Mendelssohn: Variations sérieuses in D minor Op. 54

Martin Stadtfeld performs Mendelssohn, Schumann & Bach, with the renowned Academy of St. Martin in the Fields, under its founder, Sir Neville Marriner. This is the first Mendelssohn (1809-1847) disc from acclaimed, award winning German pianist Stadtfeld, who caused a stir in 2002, becoming the first German to win the 'International Bach Competition' in Leipzig. There are two CD's, with disc one being a x13 piece body of Mendelssohns work & then a bonus disc two containing x4 pieces of work, covering Schumann & Bach.

This first album of the Russian pianist, harpsichordist and organist Olga Pashchenko – student of Alexei Lubimov and Richard Egarr; prizewinner of several international music competitions (‘Schloss Kremsegg’ for fortepiano in 2011; ‘Hans von Bulow' for piano in 2012…) depicts the rebellious and yet very tender metamorphosis between two ‘states’ of art – Classical and Romantic. Dussek, Beethoven, and Mendelssohn stand at the crossroads of the two styles; demonstrating how the transformation to Romanticism was subtle and hidden in the smallest details of the well-composed, transparent architecture of the music of the Classical period.

The two original instruments (Conrad Graf 1826 & Donat Schoeffstoss 1812) chosen with care by Olga Pashchenko are in possession of a great clarity of sound, and uncover immense timbral possibilities, allowing one to play with the rhetoric as much as with the colours.

Organist Peter Kofler performs the works of JS Bach, Bruhns, CPE Bach, Mendelssohn, Dupre and Widor on this recording played on the organ of the Jesuitenkirche St Michael zu Munich.

Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy is regarded as the inventor of the ‘Songs without Words’ genre. He wrote eight volumes, each containing six Songs without Words. Michael Korstick performs these genial atmospheric pieces, which are all too often only heard only as encores, with a dazzling interpretive guise.

Cyril Huvé is a disciple of Claudio Arrau and pioneer in the rediscovery of nineteenth century keyboards and their expressive possibilities. He sees these instruments as a means to affirm the values of the Romantic tradition of piano performance which his mentors passed on to him. This recording, performed on a Broadwood 1840, is testament to his dedication and skill.

This CD provides a short survey of the development of piano variations, beginning with Mozart’s Duport Variations. The collection also includes works by Beethoven, Schubert, Schumann, Mendelssohn and Chopin. Alejandro Picó-Leonis was born in Alicante and studied in Madrid and New York. He made his Carnegie Hall debut in 2002.

This is Sachiko Furuhata-Kersting’s Oehms Classics debut. Her recital programme shows fascinating links between works by Mendelssohn, Schumann and Liszt. Schumann’s Faschingsschwank Op.26 is clearly influenced by Mendelssohn’s Songs Without Words.