Par SCHUMANN CLARA. Clara Schumann (née Wieck) was undoubtedly the most important female pianist of the 19th century. As a young child she toured Europe as a prodigy: her entire career as a celebrated piano virtuoso spanned more than 60 years. Equally important, but less well known, is the composer Clara Schumann, who published her Opus 1 at the age of eleven. Despite the domestic duties expected …

Par PART ARVO. 'In principio' takes its words from the Gospel of John 1:1-14 and puts them into a five-movement form. This work, as in all of Pärt's music, is governed by a strict formal design, with the clarity of the musical structure corresponding to that of the Latin text. The first movement (vv. 1-5) and the fifth (v. 14) are limited to two opposing formal elements: a static, syllabically art…

Skilfully selected encore pieces add a special touch to a concert. No matter whether virtuoso masterpieces or reflective melodies: both can help to achieve perfect harmony in the end of a successful concert. The well-known pianist and educationalist Wilhelm Ohmen has selected encore pieces for every occasion, with works from three centuries by Couperin, J.S. Bach, Mozart or Schubert through to Tch…

A must have for all pianists seeking a creative approach to developing left and right hand coordination. The exercises and solos (based on the chord changes to well-known standards) are rhythmic, colorful, and fun to play. The chapters cover six specific areas of left hand development and left/right hand integration, with practical application from standard jazz tunes in the form of musical solo …

Chinesische Lieder. Par PENDERECKI KRZYSZTOF. The history of the symphony is full of curiosities, ranging from works that are extremely long or scored for extensive instrumental forces to those of dubious authorship. There are also famous symphonies labelled as No. 0, works with alternate or multiple opus numbers, and a wealth of ‘unfinished’ symphonies. Krzysztof Penderecki’s 6. Sinfonie can also…

The opera Nais was premiered on 22 April 1749 at the Academie royale in the Palais-Royal, Paris, in celebration of the signing of the so-called Treaty of Aachen. It was revived again in August 1764 shortly before Rameau's death and achieved great success as the 'opera of peace', even though it did not appear in print during the composer's lifetime.In numerous arias Rameau provides his singers ampl…

Par THOMAS REDMOND. Although his scorching fingerpicking was most impressive at first glance, a closer look at 'Just Us' reveals that he is equally adept at what many musicians consider as a more difficult task: playing fewer notes... ones that mean more, and say more with less, as he does on album opener 'A Simple Gift', title cut 'Just Us', and 'One Sad Clown'. 'Just Us' is an album consisting l…

It is particularly in his choral music that Peteris Vasks reveals his strong attachment to his Latvian home country. Nature, customs and traditions and the idea of freedom are the central themes of the texts he sets to music, while carefully using modern techniques of choral singing as well. Alternating with traditional, even archaic singing, the music creates a multi-faceted, immediately effectiv…

Tonalité : C-Moll - Op.: 27 -. Par RHEINBERGER JOSEF GABRIEL. Even if the first Organ Sonata op. 27 reveals its debt to tradition, with its unmistakable reminiscences of Bach, Rheinberger’s own personal handwriting is already evident, such as in the use of full harmonies and chords for the organist to play./ Répertoire / Orgue

Par TCHAIKOVSKI PIOTR ILITCH / JONES NATHAN (Arr.). Tchaikovsky composed his twelve character pieces for piano, The Seasons, while he was writing his popular ballet, Swan Lake. Each piece in The Seasons depicts a different month of the year in Russia. The original publication of September: The Hunt included an epigraph at the start of the piece-a small poem by Alexander Pushkin. This energetic arr…

Par VAN DER ROOST JAN. This three-movement symphony musically depicts the history of Hungary. Key historical figures, wars and other important events from this country inspired all three movements. The first movement depicts Atilla, the King of the Huns, and is characterised by fear, threat and aggression. The second movement focuses on Árpád, the founder of the Hungarian State and the final movem…

Par HORST MICHAEL. Louis Vierne (1870-1937) raised the organ symphony to its stylistic zenith. One of his pupils, Marcel Dupré, was the teacher of Thierry Escaich, the co-editor of this complete edition. Vierne's 'Symphony” #4 is one of the most important works in the organ repertoire. Until now it was thought to have originated during the three months of summer 1914. However, the editor has disco…