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FRANCE ELLEGAARD (1913-1999)
Danish pianist
Though hardly know in the United States, France Ellegaard was a successful concert pianist in Europe. She specialized in the French and other impressionist composers, was awarded the French Médaille des Arts, Sciences et Lettres in 1933, and later taught piano at the Sibelius-Akademiein Finland.
Her playing demonstrates an enviable clarity and control. Hear her performance of "La Campanella" and Daquin's "Le Coucou". Hell, listen to them all. In each case her supreme musicality is based on an unhurried ability to play technical complexities while giving each note the tonal attention it requires.
Why the name of France Ellegaard is not on the lips of every lover of exquisite pianism is a complete mystery to me. Yes, there are suspicions of her having been pro German during WWI, but I don't see anyone hiding his collection of Strauss and Wagner operas in the closet. Nor is praise for the art of Mengelberg and Flagstad withheld for attitudes that are way beyond suspect.
Couperin "Soeur Monique"
recorded in 1950
Daquin "Le Coucou"
Scarlatti Sonatas
recorded in 1942
in D minor, K 9
in C major, K 159
Mozart Piano Sonata 18 in D major, K 576
i Allegro - 3:41 ➢ ii Adagio - 8:16 ➢ iii Allegretto
recorded in 1942
Chopin Nocturnes
2 in E♭ major, Op 9~2
recorded in 1947
4 in F major, Op 15~1
recorded in 1942
Chopin Étude in E major, Op 10~3
recorded in 1943
Chopin Étude in G♯ minor, Op 25~6
recorded in 1942
Chopin Prelude in D♭ major, Op 28~15
recorded in 1942
Chopin Impromptus
recorded in 1947
1 in A♭ major, Op 29
4 in C♯ minor, Op posth (Op 66) "Fantaisie-Impromptu"
Chopin Polonaise in A major, Op 40
recorded in 1943
Chopin Waltzes
5 in A♭ major, Op 42
recorded in 1942
6 in D♭ major, Op 64~1 "Minute"
recorded in 1947
Liszt Etude de Paganini 3 "La Campanella"
recorded in 1953
Liszt "Liebestraum" 3 in A♭ major
recorded in 1953
Franck Prélude, Chorale et fugue
recorded in 1947
Prélude & Chorale
Fugue
Brahms Waltz in A♭ major, Op 39~15
recorded in 1942
Fauré Romance sans paroles, Op 17~3
recorded in 1942
Nielsen Chaconne, Op 32
recorded in 1953
de Falla Ritual Fire Dance
recorded in 1953
Ibert Le petit âne blanc
recorded in 1947
For those of you who enjoy murder mysteries, here is my first with a strong musical polemic as background
Murder in the House of the Muse
which is also available as an audiobook.
And this is the more recently published second mystery in the series:
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