Paul Procopolis
Encyclopedia
Paul Procopolis is the name given to a non-existent classical
pianist
who was credited as a performer on various recordings.
With the advent of cheap long-playing records, unscrupulous companies issued records of material under pseudonyms to avoid paying royalties or because they did not own the copyright
to the recordings. In the case of Paul Procopolis, the reasons for the recording company, Saga Records issuing recordings pseudonymously are uncertain, as they would have had the copyright to at least some of the material. According to Robin O'Connor (see external links), the company's intention was to compile pre-existing recordings by several different performers on one album and present them as the work of a single performer.
The name Paul Procopolis was used to reissue recordings by the pianist Sergio Fiorentino
, including the complete Chopin waltzes, extracts from Bach
's Well-Tempered Clavier, and works by Liszt
. Some of the LPs included a biography of Procopolis who, it was alleged, was born in Athens in 1934, studied with Nadia Boulanger in Paris and lived and taught in Greece. The biography was written by Robin O'Connor. Various other LPs give no biographical information at all.
Ernst Lumpe has attempted to identify the real artists in the Procopolis recordings. Other pianists whose recordings were issued under this name included Bernard Vitebsky (his Beethoven concerto number 3), and Clive Lythgoe
. The recording of the second Chopin concerto has been identified as that of the Brazilian pianist Carmen Vitis Adnet (who lived in Vienna and was married to pianist Hans Graf
) with the Vienna Symphony under Hans Swarowsky
. Further recordings (such as the first Chopin concerto) remain unidentified.
It seems likely that Marius Ubendorff and Auguste du Maurier are also pseudonyms for pianists the record companies did not wish to identify.
Classical music
Classical music is the art music produced in, or rooted in, the traditions of Western liturgical and secular music, encompassing a broad period from roughly the 11th century to present times...
pianist
Piano
The piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
who was credited as a performer on various recordings.
With the advent of cheap long-playing records, unscrupulous companies issued records of material under pseudonyms to avoid paying royalties or because they did not own the copyright
Copyright
Copyright is a legal concept, enacted by most governments, giving the creator of an original work exclusive rights to it, usually for a limited time...
to the recordings. In the case of Paul Procopolis, the reasons for the recording company, Saga Records issuing recordings pseudonymously are uncertain, as they would have had the copyright to at least some of the material. According to Robin O'Connor (see external links), the company's intention was to compile pre-existing recordings by several different performers on one album and present them as the work of a single performer.
The name Paul Procopolis was used to reissue recordings by the pianist Sergio Fiorentino
Sergio Fiorentino
Sergio Fiorentino was a 20th-century Italian classical pianist whose sporadic performing career spanned five decades.-Music career:...
, including the complete Chopin waltzes, extracts from Bach
Bạch
Bạch is a Vietnamese surname. The name is transliterated as Bai in Chinese and Baek, in Korean.Bach is the anglicized variation of the surname Bạch.-Notable people with the surname Bạch:* Bạch Liêu...
's Well-Tempered Clavier, and works by Liszt
Liszt
Liszt is a Hungarian surname. Notable persons with that surname include:* Franz Liszt , Hungarian composer and pianist* Adam Liszt , father of Franz Liszt* Anna Liszt , mother of Franz Liszt...
. Some of the LPs included a biography of Procopolis who, it was alleged, was born in Athens in 1934, studied with Nadia Boulanger in Paris and lived and taught in Greece. The biography was written by Robin O'Connor. Various other LPs give no biographical information at all.
Ernst Lumpe has attempted to identify the real artists in the Procopolis recordings. Other pianists whose recordings were issued under this name included Bernard Vitebsky (his Beethoven concerto number 3), and Clive Lythgoe
Clive Lythgoe
Clive Lythgoe , was a leading British classical pianist of the 1950s and 1960s, popular in both the UK and the United States, where he was considered to be "Britain's answer to Liberace".-Early life:...
. The recording of the second Chopin concerto has been identified as that of the Brazilian pianist Carmen Vitis Adnet (who lived in Vienna and was married to pianist Hans Graf
Hans Graf
Hans Graf is an Austrian conductor.As a child, Graf learned the violin and the piano. He studied at the Musikhochschule in Graz, Austria, and graduated with diplomas in piano and conducting. He also participated in conducting master classes with Franco Ferrara, Sergiu Celibidache and Arvīds Jansons...
) with the Vienna Symphony under Hans Swarowsky
Hans Swarowsky
Hans Swarowsky was an Austrian conductor of Hungarian birth and Jewish descent.Swarowsky was born in Budapest, Hungary. He studied the art of conducting under Felix Weingartner and Richard Strauss...
. Further recordings (such as the first Chopin concerto) remain unidentified.
It seems likely that Marius Ubendorff and Auguste du Maurier are also pseudonyms for pianists the record companies did not wish to identify.
Sources
- The Fiorentino recordings issued under the name of Procopolis are identified at Ernst Lumpe's website.
- Robin O'Connor, the man who assembled many of the Paul Procopolis LPs, recounts how they came into being on the MusicWeb website.