Dohnányi: 6 Piano Pieces, Op. 41

Dohnányi wrote his "Harp Concertino" in Tallahassee in 1952. Its lush post-Romantic idiom is tinged with more than a few touches of French music of the past. The "Six Pieces for Piano" were written just after Dohnányi left Hungary, never to return. Elegant virtuosity, spicy harmonies, and intimate lyricism remain hallmarks of these rarely heard works. The virtuosic "Sextet in C Major", composed in Budapest, is Dohnányi's final chamber composition (not counting two short works for flute written shortly before his death). Throughout the work, a tritone ‘leitmotiv' clashes with themes of an overtly lyrical nature. Playful, and jazzy rhythms are frequently incorporated into this wildly dramatic and inspired composition.

"Lawrence Schubert is a convincing, eloquent exponent of this literature, and his performances prove musically captivating. He has an endearing way of treating phrases with expressive malleability and succeeds over and over in making them naturally elastic, fresh, and spontaneous. There is great attention to dynamics, shading, and sonority. Voicing of chords is beautifully done. His playing is technically meticulous and often powerful. He understands unerringly how to express Dohnanyi's frequent and delicious humor. Warmly recommended." - Mulbury, American Record Guide, May/June 2003