Ossip Gabrilowitsch

This outstanding pupil of two legendary teachers – Anton Rubinstein in St. Petersburg and Theodor Leschetizky in Vienna – later became the son-in-law of Mark Twain. Here he is playing Chopin on piano rolls from the 1920s:

For his last recording, made in 1929, Gabrilowitsch was joined by another great pianist, Harold Bauer, in a charming waltz for two pianos by the Russian composer Anton Arensky:

Bauer himself gave three Schubert Club solo recitals between 1925 and 1939.

Artist note by Richard Evidon