zauberer
12. Variation X: The Defeat of Don Quixote by the Knight 356
of the White Moon / Der Zweikampf mit dem
Ritter vom blanken Mond und die Niederlage Don Quixotes
13. Final / Finale: The Death of Don Quixote / Don Quixotes Tod 442
Emanuel Feuermann cello Philadelphia Orchestra
conductor / Dirigent Eugene Ormandy recorded / aufgenommen Feb. 24, 1940
Total Time 3820

CD 4

Ernest Bloch (1880 1959)
1. SCHELOMO 1936
Hebrew Rhapsody for orchestra / Hebrische Rhapsodie
Emanuel Feuermann cello
Philadelphia Orchestra
conductor / Dirigent Leopold Stokowski
recorded / aufgenommen March 27, 1940

Max Bruch (1838 1920)
2. KOL NIDREI, OP. 47 828
Emanuel Feuermann cello
Orchester der Berliner Staatsoper (Staatskapelle)
conductor / Dirigent Frieder Weissmann
recorded / aufgenommen ca. 1928

Johann Sebastian Bach (1685 1750)
SUITE No. 3 IN C MAJOR / C-DUR, BWV 1009
3. Sarabande & Bourres I, II 642
ADAGIO IN A MINOR / A-MOLL (arr. Siloti / Casals)
4. Take I 331
5. Take II 330
6. Take III 326
Emanuel Feuermann cello Franz Rupp piano (3-6)
recorded / aufgenommen Aug. 1939, New York (3-6)
Total Time 45’33

CD 5

Franz Schubert (1797 1828)
ARPEGGIONE SONATA IN A MINOR, D. 821
Arpeggione-Sonate, a-Moll, D. 821
1. I. Allegro moderato 711
2. II. Adagio 413
3. III. Allegretto 703

Emanuel Feuermann cello
Gerald Moore piano
recorded / aufgenommen June 29/30, 1937

TRIO FOR PIANO, VIOLIN AND CELLO No 1 IN B FLAT MAJOR, D. 898
Trio fur Klavier, Violine und Cello Nr. 1, B-Dur, D. 898
4. I. Allegro moderato 1020
5. II. Andante un poco mosso 754
6. III. Scherzo: Allegro 529
7. IV. Rondo: Allegro vivace 815

Arthur Rubinstein piano
Jascha Heifetz violin
Emanuel Feuermann cello
recorded / aufgenommen Sep. 13, 1941
Total Time 50’34

CD 6

Ludwig van Beethoven (1770 1827)
CELLO SONATA No. 3 IN A MAJOR, OP.69
Sonate fur Cello und Klavier Nr. 3, A-Dur, op. 69
1. I. Allegro ma non tanto 912
2. II. Scherzo: Allegro molto 314
3. III. Adagio cantabile 144
4. IV. Allegro vivace 518

Emanuel Feuermann cello
Myra Hess piano
recorded / aufgenommen June 28/29, 1937

STRING TRIO (SERENADE) IN D MAJOR, OP. 8
Streichtrio (Serenade), D-Dur, op. 8
5. I. Marcia: Allegro Adagio 717
6. II. Menuetto (Allegretto) & Trio 209
7. III. Adagio Scherzo (Allegro molto) Adagio Allegro Adagio 433
8. IV. Allegretto alla polacca 310
9. V. Andante quasi allegretto (Variazioni) Marcia (Allegro) 817

Szymon Goldberg violin
Paul Hindemith alto / Viola
Emanuel Feuermann cello
recorded / aufgenommen Jan. 22, 1934, London (1-9)
Total Time 45’01

CD 7

Ludwig van Beethoven (1770 1827)
1. SEVEN VARIATIONS IN E FLAT MAJOR ON MOZARTS 855
BEI MNNERN, WELCHE LIEBE FHLEN
FROM THE MAGIC FLUTE
Sieben Variationen, Es-Dur, uber Bei Mnnern,
welche Liebe fuhlen aus Die Zauberflte (Mozart)
Emanuel Feuermann cello Theo van der Pas piano
recorded / aufgenommen July 11, 1934

TRIO FOR PIANO, VIOLIN AND CELLO No. 7 IN B FLAT MAJOR, OP. 97
Trio fur Klavier, Violine und Cello, B-Dur, op. 97 (Archduke/Erzherzog)
2. I. Allegro moderato 1145
3. II. Scherzo: Allegro 613
4. III. Andante cantabile ma pero con moto 1020
5. IV. Allegro moderato 607
Arthur Rubinstein piano Jascha Heifetz violin Emanuel Feuermann cello
recorded / aufgenommen Sept. 12/13, 1941

Georg Friedrich Hndel (1685 1759)
6. ADAGIO & ALLEGRO 723

Carl Maria von Weber (1786 1826)
7. ANDANTINO 424
Emanuel Feuermann cello Franz Rupp (6) Gerald Moore (7) piano
recorded / aufgenommen 1936
Total Time 55’26CD 8

Joseph Haydn (1732 1809)
CELLO CONCERTO IN D MAJOR, OP. 101
Konzert fur Cello und Orchester, D-Dur, op.101
1. I. Allegro moderato 1424
2. II. Adagio 532
3. III. Rondo: Allegro 517
Emanuel Feuermann cello Symphony Orchestra
conductor / Dirigent Malcolm Sargent recorded / aufgenommen Nov. 25, 1935

Giovanni Sgambati (1841 1914)
4. SERENATA NAPOLETANA 318

Gabriel Faur (1845 1924)
5. APRS UN RVE (arr. Casals) 246
recorded / aufgenommen Sept. 12/13, 1941

Frdric Chopin (1810 1849)
6. INTRODUCTION ET POLONAISE BRILLANTE 851
Emanuel Feuermann cello Franz Rupp (5, 6) Theo van der Pas (4) piano
recorded / aufgenommen 1939 (5, 6) 1936 (4)

Victor Herbert (1859 1924)
CELLO CONCERTO No. 2
7. Slow Movement / Langsamer Satz 428
Emanuel Feuermann cello Albert Hirsch piano
probably Feuermanns last recording
Total Time 44’59

CD 9

The Japanese Recordings

Pjotr I. Tchaikovsky (1840 1893)
1. Valse sentimentale, Op. 15/6 222

Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy (1809 1847)
2. Spring Song / Fruhlingslied, Op. 62/6 222

Benjamin Godard (1849 1895)
3. Berceuse / Wiegenlied 324

Robert Schumann (1810 1856)
4. Zigeunerleben, Op. 29/3 316

Franz Schubert (1797 1828)
5. Serenade / Stndchen 328

William Thomas Wrighton (1816 1880)
6. Her Bright Smile Haunts Me Still 303

Camille Saint-Sans (1835 1921)
7. The Swan / Der Schwan (from Le Carnaval des Animaux) 200

Giuseppe Valentini (1681 1753)
8. Gavotta e Allegro 302

Anton Rubinstein (1829 1894)
9. Melody in F, Op. 3/1 232

Frdric Chopin (1810 1849)
10. Nocturne in Eb, Op. 9/2 413

Ernest Bloch (1880 1959)
11. Prayer (No. 1 from Jewish Life) 330
12. Kojo no Tsuki (Taki) 309
13. Karatachi no Hana (Yamada) 330
14. Nabora (Yamada) 310
15. Ojoro Takashima (Yamada) 323
Emanuel Feuermann cello
Wolfgang Rebner (1-11) Fritz Kitzinger (12-15) piano
recorded / aufgenommen 1936 (1-11) 1934 (12-15)
Total Time 46’39

CD 10

Pablo de Sarasate (1844 1908)
1. Zapateado 333

Isaac Albeniz (1860 1909)
2. Tango 212

Karl J. Davidoff (1838 1889)
3. At the Fountain / Am Springbrunnen 333
Emanuel Feuermann cello
Teddy Saidenberg (1) Gerald Moore (2) Franz Rupp (3) piano
recorded / aufgenommen 1936-40

BONUS
DON QUIXOTE , OP. 35
Fantastic Variations on an Theme of a Knightly Character
Fantastische Variationen uber ein Thema ritterlichen Charakters
Richard Strauss (1864 1949)
4. Introduction / Einleitung Theme / Thema 3930
Vatriations / Variationen 1-10 Final / Finale
Emanuel Feuermann cello Carlton Cooley alto / Viola
NBC Symphony Orchestra conductor / Dirigent Arturo Toscanini
recorded / aufgenommen 1938, Live
Total Time 48’58