Mark Hambourg

Although Mark Hambourg and Landon Ronald gave concerts together on numerous occasions, they only recorded together once, in their 1926 account of the Tchaikovsky 1st Piano Concerto. Some listeners may find the choices of tempo in this recording to be odd in places, but Hambourg considered Ronald to be an outstanding accompanist, and this is obviously the way they wanted the piece to go. Ronald’s book “Myself and Others – Written Lest I Forget” contains the following signed picture of Hambourg. The dedication reads “To my friend Landon Ronald, a memento of one the finest performances of the Tchaikovsky Piano Concerto.” The date is not quite decipherable, but may be 1906.

Hambourg lived in London from 1889-91, between the ages of 10 and 12. The Magazine of Music had the following to say about him in its September 1890 issue. Interestingly, the names of the Hambourg children were adjusted for the British public: Mark became Max, violinist Jan became James, and Boris was to be called Bernard (though at the time of this article he was too young to be performing, and keeps his original name). It’s also noteworthy, that Mark’s date of birth is given as 1st August 1880 in this article, but Eric Koch’s biography of the brothers Hambourg gives May 30th 1879.

 
Saint-Saëns – Piano Quartet in B flat major Op.41 – Scherzo
Marjorie Hayward, violin
Frank Bridge, cello
C. Warwick-Evans, cello
Mark Hambourg, piano

Saint-Saëns – Scherzo from Piano Quartet in B flat – Hambourg et al

(mp3 files – click to play, or right click the link, then select “Save as”)

 His Master’s Voice 08054
Matrix HO 2726ef
Recorded 7th July 1917
Play at 78rpm

The recording contains the following sections of the score:
bb1-60; bb94-113, bb33-60, bb231-318 (end)
Chopin – Polonaise in A major Op.40 No.1 (“Military”)
Schubert-Tausig – Marche Militaire
Mark Hambourg, piano

Download – Chopin – Polonaise in A – Mark Hambourg
Download – Schubert-Tausig – Marche Militaire – Mark Hambourg

(mp3 files – right click the link, then select “Save as”)

 His Master’s Voice D 486
Matrices HO 4160af, 4162af (05646, 05647)
Recorded 15th December 1919, London
Chaminade – Automne (recorded on a Keith Prowse Model “C” Upright Piano)
Chopin – Nocturne in F# major Op.15 No.2 (recorded on a Keith Prowse Model “A” Upright Piano)
Mark Hambourg, piano

Download: Chaminade  Automne  Hambourg
Download: Chopin  Nocturne  Hambourg

 Privately recorded by His Master’s Voice for Keith Prowse pianos: 5819, 5820
Matrices Bb 8063-I, 8064-II
Recorded 8th March 1926, Hayes

In 1926, Hambourg recorded two sides to demonstrate the upright pianos produced by Keith Prowse. Although he was to re-record the Chaminade in 1931, this is his only account of Chopin’s F# major Nocturne.
Tchaikovksy – Piano Concerto No.1 in B flat minor Op.23
I – Allegro non troppo e molto maestoso
II – Andantino semplice
III – Allegro con fuoco
Royal Albert Hall Orchestra, Sir Landon Ronald
Mark Hambourg, piano

Mediafire link for Tchaikovsky – Piano Concerto No.1 – Hambourg, Ronald

(These are zip files – left click the link, download the files, then unzip when downloaded)

 His Master’s Voice D 1130-33

Matrices CR 736-IA, 737-I, 738-IA, 739-I, 732-IIA, 733-IA, 734-IA, 735-IA (single side numbers 05951/4, 05947/50)

Recorded 28th September 1926, Kingsway Hall, London
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