Funeral March Archive
RESPIGHI: Metamorphoseon; Ballata delle Gnomidi; Queen of Sheba, Suite – Orch. Philharmonique Royal de Liege/ John Neschling – BIS
Three colorfully-orchestrated works from the Italian composer who studied with Rimsky-Korsakov.
Poldi Mildner, piano = SCHUBERT: Fantasie in C, “Wanderer”; CHOPIN: Piano Sonata No. 2, “Funeral March”; LISZT: Sonata in B Minor; DEBUSSY: Estampes – Poldi Mildner, p. – MeloClassic
MeloClassic scores another triumph of historical keyboard restoration with an artist we must reckon among the formerly unsung titans of her art.
MEDTNER: Skazki; Sonata in B-flat Minor, “Sonata Romantica”; RACHMANINOV: Variations on a Theme by Corelli; Piano Sonata No. 2 in B-flat Minor – Stephen Osborne, p. – Hyperion
Virtuosic and nostalgically sensitive performances of the Medtner and Rachmaninoff.
R. STRAUSS: Metamorphosen for 23 Solo Strings; Sinfonia Domestica – French National Radio Orch./ BBC Sym. Orch./ Jascha Horenstein – Pristine Audio
A fine reissue from 1953 sessions with Jascha Horenstein, with broad pace and sensitivity.
Wilhelm Backhaus = BEETHOVEN: Piano Sonata No. 6 in F, No. 2; Sonata No. 12; Piano Sonata No. 14 in C-sharp Minor, “Moonlight”; BRAHMS: Piano Quintet in F Minor – Wilhelm Backhaus, p./Amadeus String Q. – Meloclassic
From two venues in France, the legendary Wilhelm Backhaus performs his Beethoven and a rare Brahms Quintet.
SCHUMANN: Piano Quintet in E-flat Major; DVORAK: Piano Quintet in A Major – Elias String Q./ Jonathan Biss, p. – Onyx
Two landmarks of the Romantic piano quintet medium played with intelligent and fervent vigor by Jonathan Biss and his youthful Elias Quartet collaborators.
BEETHOVEN: The Symphonies – Soloists/ Laurens Collegium & Cantorej, Rotterdam/ Orchestra of the 18th Century/ Frans Brüggen – Glossa (5 discs)
Brüggen’s second complete effort; while the results are never in doubt as to sincerity, they are at best mixed.
BEETHOVEN – "Moto perpetuo" = Piano Sonatas – Javier Perianes, piano – Harmonia mundi
Spanish piano virtuoso Perianes casts brilliant lights upon four Beethoven sonatas whose motor elements prove as compelling as their lyrical and dramatic energies.
BEETHOVEN: Piano Sonata No. 7 in D Major; Piano Sonata No. 12, “Funeral March”; Piano Sonata No. 23, “Appassionata” – Sviatoslav Richter, p. – Supraphon Archiv
Richter in 1959 plays three Beethoven sonatas with heroic abandon, especially the “Appassionata,” which quite takes the audience and us by storm.
BEETHOVEN: Piano Sonatas, Vol. I = Sonata No. 5; Sonata No. 11; Sonata No. 12 “Funeral March”; Sonata No. 26 “Les Adieux” – Jonathan Biss – Onyx
These sonatas bear the hallmark of a young lion who feels ready to proffer his mane and demand a goodly territory.
Arthur Rubinstein: 1946-1958 Recordings = CHOPIN: Sonata No. 2; Preludes; 3 Nouvelles Etudes; Berceuse; Barcarolle – Naxos Historical
Volume 4 of Arthur Rubinstein’s restorations on Naxos gives us his only full cycle of Preludes and a potent Barcarolle, 1946-1958.
Daniel Barenboim plays CHOPIN – The Warsaw Recital – DGG
“Mellow” well describes Barenboim’s approach even to Chopin’s most daunting keyboard works.
CHOPIN: Piano Sonata No. 2 & other works – Maurizio Pollini, p. – Archipel
The 1960 Chopin Competition winner demonstrates the aggressive technique and style that defined the neo-Classic approach of the period.
Stereotypes Audio
Cembal d’amour
Pure Pleasure / Speakers Corner
Cedille
