Lyapunov

The Russian composer, pianist, and conductor Sergey Lyapunov was the son of a celebrated mathematician and astronomer. His father died when Sergey was eight, and in 1870, he and his mother settled in Nizhniy Novgorod, home of Balakirev, the founder of the Russian national school of composition and who was known as one of the "Mighty Handful." Lyapunov studied piano and violin as a child, but was badly taught, resulting in poor technique that had to be corrected when he enrolled at the Moscow Conservatory in 1878. His main piano teacher there was Karl Klindworth, a disciple of Liszt. Lyapunov was also one of Tchaikovsky's last composition students before his resignation from the conservatory, after which ……….

From Allmusic

Sergei Lyapunov has always been a shadowy figure, his derivative yet distinctive voice drowned by his more celebrated compatriots and even by his contemporaries Taneyev, Liadov and Arensky. Yet hearing the First Symphony in a performance of this calibre you're reminded of the way Lyapunov's melodic appeal is complemented by brilliant craftsmanship.

Over the ten years that the Romantic Piano Concerto has been running one of the projects most often requested by the many fans of the series has been a recording of the complete Lyapunov works for piano and orchestra. Well finally here it is!

Most of this disc is taken up with Liszt's Christmas Tree, an unusually modest suite based on Christmas carols. It also offers charming pieces by Reger, Tchaikovsky, Rebikov, and Lyapunov based on Christmas themes, and a couple of Bach transcriptions. Eteri Andjaparidze, whose first CD was a sensational Prokofiev collection, plays this music truly superb musicianship and the kind of pianistic color that has become a rarity. Her Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring is the most beautiful I've heard since Dinu Lipatti's. And wait until you hear her delightful playing of Leroy Anderson's Sleigh Ride! It's deliciously witty and charming.

In the history of music, many are the noteworthy composers who long remained neglected and unrecognized, or whose œuvre has been reduced to misleading clichés. Lyapunov counts among them. Her pianistic virtuosity and inspired playing make us the living witnesses of the transcendental experience so dear to Liszt: they encourage elevation. Let us listen unbiased to a work that remains one of the prodigious cycles of piano literature.

Konstantin Scherbakov - 24 Transcendental Etudes - Franz Liszt & Sergei Lyapunov (2019) {Steinway & Sons STNS 30098}
FLAC (tracks) - 16bit/48kHz - Official Digital Download (highresaudio.com) -> 475 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 330 Mb
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© 2019 Steinway & Sons | STNS 30098
Classical / Piano / Romantic / Early 20th Century

Lyapunov's Douze études d’exécution transcendante were meant as a complement to Liszt’s Transcendental Études and dedicated to his memory. But more than an homage, they finish what Liszt had started. Russian virtuoso Konstantin Scherbakov brings these two great works together for the first time. Once a "Superstar for insiders” (Die Welt), Konstantin Scherbakov is today one of internationally renowned pianists who take a special place in the modern piano world.