Fantasy Pieces, Op. 12 (Book 1) : 1 At Evening ; 2 Soaring ; 3 Why ? ; 4 Whims. Played by Frank Laffitte
Frank Laffitte , who is of French extraction though British by birth, might have studied in Russia had it not been for the intervention of the war of 1914. The Russian conductor Safonov heard him play the piano when he was only thirteen and was so impressed that he wanted to take him as his pupil to Russia. This, of course, became impossible at the outbreak of hostilities, so Laffitte remained in London to study uner Marmaduke Barton and Katharine Goodson. Later he went to France, where he came under the influence of that great French - conductor, Pierre Monteux.
Although Laffitte has specialised in French and British music, he is no less a fine interpreter of the German classics.