Busoni: Sonatina No. 3: ad usum infantis

2 CDs for the price of 1.

Michael Zadora is one of the most obscure pianists to have recorded prolifically in the 78rpm era. Only a handful of 78s have ever been reissued, and no LP or CD has ever been devoted to him. It would appear that his concert career was also not particularly high profile, yet from these recordings it seems he was a very significant artist. Perhaps the answer lies in his background. He was born in the New York of aristocratic Polish parents but returned to Europe to study and was a pupil of Leshetizky and Barth (who also taught Rubinstein). After the First World War he became a disciple of Busoni and indeed played for the great artist on his deathbed. Zadora seems to have been a rather reserved character, much more an intellectual than someone who enjoyed public performance and it is likely that family wealth allowed him the luxury of not have to pursue his career too aggressively. On the other hand, studio recording suited him very well indeed and he seems equally at home in the standard repertoire, such as Chopin, and in more rarefied material, such as the Busoni Sonatinas, where we are undoubtedly hearing an interpretation very close to that of the composer himself. Of particular interest are Zadora's own unusual transcriptions and also the works of 'Pietro Amadis' who was actually a pseudonym of the pianist.

These very rare recordings should be of particular interest to all lovers of historic piano playing.

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.