... "and Brilliant Piano Virtuoso" ...
Albéniz, Bartók, Beethoven, Brahms ...
... and 1947 Concert Miniature
Several recordings of the same music are provided in some cases. This was done to show differences in musical interpretation over the years, or when several recordings were available but it was just too difficult to pick only 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.
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".
Our website also has two concert recital AUDIO recordings of the Evocación, including a performance given at Thaddeus Kozuch's final faculty recital at DePaul University in 1979 and another given earlier at Cullen Hall, University of St. Thomas in Houston (see below).
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.
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 )
