George Walker in Recital
George Walker (piano)
George Walker was born in Washington, DC on June 27, 1922 of West Indian-American parentage. He graduated from high school at the age of 14, attended Oberlin College and the Curtis Institute of Music where he studied piano with Rudolf Serkin and composition with Rosario Scalero. His auspicious debut at Town Hall in 1945 was described in the New York Times as "notable...an authentic talent of marked individuality and fine musical insight...a rare combination of elegance and sincerity...an understanding, a technical competence and a sensitiveness rarely heard at debut recitals." Walker obtained his Doctor of Musical Arts Degree from Eastman and went on to study in France with Nadia Boulanger on Fulbright and John Hay Whitney Fellowships. His compositions have been played by virtually every major orchestra and chamber orchestra in the United States. This recording uniquely showcases the pianist as composer-composer as pianist as Walker performs his Sonata No. 1.
Track Listing
| Title | Composer | Performer |
|---|---|---|
| Sonata No. 26, Op. 81a | Ludwig Van Beethoven | George Walker, piano |
| Waltz, Op. 39, No. 15 | Johannes Brahms | George Walker, piano |
| Barcarolle, Op. 60 | Frederic Chopin | George Walker, piano |
| Mazurka, Op. 63, No. 2 | Frederic Chopin | George Walker, piano |
| Sonata in B Flat Major, L. 39 | Domenico Scarlatti | George Walker, piano |
| Sonata in D Minor, L. 366 | Domenico Scarlatti | George Walker, piano |
| Sonata in E Major, L. 430 | Domenico Scarlatti | George Walker, piano |
| Sonata in G Major, L. 490 | Domenico Scarlatti | George Walker, piano |
| Sonata in E Major, L. 23 | Domenico Scarlatti | George Walker, piano |
| Sonata in A Major, L. 23 | Domenico Scarlatti | George Walker, piano |
| Moment Musical, Op. 94 | Franz Schubert | George Walker, piano |
| Sonata No. 1 | George Walker | George Walker, piano |
Reviews
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"... What a pleasure to hear another composer's insight into Beethoven's beautiful Sonata! And here, Walker plays the difficult double-note passages with panache. Walker's playing of small pieces by Schubert, Chopin, and Brahms is beautifully lyrical and expressive... his own Sonata [is] an excellent piece of mainstream Americana."
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