Schulhoff Symphonies, Concertos, Quartets, Piano Works

Traveling to Poland in 1829, Chopin gave his first concert in public just a short time before completing his Concerto in F Minor. He presented this concerto in concert for the first time on February 7, 1830 in front of a small group of special guests: "Experts greatly appreciate this new piece comprised of so many new ideas; it is perhaps counted among the most beautiful of recent works. ” The Concerto in F Minor was not published until 1836, thus becoming known as the “second concerto” compared with the “first” Concerto in E Minor, which he wrote and edited in 1833. October 11, 1830, before leaving for Vienna, Chopin gave a farewell concert at the National Theater in Varsovie during which he performed Concerto in E Minor and The Polish Fantasy.

This is not CPO’s first Farrenc recording. The company has already issued a disc of Farrenc symphonies and another of her large-scale chamber works. Those recordings were well received, and I have no doubt that this new solo piano disc will also garner fine reviews. I should also relate that being a pianist, Farrenc’s early compositions consisted primarily of piano music, and that the works on the new disc are from her early career.

This is not CPO’s first Farrenc recording. The company has already issued a disc of Farrenc symphonies and another of her large-scale chamber works. Those recordings were well received, and I have no doubt that this new solo piano disc will also garner fine reviews. I should also relate that being a pianist, Farrenc’s early compositions consisted primarily of piano music, and that the works on the new disc are from her early career.

Ludwig van Beethoven is one of the most performed composers of all time. The Beethoven anniversary year of 2020 will see countless releases of his famous works, be it the nine great symphonies, the 32 piano sonatas or other instrumental masterworks such as the Violin Concerto in D major. The pianist Matthias Kirschnereit has therefore given himself something of a challenge for his new album by researching and recording the small but nevertheless brilliant jewels of Beethoven’s piano repertoire.“On this album it is my aim to bring to life those works by Beethoven that are seldom in the limelight and to let them sparkle anew. They include pieces that are not going to set the world on fire. I am no archaeologist who hunts around in attics, libraries or archives in search of works yet to be published. Everything he ever wrote has already been published. So I set about compiling a list – and I was utterly amazed,” explains Matthias Kirschnereit

Parmi l'oeuvre de Saint-Saëns, les concertos pour piano sont d'une importance indéniable. D'abord parce que leur composition accompagne Saint- Saëns entre 1848 et 1896, ensuite parce qu'ils sont symboliques d'un style fait de légèreté, d'intelligence et de finesse. Populaires, ces concertos le deviennent rapidement grâce à la clarté de leurs thèmes musicaux et à leur grande richesse harmonique. Le compositeur français n'oublie pas de truffer ses partitions de quelques notes d'humour que François-René Duchâble sait nous rappeler mieux que quiconque.