A Disposition to Be Rich

Any discussion of the Top 100 '90s Rock Albums will have to include some grunge, and this one is no different. A defining element of that decade, the genre (and the bands that rose to fame playing it) was given credit for revitalizing rock at a badly needed moment. That said, there's far more to the story. Our list of the Top 100 '90s Rock Albums, presented in chronological order, takes in the rich diversity of the period.

How poor the piano literature for four hands would be without Schubert! This musical form is indebted to him for its most significant enrichment — ranging from the popular marches to works of virtually symphonic size. The roots of the genre sprang from different soils. Schubert's musical invention was so prolific that often the two hands of a pianist proved to be insufficient, and thus the performance of complicated counterpoint, the countless subsidiary themes and delicate harmonic details demanded two pianists and four hands, resembling the four parts of a string quartet.

Brilliant Classics continues its fascinating survey of Pre‐Bachian keyboard music with a new recording of the complete organ works of Nicholas Bruhns. Bruhns, born into a musical dynasty, was organist, violist and violinist in Copenhagen, pupil of the famous Buxtehude, where he remained till his death, only 31 years old. Bruhn’s works make full use of the many newly developed possibilities of the organ in his days, and form a splendid display of keyboard (and pedal!) virtuosity, and intricate counterpoint. To complement Bruhns’ complete organ works this recording presents other works by Sweelinck (his famous Chromatic Fantasy), Scheidemann, Scheidt and Buxtehude. Adriano Falcioni is one of the foremost organists of this time, winner of many international competitions. He already made several organ recordings for Brilliant Classics (Franck, Muffat, Couperin, Duruflé). Includes liner notes by the artist and an artist biography. Contains specifications of the magnificent organ of the Chiesa di San Giorgio in Ferrara, Italy.