Tansman: Prelude & Fugue

The story of how the aristocratic harpsichord ultimately gave way to the more expressive piano is well known. By the time of Bach's death in 1750, the harpsichord was already considered "old fashioned" and even provincial. Even while the general public tastes had changed, composers throughout the 19th and into the 20th century continued to be captivated by the "idea" of the harpsichord, even when no instrument was actually available to them.

hänssler CLASSIC is proud to present the next volume in the "Revolution…" series. Each disc is dedicated to presenting surprising repertoire, written not ordinarily associated with the featured instruments. The current disc featured the artistry of Sumina Arihashi, one of Japan's finest harpsichord virtuosi, in a recital of works by composers as diverse as Ravel, Delius, Tansman, Tcherepnin, and even the Moog Synthesizer pioneers, Perrey & Kingsley - composers of the '70s instrumental hit, "Popcorn."

This program also features the World Premiere recording of music specially commission for the occasion by the late Akira Ifukube. Ifukube is best known in the west for his colorful film scores, particularly his music for the Toho "Godzilla" movies, however, Ifukube excelled in all fields of composition and was one of Japan's most respected and beloved composers and teachers.