Robert Goldsand

Robert Goldsand was a classical pianist born March 17, 1911 in Vienna, Austria; he died of diabetes on September 16, 1991 in a Danbury, Connecticut nursing home.

Life

Goldsand began musical studies at age four on the violin, but discovery of his talent for the piano, and consequent concentration on that instrument, began within a year. A student of Camella Horn, Joseph Marx, Emil Sauer, and Moriz Rosenthal, Goldsand launched his performing career at age 10, in November 1921, with a concert in Vienna. Thereafter, he engaged in European and South American tours. [http://www.lib.umd.edu/PAL/IPAM/IPAMgoldsand.html] His US debut came in 1927 at Town Hall in New York City. Upon leaving Vienna to flee the Nazis, in 1940 he settled in the United States, where he gave concerts and took a teaching position at the Cincinnati Conservatory. In 1949, at the invitation of the Chopin Centennial Committee, he performed a complete cycle of that composer's recital repertoire in six concerts. In 1951, Goldsand joined the faculty at the Manhattan School of Music [http://www.msmnyc.edu/ouralumni/archives/default.asp] , where he continued to teach until 1990. [http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9D0CE6DA173BF934A2575AC0A967958260#] In concert, his repertory ranged widely, embracing music ranging from J.S. Bach's "Goldberg Variations" through works of major 19th century composers such as Beethoven, Chopin, Schumann, and Schubert; virtuoso performer-composers like Godowsky and Schulz-Evler; and such 20th century composers as Hindemith. [http://www.wyastone.co.uk/nrl/gpiano/8811c.html]

Pedagogy

Goldsand taught legions of students during his long tenure at the Manhattan School, as an Internet search for his name quickly reveals. Among the more celebrated were Harris Goldsmith [http://www.observer.com/node/39385] , Thomas Schumacher [http://esm.rochester.edu/faculty/?id=128] , Ralph Votapek [http://www.ivoryclassics.com/releases/72007/] , and Anne Koscielny [http://www.matthay.org/bios2002.shtml] . Henry Edmundson, a student for one year not long before Goldsand’s death, indicates that Goldsand, like any artist-teacher of his rank, expected the student to have memorized the work under study before taking a lesson, which would concentrate on interpretation; according to Edmundson, Goldsand was "a stickler for tradition" and demanded that the student adhere to Goldsand’s way of playing a piece. [http://www.seed.slb.com/en/scictr/watch/musicians/teacher.htm] Harris Goldsmith recalls Goldsand as a "pianistic charmer" with "debonair technical ease," citing an instance when Goldsand demonstrated with his left hand how to obtain the desired legato in the coda of Chopin's fourth ballade. [http://www.wyastone.co.uk/nrl/gpiano/8811c.html]

Recordings

Most of Goldsand's recordings appeared on the American Concert Hall Society label. Later, Goldsand recorded for the American Desto and Decca labels. Very few of these LP issues have reappeared on compact disc.

References

Album notes to "Franz Schubert: Sonata in A Major, opus 120; Moments Musicaux", Concert Hall Society CHS 1148, 12" mono LP

Biographical sketch at International Piano Archives at Maryland [http://www.lib.umd.edu/PAL/IPAM/IPAMgoldsand.html]

Dubal, David, program notes for Nimbus Records, "The New Golden Era—Vladimir Horowitz, Shura Cherkassky, Abram Chasins, Robert Goldsand" [http://www.wyastone.co.uk/nrl/gpiano/8811c.html]

Edmundson, Henry, "Reflections of a Classical Musician (Western-style): Add the Right Teacher", Schlumberger Seed Project site [http://www.seed.slb.com/en/scictr/watch/musicians/teacher.htm]

Ivry, Benjamin, "A Music Critic Performs, Practices What He Preaches", published in "The New York Observer" on September 10, 2006

Koscielny, Anne, recitalist biography for Matthay Festival 2002 at Columbus State University, Columbus, Georgia [http://www.matthay.org/bios2002.shtml]

Manhattan School of Music chronology [http://www.msmnyc.edu/ouralumni/archives/default.asp]

"Robert Goldsand, 80, Pianist and Teacher", obituary published in "The New York Times" on September 17, 1991 [http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9D0CE6DA173BF934A2575AC0A967958260#]

Schumacher, Thomas, faculty biography at Eastman School of Music [http://esm.rochester.edu/faculty/?id=128]

Votapek, Ralph, artist biography for Ivory Classics CD-72007 "Ralph Votapek: Fire and Passion" [http://www.ivoryclassics.com/releases/72007/]