The mazurka is a traditional Polish folk dance in triple time (three beats to the bar). In the very early 1800s. Maria Szymanowska was the first composer to write formal Mazurkas for the piano. They are very short, quite simple and incredibly varied and tuneful. Only a decade or so later, Chopin developed the mazurka into an art-music form and his Opus. 7 and 17 sets are perhaps the best known. While other composers also took up the form, the most notable transformation of the mazurka was by the third Polish composer, Szymanowski, who created a full-blown Romantic style far removed from the simple original. The bright, sunny and cheerful expressiveness of the folk dance is brought out brilliantly by the young virtuoso Russian pianist Alexander Kostritsa and the album is both highly tuneful entertainment and also an insight into how a style can evolve.
Period: Romantic
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Rimsky-Korsakov for Piano Duo
After more than thirty years Anthony Goldstone and Caroline Clemmow can lay claim to be regarded as one of the world’s foremost piano duos, displaying stunning precision in their ensemble and remarkable musicality. Following their critically acclaimed Divine Art CDs containing transcriptions of works by Dvorak, Mendelssohn, Tchaikovsky, Schubert and Chopin, they present music by Russian Romantic and exoticist Nicolai Rimsky-Korsakov – in the case of his most famous work, Scheherazade, and the little Neapolitan Song (which he unwittingly stole from composer Luigi Denza thinking it was a traditional folk song), the transcriptions are by the composer himself. Antar was transcribed by his wife Nadezhda Purgold, a skilled composer herself who also arranged Tchaikovsky’s Romeo and Juliet (DDA 25020).
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Music from Armenia for Cello and Piano
In Europe and the US, familiarity with Armenian music has been largely limited to Khachaturian but there is a surge of interest in the unique distinctive melodic traditions of the country. This collection contains formal works and arrangements of folk tunes from the Talalyan archives which derive from the collecting of Gomidas (Komitas) and is superbly presented by Canadian celist Heather Tuach (also previously cellist with the Fitzwilliam Quartet) and Armenian-Canadian pianist Patil Harboyan. The music in Western terms is very much in the Romantic tradition, the folk arrangements quite sophisticated and worthy of as much attention as well-established collections.
A highly entertaining and revelatory program – almost all of the works receiving their first recording. Booklet notes in English, Armenian and French.
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The Operatic Pianist
This is a superbly entertaining program of transcriptions and fantasies on opera themes and arias, presented with style and flair by British pianist Andrew Wright, who also composed three of the fantasies. With well known themes from Verdi, Wagner, Bellini and Meyerbeer, in excellent solo-piano form, this is a tremendous tour-de-force! Also see volume 2 here
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The Expressive Voice of the Flute
Among the instruments, the flute is one which has one of the widest expressive tones, especially heard to advantage in this collection of 46 light classics, ranging from the dreamy and romantic to the lively and sparkling. Original works are joined by many arrangements of popular orchestral or piano pieces, many by the performers. A feast of virtuosity and superb for both concentrated listening or lightening the mood. Over 145 minutes of great music. This set is a sequel to ‘Flute Vocalise’ (DDV24156) another fine collection (single CD midprice).
Some tracks on this set were previously available on ASV and have been remastered and new recordings added.
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Trio Anima Mundi – Romantic Piano Trios
The debut disc from one of Australia’s foremost ensembles which is making a very big name in its own territory and will shortly be well known worldwide if this album is anything to go by. Wonderful performances of high-Romantic pieces. Also check out their highly acclaimed recording of English Piano Trios – rare romantic gems.
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Tchaikovsky Rare Transcriptions and Paraphrases, vol. 2
In this superb album Anthony Goldstone performs exquisite versions of music from Tchaikovsky’s three major ballets, The Sleeping Beauty, Nutcracker, and Swan Lake. Apart from the piece by Percy Grainger, these are, incredibly, the first ever recordings of these superb transcriptions.
See vol. 1 (transcriptions of opera and orchestral pieces) here
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Magical Places
Locations can be magical in many ways – musically they can be exotic, inspired by a holiday taken by the composer, expressions of a culture or of nature; here, special places range from England (Britten’s Aldeburgh) to Siberia to North Africa. These evocative symphonic poems for piano duet all express some fascination with locale which have excited a composer and brought about these exquisite and Romantic pieces.
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Tchaikovsky Rare Transcriptions and Paraphrases, Volume 1
As ever, Anthony Goldstone as both pianist and, in some cases, arranger, has produced a startlingly original and vibrant program. Here, music originally written for concert or operatic performance is presented in little known transcriptions, all but one in fact here receiving their first recording. An important and rare addition to the Tchaikovsky canon. Volume 2 contains transcriptions of music from Tchaikovsky’s ballets.
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Terzetti: Trios for Flute, Viola and Harp
This disc contains beautifully atmospheric 20th century works for flute, viola and harp, from the well known Zodiac Trio of Mathias, to the lesser-known gem by Dubois. Three of Britain’s foremost soloists join to provide a memorable program.
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Russian Piano Music Vol. 8 – Mussorgsky
An individual and strongly gifted composer, Mussorgsky was a self-taught amateur who became one of Russia’s foremost 19th century musical figures, tragically dying young. This CD contains ‘alternative’ versions of many pieces to those most commonly heard – including the manuscript version of ‘Pictures’ avoiding the many substantial errors contained in the first edition and perpetuated – and three even earlier drafts, together with unusual versions of some works. Once again Anthony Goldstone provides a phenomenal performance.
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Rainlight – Evocations of Water for Piano Solo
From the gentle to the torrential, water in nature affects, blesses (and afflicts) us in many ways, and composers have been drawn to this theme time and again. Here one of the world’s brightest young pianists, in his first CD for us, pulls together a stunning programme representing little raindrops and fountains to oceans and stormy tempests, and including five very fine and atmospheric new pieces by British-Australian composer Alicia Grant.