Liszt: Sonetto 104 del Petrarca (Années de pèlerinage II, S. 161 No. 5) (Petrarch Sonnet No. 104)

Grace Francis was born in East London and attended the Yehudi Menuhin School before studying with Irina Zaritskaya at the Royal College of Music, where she was awarded the Chappell Gold Medal, the highest award for a pianist. She subsequently received a Wingate Scholarship to continue her studies with Martino Tirimo for several years. Among other prizes, she was a winner of the Negrada Piano House Heferer Award at the EPTA International Competition in Zagreb.

‘Grace Francis is a phenomenon. Technically, there seems to be nothing she can’t play. But more than that, there is a force in her, a compulsion, that gives her performances uncommon fire and energy.’ David Cairns Senior Music Critic, The Sunday Times

The debut release from the remarkable young pianist Wu Qian. She plays Schumann’s ‘Kreisleriana’ Op.16 and Liszt’s Sonetto 104 del Petrarca & Hungarian Rhapsody No 12 in C sharp minor. Featuring the world premiere recording of Alexander Prior’s “Svyatogor’s Quest”

Liszt’s solitary sonata for piano (1851-3) is perhaps the summit of keyboard writing in the romantic period. Taking Beethoven's development of the piano sonata to its logical conclusion, and marrying it with the structure of Schubert’s ‘Wanderer’ Fantasy, Liszt created a towering masterpiece that consists of six sections, divided into sixteen, played without a break. These are interlinked with leitmotivs that develop, fuse together, clash with each other, and disintegrate over the course of the sonata’s half-hour span. It is an architectural masterpiece, and one of the most exciting works in the repertoire.

The Petrarch Sonnets date from 1838, and were originally for voice and piano. In the versions for solo piano they become songs without words, Liszt vividly capturing the sentiments of the original poem. Liszt composed two Legends in 1863, both dedicated to his daughter Cosima. Although originally for orchestra, it is the piano versions that have become the most popular. The one on this CD depicts St Francis’s sermon to the birds. It is a delicate and solemn piece, a world away from the turbulent sonata.

New recording made in 2008

Yingdi Sun won the prestigious International Franz Liszt Piano Competition in 2005, held in Utrecht. After winning the first prize he has embarked on an extensive tour of the Netherlands, Europe, America, South Africa, China and Indonesia He has performed with many of the world’s major orchestras, including the Rotterdam Philharmonic, the Netherlands Radio Symphony Orchestra

He was invited by President Hu Jintao to perform in part of the festivities to honour the US President George W Bush during his 2005 visit to China

SFZ Music, the independent label for His Majestys Sagbutts & Cornetts, are pleased to announce their latest release, featuring the exciting young pianist, Daniel Grimwood. Daniel has chosen to record Liszt's Années de Pèlerinage in their entirety, on an Erard piano dating from 1851, as Liszt himself might have played.The piano combines a silky mid-range with delicate, bell-like high notes and a bass of tremendous power.

Daniel Grimwood's debut at London's Wigmore Hall in September 2002 heralded the beginnings of a performing career that has seen Grimwood acclaimed by Musical Opinion: "Grimwood's strength lay in his stunning, even breathtaking technical prowess…a heavyweight programme delivered with a boldness of spirit & drama that is rare in a young artist…A rare and well deserved standing ovation gave a true measure of this remarkable young British concert pianist whose extraordinary technique will be forever etched in my mind."

The great Georgian pianist, Lev Vlassenko, was born in 1928. He graduated from the Moscow Conservatoire in 1956 as laureate of the First Tchaikovsky Piano Competition, being runner up to the legendary Van Clyburn. He is thought of today as one of the greatest exponents of the music of Liszt and this recording is one of 22 such documents that survive of this remarkable musician’s art.