Turca

The delightfully unusual disc Alla turca takes its initial inspiration from the failed 1683 siege of Vienna by the Turks and never looks back. The music explored here belongs to the Holy Roman Empire of the late seventeenth and early eighteenth centuries, an empire that celebrated both the arms that held back the Islamist hordes, and the more gentle arts of music that several Emperors personally studied. Alla turca brings a seldom-heard Baroque repertory to life in vivid musical color.

In 1998 an article appeared in The Times claiming the non-existence of talent. Just as the eminent psychologist R.D. Laing explained that ‘schizophrenia’ was a fabricated term for an analysable condition, so the Times writer stressed that talent was a fancy description for hard work. For him the success of a musical star – he took the violinist Anne-Sophie Mutter as his example – had more to do with perspiration than inspiration.

Moonlight: Variations, Preludes, and Other Piano Works by Walter Gieseking, released on Warner Classics, showcases the legendary pianist's mastery of classical repertoire. Featuring works by Mozart, Debussy, Grieg, Beethoven, and Schumann, Gieseking’s interpretations are known for their nuance, clarity, and expressive touch. From the serene elegance of Mozart to the evocative impressionism of Debussy, this album spans a range of styles, offering a rich and immersive listening experience. Gieseking’s unparalleled artistry brings new depth to these timeless compositions, making this a must-have for classical music lovers.

Moonlight: Variations, Preludes, and Other Piano Works by Walter Gieseking, released on Warner Classics, showcases the legendary pianist's mastery of classical repertoire. Featuring works by Mozart, Debussy, Grieg, Beethoven, and Schumann, Gieseking’s interpretations are known for their nuance, clarity, and expressive touch. From the serene elegance of Mozart to the evocative impressionism of Debussy, this album spans a range of styles, offering a rich and immersive listening experience. Gieseking’s unparalleled artistry brings new depth to these timeless compositions, making this a must-have for classical music lovers.

Yundi’s new album, recorded in Salzburg, features Mozart’s Piano Sonatas K. 310, K. 475, K. 457, and K. 331. The pianist, a Steinway Artist, was propelled into the international spotlight when he won first prize at the XIV Chopin International Piano Competition at the age of 18, becoming the youngest and first Chinese winner in the history of the renowned competition. “Yundi Li’s direct, sharply etched, upbeat account of Mozart’s wonderful C major K. 330 sonata would do any pianist proud.” – Jed Distler from Classics Today.

Yundi’s new album, recorded in Salzburg, features Mozart’s Piano Sonatas K. 310, K. 475, K. 457, and K. 331. The pianist, a Steinway Artist, was propelled into the international spotlight when he won first prize at the XIV Chopin International Piano Competition at the age of 18, becoming the youngest and first Chinese winner in the history of the renowned competition. “Yundi Li’s direct, sharply etched, upbeat account of Mozart’s wonderful C major K. 330 sonata would do any pianist proud.” – Jed Distler from Classics Today.

Andreas Romberg explored new musical territory when he got the idea to include Turkish colour in his fourth symphony. It was not until the romantic era that Oriental or Arabian colour very deliberately was incorporated into symphonic music, whether in Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov's Scheherazade (1888) or in Engelbert Humperdinck's Maurische Rhapsodie (1898). Right in the first movement of his symphony Romberg used the title 'A la turca' to get his audience to anticipate Turkish colour. The gradually intensified initial part goes over into a passage with the expected percussion accents and swiftly whirling violin figures. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's Violin Concerto in A major, the last of his five violin concertos, is also regarded as a concert piece with Turkish colour. In the rondo finale there is a famous interlude in A minor in which the violoncellists and double bassists beat the rhythm on the strings with their bow sticks. This too produces the popular 'Alla turca' flair.

"The sonatas of Mozart are unique," said Artur Schnabel. "They are too easy for children, and too difficult for artists." It was performances like Mikhail Pletnev's that inspired Schabel's maxim. Pletnev's technique is awe-inspiring, and the smooth, room-sized sound he gets out of a grand piano promise wonderful things as one begins listening to the disc. But there's a certain refusal to fool with the music, a Zen detachment perhaps, that's necessary for a really good Mozart performance, and Pletnev does too much tinkering.