44 Results for : stretta
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25th Anniversary Concert
Program Notes Samuel Barber (1910-1981) Sonata for piano in E-flat minor, op.26. The Barber Sonata is among the greatest piano works of the twentieth century, combining choice elements derived from classical, romantic and modern styles bristling with splendid difficulties. The first movement (sonata form) is comprised of one chromatic theme powerfully stated - fast and energetic. The 'scherzo' opens in a blithe, carefree mood, blending alternate light and dark textures, including a delightful waltz. The lambent strains of the 'adagio' fashion a melancholy song in the traditional manner while, simultaneously incorporating a twelve-tone technique. A vertiginous fugue closes the work. Within the strictly contrapuntal fabric, Barber exhausts his storehouse of classic and contemporary genres of piano writing. Claude Debussy (1862-1918) Reflets dans l'eau. 'Reflections in the Water (from 'Images 1') In this colorful work, the listener may hear the rhythms of water, often at low dynamic levels - monotonic and hypnotic - through the use of arpeggios and picturesque chords covering an extensive area of the keyboard. Pedal tones and melodies in the lower register are found in the secondary theme and the entirety concludes with a restatement of the opening melody in rhythmic alteration and languorous, haunting sustained chords coupled with an open octave melodic motive. Claude Debussy (1862-1918) Jardins sous la Pluie. "Gardens in the Rain" (from "Estampes") For all the beauties found in earlier works, Debussy was in his early forties when he seriously confronted the challenge of writing for piano solo. Written a few years before 'Images,' 'Estampes' or 'Prints' may represent the series of impressions herein imagined by the composer. 'Jardins' could be self-explanatory when pictured in the mind's eye: the splattering rain, the flowers, the return of the sun dispelling the storm. Robert Schumann (1810-1856) Papillons, op.2. Robert Schumann was at his greatest in his character piece cycles for the piano. 'Papillons' is a succession of waltzes and polonaises, a ballroom scene, rounded off and unified by the reappearance of the first waltz in the final piece. The miniatures that make up this op.2 are as personal and recognizably Schumannesque as anything he wrote later, the style, to be sure, deepened and ripened, but it's essentials remained unchanged. 'Papillons' is a cornucopia of lyrical ideas with the most imaginative use of harmonies and rhythms. Schumann-Liszt Widmung Franz Liszt's (1811-1886) transcription of Schumann's song, 'Widmung,' was published in 1849 and is dedicated to Clara Schumann. It is a perfect demonstration of Liszt's devotion to make the song literature accessible to the general public while providing the virtuoso pianist the opportunity to show that the keyboard instrument can sing, too. Franz Liszt Hungarian Rhapsody no.12 Few works are as closely associated with their composers as the ubiquitous Hungarian Rhapsodies are to Franz Liszt. A large portion of Liszt's piano music consists of arrangements, transcriptions, operatic arias, fantasies and the twenty Hungarian Rhapsodies, based on gypsy folk-tunes. Most of these free-form works open with a slow, passionate introduction, followed by a gradual quickening of tempo until the music becomes dizzying, culminating with a feisty, impelling section in imitation of the Hungarian dance called 'czardas.' In the twelfth Rhapsody, a haughty introduction in a grand manner sets the stage for the first of several frisky melodies. The flurry of excitement is broken by the entrance of a soulful theme, leading to development of the opening chords. Another dancelike theme enters, but before a breath can be caught, the devilishly difficult 'stretta vivace' blazes with a vigorous display of technical fireworks. Program Notes by James Leeds © James Leeds,1984, revised notes 2009. Encores The Nightingale, Alabieff-Liszt Alexander Alabieff (1787-1851) was a prolific Russian composer whose works have faded into obscurity except a song for soprano and piano, Le Rossignol (the Nightingale). With this short song, Alabieff set the Russian soul to music. Franz Liszt took this song and made one of his most affecting transcriptions. Prelude in B minor, Bach-Siloti Alexander Siloti (1863-1945) was an eminent Russian pianist and a student of Liszt. He taught Goldenweiser as well as his first cousin Rachmaninoff at the Moscow Conservatory and later became a faculty member at the Juilliard School. The Prelude was found in the Clavier-Buchlein for W.F. Bach and later expanded in the E minor prelude, WTC Book 1. It remains a favorite encore. Waltz in D flat minor, Op. 64, No.1 (Minute Waltz) One of the most popular pieces, this waltz flows forth famously in bursts of perpetual motion interrupted by a beautiful lyrical section before it returns to the opening. Encore notes by Howard Aibel © Howard Aibel, 2009 HOWARD AIBEL, pianist Howard Aibel has won international acclaim as both a performer and teacher. The New York Times, reviewing a performance at Carnegie Hall, called him "a very impressive and authoritative artist." In Russia, where he recently delighted audiences with his performances of the Schumann and Tchaikovsky Piano Concerti No. 1, a top critic in St. Petersburg wrote: "His playing was remarkable, evoking the memory of the golden age of piano playing." Aibel's career was launched in 1959, with a highly successful New York debut as the winner of that year's Naumburg Award. He soon won a Fulbright Award and top prizes in the International Busoni and International Casella Piano Competitions as well, leading to highly successful tours of the United States, Europe and Mexico. He has since made six tours of Asia, where he performed with orchestra and in recital, and gave master classes in Korea, Philippines, Taiwan, Hong Kong and Japan. In a performance of Rachmaninoff's Piano Concerto No. 2 at the Cultural Center of the Philippines, Aibel shared the stage with his son, the gifted conductor Anthony Aibel. Aibel has also performed and given master classes in Dublin, Ireland, Tbilisi, Republic of Georgia, and Salzburg, Austria. He recently performed at the Polish Consulate in New York City to raise funds for The Chopin Society of New York. He was invited to Russia for the fourth time. He will perform, lecture and give master classes at the famed Moscow Conservatory. Aibel graduated from Juilliard as a scholarship student in the class of the eminent Mme. Rosina Lhevinne, later becoming her assistant for 10 years. He is a much sought after juror at many national and international piano competitions and was recently presented with a Bravo Award at Carnegie Hall, for "Lifetime Artistic Achievement in the field of Performing Arts" by the Italian Academy Foundation. He celebrates the 50th Anniversary of his New York Town Hall Debut, as the 1959 winner of the Naumburg Award, with a performance of the Schumann Concerto at New York City's Merkin Concert Hall in November, 2009. Howard Aibel is listed in Benjamin Saver's recent book The Most Wanted Piano Teachers in the USA, and in The International Who's Who in Music. He has recorded for Capitol Records, TR Records and Sonar Records. This is his first CD for Impromptu Classics. Howard Aibel is a Steinway Artist.- Shop: odax
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Piano Recital-Brian Schembri
Probably one of the most brilliant musicians to emerge from Malta, Brian SCHEMBRI started his music studies under the guidance of his father Carmelo SCHEMBRI, very early establishing himself as a highly talented concert pianist. His frequent recital performances on television, radio and in most of Malta's public concert halls rapidly gained him a remarkably popular reputation. He then travelled to the ex-USSR where he studied piano with Alexander SNEGIRIOV and Sergei DORENSKY and conducting with Roman KOFMAN and Gennady ROZHDESTVENSKY at the Kiev and Moscow 'Tchaikowsky' State Conservatories. Since then Schembri has worked as conductor with the Theatre du Capitole and with the Orchestra National du Capitole in Toulouse, l'Orchestre National de Lyon, Permanent Conductor with the OPF in Paris, Principal Conductor with the Orquestra Metropolitana Lisboa as well as lecturer in music at the University of Malta. He has conducted orchestras such as the State Philharmonic Orchestra of Ukraine, l'Orchestra Sinfonica di San Remo, l'Orchestre Symphonique et Lyrique de Nancy, the Malta National Orchestra, l'Orchestre de Bretagne, l'Orchestra Ciutat de Barcelona, the Philharmonic Orchestra of Odessa, the Moscow Soloists, Orquestra Academica Metropolitana, l' Orchestra Filarmonica Marchigiana, the Chamber Orchestra of Geneva, Sofia National Opera Orchestra and the London Philharmonic Orchestra. Apart from giving piano recitals in Malta, Italy, France, Ukraine, Switzerland, Russia and Great Britain, he has performed at the 'Festival Massenet', 'Kiev Symphonic Evenings', 'Octobre en Normandie', 'Les Rencontres Musicales d'Evian', "Festa da Musica", "Lisboa em Festa", "Festival MusicAtlantico", "Festival de Piano Vendôme", "Henley Festival". He has also conducted opera productions at the Rennes and Nancy Opera Theatres and the internationally televised G7 Summit Concert in Lyon. Brian Schembri has composed music for theatre productions at the Manoel Theatre and Teatru Strada Stretta in Malta and the Comédie Française in Paris and has recently recorded Charles Camilleri's new Symphony nr 1 and Kosmos with the the Royal Scottish National Symphony Orchestra. Press comments : These sparkling performances from Brian Schembri and the excellent Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra could not be more stylish or persuasively spontaneous, and the vividly atmospheric recording is first rate. (Gramophone Magazine) A pianist of high calibre. (The Times, UK) ...without the least fault in taste, there was passion and lyrical emotion. (Est Republicain, France) ...very well equipped, both technically and emotionally... (The Daily Telegraph, UK) ...he tackles the work with character and breadth...giving it delicacy and sensibility. (Ouest France) ...a pianist in the grand manner...daringly unfamiliar interpretative forays kept always within the limits of good taste.... (The Times, Malta) ...aristocratic, vibrant, elegant gestures, clearly designing the music, without dryness or heaviness... (Lyon Figaro, France) As soon as the curtain rises we are sure of success with Brian Schembri's clear and secure conducting. (Opera International) ...conducting...a strong, generous and broad vision, as lyrical as one could imagine, without excess...a completely convincing and magnificent sound. (Paris Normandie, France) Everything sounds as if it has been meticulously prepared, but the control is never paralysing and the final impression is of focused vitality....he infused the interpretation with unbelievable warmth. (The Sunday Times, Malta) Brian Schembri with his nervous baton, his guiding gestures full of complicity and warmth, deserves a general bravo all for himself..." (La Tribune Le Progres, France) The reading was intelligent, musical and it did justice to this masterpiece (Shostakovich Symphony nr 14)...it was a great interpretation...a great symphonic concert...clearly the best concert of the season and the best event of all the Portuguese lyrical season. (Crítica de Música - Álvaro Sílvio Teixeira)- Shop: odax
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Nella Stretta Morsa del Ragno [Original Motion Picture Soundtrack]
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- Price: 23.10 EUR excl. shipping
