Abram Chasins Plays Brahms' Rhapsodies

Abram Chasins today is remembered, if at all, as an writer on music and a composer of a few pieces that pianists such as Shura Cherkassky used to play. But he was a distinguished instrumentalist himself before he left the concert stage in 1947.

Chasins (1903-87), who had been a protege of Josef Hofmann, first became known for performing his own works. His two piano concertos were introduced by the Philadelphia Orchestra under Ossip Gabrilowitsch and Leopold Stokowki, both when Chasins was on the Curtis Institute faculty.

Abram Chasins

In the 1940s, he turned his attentions toward broadcasting, eventually becoming the program director of WQXR, a classical station then owned by the New York Times. His writings on music began appearing in the 1950s, notably his Speaking of Pianists in 1958.

Although he had retired as a concert pianist, Chasins made six LPs for Mercury during 1949-51, four solo and two with his wife, pianist Constance Keene. Here we have one of the solo albums. This brief 10-incher presents the three piano Rhapsodies written by Brahms - the two Op. 79 Rhapsodies and the Rhapsody that concludes the composer's Four Pieces, Op. 119.

I transferred this for a classical music sharing site, but thought some of you might enjoy it as well. The performances are very fine and the sound is good.