Recording Godowsky in 1977

Mattheus Smits has sent me this memory of the recording sessions on 3/4 October 1977.

Jorge and Tex had serious doubts about signing this contract due to bad experiences with recording companies in the past (RCA and VOX).

We owe it to Peter Wadland that the contract was signed. For the scores of the music, Peter could find the Études in a library, but for the Waltzes Jorge had to send him his copies. Also Jorge's choice of the Bechstein was not an easy task for Peter Wadland and his crew. I remember arriving very early in Kingsway Hall (Jorge and Tex where not there yet) and finding them playing on the Bechstein, loud and soft and banging, and constantly moving microphones.

As always, Jorge and Tex showed up on time.The crew were completely surprised to see Jorge and Tex properly dressed in three-piece suits and ties! (They themselves were dressed in jeans and sneakers.) After the normal welcome protocol, Jorge was asked to play something so that adjustments could be made for recording settings. In a split second Jorge dashed into an overwhelming Chopin/Godowsky No.1! A moment I will never forget.

To set all the recording levels and microphones took much time. The crew really had difficulties with the Bechstein which was of course different from the Steinway which they regularly used, and for which they knew the sound parameters. Jorge was asked to play at all kinds of volumes and tempi.

For lunch we went to an nearby Dutch pancake restaurant (this has nothing to do with my nationality). Only after lunch were the first 'takes' made. As it became clear that Peter Wadland was sometimes getting lost in some scores of the études (he was used to a different kind of music), Jorge asked me to stay with him in the recording room to help him out. The recording was interrupted many times by important people coming in. The photographer, Bryce Morrison, Alastair Londonderry [9th Marquess of Londonderry], Jeremy Nicolas, colleagues of the crew etc.

When the recording days were over, Jorge and Tex presented to all crew members an exclusive pen set and Peter Wadland presented me with a copy of the Chopin/Godowsky waltzes, which were the copies he got from Jorge, but now filled with all his markings for takes and take numbers. A treasure in my library!