The legendary American pianist Byron Janis, who turned 95 in March 2023, was the first pupil of another iconic pianist – Vladimir Horowitz. Horowitz famously told Janis “I don’t want you to be a ‘second Horowitz’ I want you to be a ‘first Janis’.” Janis certainly established himself on the world stage when he made his Carnegie Hall debut recital in October 1948, garnering a rave review from the New York Times’ Olin Downes who praised him as a distinctive artist in his own right destined for a major career.
Between 1960 and 1964 I made a set of remarkable recordings for the Mercury Living Presence label. The Janis-Mercury partnership proved to be a good fit with Mercury’s uniquely detailed and exciting sound quality, using three microphones for an entire symphony orchestra and piano. Janis welcomed the opportunity to expand his recorded repertoire with Mercury. These recordings have been lovingly restored from the original master tapes and remastered at 24bit 192kHz by mastering engineer Tom Fine and presented in original sleeves.
The careful restoration and remastering of these recordings have been done directly from the original master tapes at an impressive 24bit/192kHz. The virtuoso at work behind this meticulous process is none other than Tom Fine, the son of Wilma Cozart Fine, who was the Vice President and Classical Producer at Mercury. These precious memories have also found their way onto a High Fidelity Pure Audio Blu-ray disc, a testament to the timeless beauty of music and the wonders of modern technology.
This special edition also features a delightful surprise – an added bonus CD titled 'Live in Leningrad'. This recording was surreptitiously made by my hosts during my Soviet Union tour in 1960. Once a personal release, it now, for the first time, is unveiled to the world. A melody that bridges two continents, a musical note that whispers tales of history, 'Live in Leningrad' holds a special place in my heart.
To accompany this musical journey, an expanded digital booklet will be available online my website byronjanislive.com. This booklet provides a detailed narrative of the unforgettable Mercury Living Presence recording tour to the Soviet Union, a fascinating adventure etched in time.
We invite you enjoy this compilation of music that is now historically archived durign the cultural exchange with the Soviet Union during in order to unify our nations, to dance with the notes that echo from the past, and to celebrate the enduring magic of classical music. Find this unique collection on Amazon. As always, remember to keep the music playing, for it is the symphony of life.
