Elizabeth Sombart

Although most often associated with solo piano works, Frédéric Chopin also wrote two notoriously challenging piano concertos - and appeared as soloist at each premiere. Celebrated French pianist Elizabeth Sombart joins the London's Royal Philharmonic Orchestra to perform Chopin’s First Concerto under the baton of Pierre Vallet. Elizabeth Sombart totally unique interpretation of the two famous and only Chopin's concertos.

The culmination of the fabulous Beethoven 250 series by French pianist Elizabeth Sombart, conductor Pierre Vallet and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra; a boxset featuring spectacular performances of Beethoven’s piano concertos and his ‘Triple’ Concerto.

The four great concertos on this new album span the years 1785 - 1791, Mozart’s last year.

Much to our good fortune, Mozart composed a number of concertos for piano and orchestra throughout his life, every page of which reads like a ‘unique and privileged’ musical entry in his personal diary. His compositional talents elevated these concertos to an unrivalled perfection.

In celebration of 250 years since the birth of Beethoven, French pianist Elizabeth Sombart has released an album centred around the great composer’s first and second piano concertos.

Elizabeth Sombart continues her Beethoven Piano Concertos cycle with the RPO and conductor Pierre Vallet.

Born in Strasbourg, Elizabeth Sombart studied piano from the age of seven. She studied all over the world with various teachers, including Bruno-Leonardo Gelber, Peter Feuchtwanger, Hilde Langer-Rühl and Sergiu Celibidache. Elizabeth recieved the rank of Chevalier de l’Ordre National du Mérite in 2006 and then was awarded the Chevalier de l’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres in 2008, both in reference to her career in music. Elizabeth has a strong relationship with the RPO and will be continuing this Beethoven Piano Concerto cycle with them over the coming months.

"L'enfant, dans son premier regard étoilé d'innocence et de pureté, éveille en nous une joie unique, un sentiment profond de responsabilité ainsi que l'immense désir de lui donner les forces vives qui l'aideront à affronter le monde. Comment répondre à ce mystère du cœur, comment l'élever dans l'harmonie, le protéger du mal? Comment faire de chaque instant de sa vie un havre de paix? Tous les grands compositeurs ont laissé des pages inoubliables pour apaiser nos cœurs d'enfants et nous faire accéder – au-delà des mots – à cet espace qui nous permet de vivre ensemble la résonnance de l'amour, au cœur de l'émerveillement… Puisse l'écoute de ces "berceuses" vous apporter autant de bonheur et d'émotion que j'en ai resenti à les enregistrer pour vous, pour nous, pour tous les enfants du monde."

Recorded with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra in the iconic Abbey Road Studios, Elizabeth Sombarts new album focusses on the ever-popular Adagios and slow movements from the great piano concerto repertoire. This 2-CD set spans centuries of keyboard repertoire, presenting the works of Bach, Mozart, Beethoven, Mendelssohn, Saint-Saëns, Rachmaninov, Grieg, Ravel, Brahms, Chopin and contemporary composer Pierre Adolphe.