Thaddeus Kozuch - concert pianist, teacher, lecturer, scholar, composer ... a "Brilliant Piano Virtuoso"
Long Overdue thanks and credit is acknowledged for Joseph Stefanits' discovery and help obtaining the RTF broadcast recordings by Thaddeus Kozuch in Paris from 1960.
Iberia is considered one of the most challenging works for the piano. From a New York Times article in 1988: "There is really nothing in Isaac Albeniz's Iberia that a good three-handed pianist could not master, given unlimited years of practice and permission to play at half tempo. But there are few pianists thus endowed."
Albéniz
Thaddeus Kozuch performed the music of several Spanish and Latin American composers.
The music of Albéniz was a particular favorite.
Some recordings of the same music are provided to show differences in musical interpretation over the years, or when several recordings are available but it was just too difficult to pick only one.
El Puerto
( book one )
VIDEO: Isaac Albéniz - El Puerto
Iberia is a suite of 12 peices for piano composed by the Spanish composer Isaac Albéniz between 1905 and 1909. It is arranged in four books of three pieces each.
El Puerto from Iberia Book One is performed here by pianist Thaddeus Kozuch in his home studio ...
... on March 25th, 1989 when he was 76 years old.
Evocación
( book one)
VIDEO: Isaac Albéniz - Evocación
Evocación from Iberia Book One was one of Thaddeus Kozuch's favorite works. Here it is performed in his home studio on April 1st, 1989 when he was 76 years old.
Without missing a note, Mr. Kozuch is joined later (3:52) by his Siamese cat "Smokey", who adds a few meows to the music (it was indeed April Fools' Day). Afterwards, Kozuch asks "isn't this a beautiful work, this last one?" and comments that the work is "rarely done".
Triana
( book two )
VIDEO: Isaac Albéniz - Triana
Triana from Iberia Book Two is performed here by pianist Thaddeus Kozuch in his home studio on April 1st, 1989 when he was 76 years old. Listening to Triana reminds us:
​
Iberia is considered one of the most challenging works for the piano. From a New York Times article in 1988: "There is really nothing in Isaac Albeniz's Iberia that a good three-handed pianist could not master, given unlimited years of practice and permission to play at half tempo. But there are few pianists thus endowed."
​
( Video note: A minor VCR tape source glitch has been repaired )
Bartók
Thaddeus Kozuch performed the music of a number of 20th century composers including this favorite, the challenging 1926 Piano Sonata of Bartók.
Unfortunately, the only recording we have was made by a DePaul University music school student auditorium technician who did not know how to manage the volume control. As such, this exceptional 1969 faculty recital performance was captured with too much tape distortion. We have edited the audio quality as best we can.
Now this 1969 powerful performance is preserved as a testament to Kozuch's musicality and brilliant technique.
The 1926 Bartók Sonata is "knuckle buster" as Thaddeus Kozuch would jokingly say.
Sonata
(1926)
Beethoven
Although Thaddeus Kozuch often performed Beethoven's music, we have a limited number of his recordings.
This is a 1980 recital performance on behalf of the Chicago's Copernicus Foundation, made in the DePaul University Lincoln Park campus old auditorium - of Beethoven's Sonata #18 Opus 31 No. 3.
Sonata #18
Brahms
Here we present Kozuch's 1978 DePaul University Faculty Recital performance.
​
And again, this beautiful music is preserved as a testament to Kozuch's graceful and brilliant technique.
The Brahms Paganini Variations are a fundamental staple of the piano repertoire, and another "knuckle buster" as Thaddeus Kozuch would jokingly say.
Paganini
Variations
The Paganini Variations, individually ...
The Brahms Variations on a Theme of Paganini of 1863 are described as "a legend in the piano literature", "fiendish", and "one of the most subtly difficult works in the literature." Clara Schumann called it Hexenvariationen (Witch's Variations) because of its difficulty.
This is truly one of Thaddeus Kozuch's "tour de force" performances. This playlist presents the original theme followed by each of the individual variations.
Paganini Variations,
individually
Brahms Waltzes
"Ted" and "Jackie" Kozuch performed two-piano recitals ever since they met at the Chicago Musical College in the early 1930's. Our mother, Jacqueline (Frye) Kozuch, was a fine pianist, organist, music teacher, and choral director. Here are 78 RPM disc recordings of Brahms waltzes made in 1947.
