Albéniz: Triana (from Iberia, book 2)

This CD showcases Backhaus’s great virtuosity.

The Yuja Wang album that everyone has been waiting for wows with musical miniatures that are short, sweet, and huge in impact. These encore pieces by Scriabin, Gluck, Rachmaninov, Chopin and others will enthrall Yuja Wang’s fans with challenging technical demands and the bravura precision of her execution. The variety of styles – which includes neo-Classical, Impressionist, Romantic, jazz - in addition to the quality of the arrangements of pieces that are adaptations, provides a welcome and yet unique listening experience.

The American pianist Julius Katchen (1926–1969) was a child prodigy who at age 11 performed with the Philadelphia Orchestra under Ormandy. In 1946 Katchen toured Europe, settled in Paris in late 1947 and became a frequent performer on the European concert platform.

His technique was ‘gold plated’ and despite his early death at aged 43 from cancer, he had a large discography which still sells today. In December 1968 he famously participated in the two-day spectacular known as the Rolling Stones’ Rock and Roll Circus, playing the first movement of Mozart’s Sonata K545 and Falla’s ‘Ritual Fire Dance’ from El amor brujo.

Katchen made a major study of Brahms during his career and this 1967 live broadcast of Brahms Piano Concerto No.1, with the distinguished German conductor Rudolf Kempe, reflects his deep understanding of this composer.

This recording gives the collector the rare opportunity of hearing Katchen ‘live’ in comparison to his studio account made much earlier in 1959.

The fill-ups consist of familiar Katchen composers, Chopin and Liszt but also two new additions to his discography, Schumann's Prophet Bird Op.82, No.7 and Albéniz’s Triana.

Completing this CD is a rare interview with John Amis where Katchen discusses his early life including his thoughts on Mozart and Brahms interpretation.

These recordings have never been released before and have been remastered using ICA’s Ambient Mastering process which recreates the atmosphere of the concert hall.

The title of this CD refers to the melting pot of lights and colours used by the composers featured here; Scarlatti, Beethoven, Brahms, Chopin, Liszt, Ravel and Albéniz. Felix Ardanaz’s solo work embraces all styles, although he feels a particular predilection for the Impressionist repertoire, and the works of Albéniz and Chopin.

Rafael Aguirre is acknowledged as one of today’s most celebrated virtuoso guitarists, having won first prize at 13 of the world’s most prestigious international competitions: a record-breaking achievement for a Spanish musician. Following on from his previous, acclaimed recording (8572064), this fullblooded recital is of music by Spanish composers or those influenced by Iberia, from the pure flamenco of Paco de Lucía’s Guajiras to Debussy’s impressionistic Soirée dans Grenade, and from Albéniz’s Triana, named after the gypsy quarter in Seville, to the virtuoso fireworks of Tárrega’s Gran Jota.