Schumann

Pianist Kyra Zhao says that "Vibrant, just like the title sounds, is a colorful excursion taking the listener's ear on a journey from the dreamy seashore to the roaring thunder and from intimate friendship encounters to triumphant marches." The works by Rachmaninoff, Scriabin, and Schumann are essential repertoire of the Romantic to the early 20th century era. Hailed by New York Concert Review as "A born performer" pianist Kyra Xuerong Zhao has achieved an international reputation in many countries as a concert pianist. She won top prizes at the Seattle International Piano Competition, Rome Chopin International Piano Competition, and the Quebec International Music Awards, among many others. She has performed recitals, concertos, and chamber concerts in the most prestigious halls in the world. A graduate of Boston University, Yale, and the Mannes School of Music, she is currently on the faculty at the New England Conservatory of Music.

One of Britain’s best-known musicians, Nicholas Daniel OBE won the BBC Young Musician competition in 1980, after which he quickly established his career, travelling all over the world, broadcasting widely, and making his début at the BBC Proms. He has premièred hundreds of works for the oboe and made many critically acclaimed recordings of both new and familiar music. As a soloist he has appeared with the world’s leading orchestras, performing a huge range of repertoire and premièring works written specially for him by many of the world’s greatest composers. He is a founder member of the Britten Sinfonia, Haffner Wind Ensemble, Orsino Ensemble, and Britten Oboe Quartet.

In his new album 'Movements', George Li highlights both their structure and their dancing spirit: the 18 movements of Schumann’s 'Davidsbündlertänze' & 'Arabeske in C major', Ravel’s 8 'Valses nobles et sentimentales' and three movements from Stravinsky’s score for the ballet 'Petruskha'.

The World of Romanticism” was a subtitle of the famous Svyatoslav Richter’s music festival “December Nights”. Its programme, as it was the organizers’ intent, comprised compositions by Schubert, Schumann and Chopin. Ten day were devoted to the works of each of the composers. In the beginning of the night which opened the ten days of Robert Schumann, Svyatoslav Richter presented the audience with a Viennese bouquet Blumenstück, Op. 19. That was what they used to call flower still life paintings in Germany (German die Blume stands for a flower, and das Stück – a thing) which were hugely popular in the 19th century.

Andrea Kauten - Beethoven / Brahms / Schumann
EAC+LOG+CUE | FLAC: 257 MB | Full Artwork | 5% Recovery Info
Label/Cat#: Sony Classical # 88697 47846 2 | Country/Year: Switzerland 2009
Genre: Classical | Style: Classical Period, Romantic

"Flushed and at times over-assertive, Kauten leaves you in no doubt of her commitment and intensity."