Alexander Siloti,(1863-1945),was a pupil of Nikolai Rubinstein and later Franz Liszt. He studied composition with Tchaikovsky. He made many editions and transcription of Bach and other composers. It was Siloti who suggested the cuts in the second movement of Tchaikovsky's Piano Concerto No.2,which the composer approved. An introduction written by Mark W. Grant for Siloti's "My Memories of Liszt" states, "In turn of the century Russia,it was Siloti(Rachmaninoff's cousin)who was a more famous pianist,and perhaps a more highly regarded one,than Rachmaninoff;whereas Rachmaninoff was concidered precise and over perfect, Siloti's was said to have more charm and sentimentality. This distinction would align Siloti in style more with such players as Paderewski,de Pachmann,et al; Rachmaninoff's more with the later Hofmann and Lhevinne." The Siloti student Bernardo Segall is quoted as saying,"he played from the heart--direct,with great simplicity and nobility and a beautiful singing tone."
Listening to these "fragments' is a mixed blessing. We are lucky to have these home recordings as Siloti made no commercial recordings.However, listening to them makes one realize that this was a pianist who had the rare abilities to make the piano sing and control all of the registers of the piano--and all we have are these scraps. But how wonderful thet are!
Siloti was a respected member of the Julliard School of Music in New York from 1924 until his retirement in 1942.
The "fragments" 1. Liszt Hungarian Rhapsody No. 12 2.Liszt Sospero 3.Gounod's Faust and Rachmaninoff's Suite No. 2 for Two Pianos.

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