Leopold Godowsky

American pianist, composer, and teacher

Leopold Mordkhelovich Godowsky Sr. (13 February 1870 – 21 November 1938) was a virtuoso pianist, composer and teacher, born in what is now Lithuania to Jewish parents, who became an American citizen in 1891. He was one of the most highly regarded performers of his time, known for his theories concerning the application of relaxed weight and economy of motion within pianistic technique – principles later propagated by his pupils, such as Heinrich Neuhaus.

He was heralded among musical giants as the "Buddha of the Piano". Ferruccio Busoni claimed that he and Godowsky were "the only composers to have added anything of significance to keyboard writing since Franz Liszt."

As a composer, Godowsky is best known for his Java Suite, Triakontameron, Passacaglia and Walzermasken, alongside his transcriptions of works by other composers; the best-known of these works are the 53 Studies on Chopin's Études (1894–1914).

Read more about this composer on Wikipedia.

Works

12 Impressions for Violin and Piano
12 Impressions for Violin and Piano: Larghetto lamentoso
12 Impressions for Violin and Piano: Légende
12 Impressions for Violin and Piano: Oriental
12 Impressions for Violin and Piano: Perpetuum mobile
12 Impressions for Violin and Piano: Poème (Andante cantabile)
12 Impressions for Violin and Piano: Profile (Chopin)
12 Impressions for Violin and Piano: Saga
12 Impressions for Violin and Piano: Tyrolean (Schuhplattler)
12 Impressions for Violin and Piano: Valse
12 Impressions for Violin and Piano: Valse macabre
12 Impressions for Violin and Piano: Viennese (Wienerisch)
12 Impressions for Violin and Piano: Élégie
3 Pieces, op. 15
4 Pieces, op.16
6 Waltz-Poems
6 Waltz-Poems: No. 1 in G-flat major
6 Waltz-Poems: No. 2 in B-flat major
6 Waltz-Poems: No. 3 in G major
6 Waltz-Poems: No. 4 in E-flat major
6 Waltz-Poems: No. 5 in A-flat major
6 Waltz-Poems: No. 6 in C major
Airs of the Eighteenth Century: Capricious Shepherd Maid
Airs of the Eighteenth Century: Exaudet’s Minuet
Airs of the Eighteenth Century: Good Old Granny
Airs of the Eighteenth Century: Lisette
Airs of the Eighteenth Century: Mother, Please explain
Airs of the Eighteenth Century: Oh, come again, beautiful Spring
Airs of the Eighteenth Century: Would that I were the lowly fern
Arabesque, op. 16 no. 2
Barcarolle-Valse, op. 16 no. 4
Capriccio, op. 15 no. 3
Contrapuntal Paraphrase on “Invitation to the Dance”
Courante, op. 12 no. 3
Ein Dämmerungsbild, op. 14 no. 1
Elegy for the left hand alone
Four Pieces, op. 14
Four Poems
Four Poems: No. 1. Devotion
Four Poems: No. 2. Avowal
Four Poems: No. 3. Adoration
Four Poems: No. 4. Yearning
Frühlingsnacht, op. 15 no. 2
Grande Valse romantique
Java Suite
Java Suite, Part I: Gamelan
Java Suite, Part I: Hari Besaar: The Great Day
Java Suite, Part I: Wayang-Purwa: Puppet Shadow Plays
Java Suite, Part II: Boro Budur in Moonlight
Java Suite, Part II: Chattering Monkeys at the Sacred Lake of Wendit
Java Suite, Part II: The Bromo Volcano and the Sand Sea at Daybreak
Java Suite, Part III: In the Streets of Old Batavia
Java Suite, Part III: The Gardens of Buitenzorg
Java Suite, Part III: Three Dances
Java Suite, Part IV: A Court Pageant in Solo
Java Suite, Part IV: In the Kraton
Java Suite, Part IV: In the Ruined Water Castle at Djokja
Menuet no. 1 in E major
Menuet, op. 12 no. 2
Miniatures, Volume 2: Rigaudon
Miniatures, Volume 4: Processional March
Miniatures, Volume 4: The Miller’s Song
Miniatures, Volume 5: Arabian Chant (Orientale)
Miniatures, Volume 6: Humoresque
Moto perpetuo
Märchen
Mélodie méditative, op. 15 no. 1
Nocturnal Tangier
Piano Sonata in E minor
Piano Sonata in E minor: II. Andante cantabile
Polonaise in C major
Prelude and Fugue for the Left Hand
Prelude and Fugue for the Left Hand: Fugue
Prelude and Fugue for the Left Hand: Prelude
Sarabande, op. 12 no. 1
Scherzino, op. 14 no. 4
Six Pieces for Both Hands: I. Meditation
Six Pieces for Both Hands: II. Impromptu
Six Pieces for Both Hands: III. Capriccio
Six Pieces for Both Hands: IV. Intermezzo
Six Pieces for Both Hands: V. Elegy
Studies on Chopin’s Études
Suite for the Left Hand Alone
Suite for the Left Hand Alone: I. Allemande
Suite for the Left Hand Alone: III. Gavotte
Suite for the Left Hand Alone: VII. Menuet
Suite for the Left Hand Alone: VIII. Gigue
Symphonische Metamorphosen über den «Schatz-Walzer» aus «Der Zigeunerbaron» von Johann Strauß für Klavier (linke Hand)
Three Concert Studies, op. 11
Three Concert Studies, op. 11: No. 1. Grottesco
Three Concert Studies, op. 11: No. 2
Triakontameron, Thirty Moods and Scenes in Triple Measure
Triakontameron, Thirty Moods and Scenes in Triple Measure: No. 10. Resignation
Triakontameron, Thirty Moods and Scenes in Triple Measure: No. 11. Alt-Wien, 'Whose Yesterdays Look Backwards With a Smile Through Tears'
Triakontameron, Thirty Moods and Scenes in Triple Measure: No. 15. The Temptress
Triakontameron, Thirty Moods and Scenes in Triple Measure: No. 16. An Old Ballade
Triakontameron, Thirty Moods and Scenes in Triple Measure: No. 18. Anachronisms
Triakontameron, Thirty Moods and Scenes in Triple Measure: No. 24. Lullaby
Triakontameron, Thirty Moods and Scenes in Triple Measure: No. 27. Lament
Triakontameron, Thirty Moods and Scenes in Triple Measure: No. 28. Quixotic Errantry
Triakontameron, Thirty Moods and Scenes in Triple Measure: No. 29. Poeme Macabre
Triakontameron, Thirty Moods and Scenes in Triple Measure: No. 3. Paradoxical Mood
Triakontameron, Thirty Moods and Scenes in Triple Measure: No. 5. Twilight Phantasms
Triakontameron, Thirty Moods and Scenes in Triple Measure: No. 6. The Pleading Troubadour
Triakontameron, Thirty Moods and Scenes in Triple Measure: No. 7. Yesteryear...
Twilight Thoughts
Étude No. 45 - Méth. M-F No. 2 (1st version) E major
Étude No. 46 - Méth. M-F No. 3 G major - "Menuetto"
Étude no. 10, op. 10 no. 5 (4th version) A major: "Capriccio"
Étude no. 11, op. 10 no. 5 (5th version) G-flat major
Étude no. 12, op. 10 no. 5 (6th version) G-flat major
Étude no. 12a, op. 10 no. 5 (7th version) G-flat major (left hand)
Étude no. 15, op. 10 no. 7 (2nd version) G‐flat major: “Nocturne”
Étude no. 15a, op. 10 no. 7 (3rd version) E‐flat major (left hand)
Étude no. 16a, op. 10 no. 8 (2nd version) G-flat major (left hand)
Étude no. 17, op. 10 no. 9 (1st version) C-sharp minor
Étude no. 18,, op. 10 no. 9 (2nd version) F minor: Imitation of, op. 25, no. 2
Étude no. 18a, op. 10 no. 9 (3rd version) F-sharp minor (left hand)
Étude no. 19, op. 10 no. 10 (1st version) D major
Étude no. 2, op. 10 no. 1 (2nd version) D-flat major (left hand)
Étude no. 20, op. 10 no. 10 (2nd version) A-flat major (left hand)
Étude no. 21, op. 10 no. 11 A major (left hand)
Étude no. 22, op. 10 no. 12 C-sharp minor (left hand)
Étude no. 23, op. 25 no. 1 (1st version) A-flat major (left hand)
Étude no. 24, op. 25 no. 1 (2nd version) A-flat major: like for 4 hands
Étude no. 27, op. 25 no. 2 (2nd version) F minor: "Waltz"
Étude no. 28, op. 25 no. 2 (3rd version - A) F minor
Étude no. 28, op. 25 no. 2 (3rd version - B) F minor
Étude no. 28a, op. 25 no. 2 (4th version) F-sharp minor (left hand)
Étude no. 30, op. 25 no. 3 (2nd version) F major (left hand)
Étude no. 32, op. 25 no. 4 (2nd version) F minor: "Polonaise"
Étude no. 33, op. 25 no. 5 (1st version) E minor
Étude no. 34, op. 25 no. 5 (2nd version) C-sharp minor: "Mazurka"
Étude no. 35, op. 25 no. 5 (3rd version) B-flat minor (left hand)
Étude no. 36, op. 25 no. 6 G‐sharp minor
Étude no. 38, op. 25 no. 8 D-flat major
Étude no. 39, op. 25 no. 9 (1st version) G-flat major
Étude no. 43, op. 25 no. 12 C-sharp minor (left hand)
Étude no. 47, op. 10 no. 5 and Op 25 no. 9 G-flat major: "Badinage"
Étude no. 48, op. 10 no. 11 and Op 25 no. 3 F major: 2 studies
Étude no. 6, op. 10 no. 4 C-sharp minor (left hand)
Étude no. 8, op. 10 no. 5 (2nd version) C major
Étude no. 9, op. 10 no. 5 (3rd version) A minor: "Tarantella"