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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 - 3:41ii Adagio - 8:16iii 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:

Murder Follows the Muse



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