Rachmaninov: Elegie, Op. 3 No. 1

The Yuja Wang album that everyone has been waiting for wows with musical miniatures that are short, sweet, and huge in impact. These encore pieces by Scriabin, Gluck, Rachmaninov, Chopin and others will enthrall Yuja Wang’s fans with challenging technical demands and the bravura precision of her execution. The variety of styles – which includes neo-Classical, Impressionist, Romantic, jazz - in addition to the quality of the arrangements of pieces that are adaptations, provides a welcome and yet unique listening experience.

The meteoric ascent of Vassily Primakov's international career has resulted from a series of competition victories, prizes in honour of his artistry, and his award-winning recordings. Winner of First Prize in the Young Concert Artist International Auditions and the Audience Prize of the Gina Bachauer International Competition, Primakov was named the Classical Recording Foundation's “Young Artist of the Year” in 2007.

His much-heralded recordings have garnered National Public Radio's “CD of the Year” (Chopin Mazurkas, 2010), American Record Guide's “Best of the Year” (Schubert Impromptus; and Dvorak Piano Concerto, 2011) and BBC Music Magazine's Music Choice (Chopin Ballades, Brahms Intermezzi, and Scriabin Sonata No. 4, 2010).

This new recording presents Primakov's renditions of some of Rachmaninoff's most beloved works, played on a superb Bechstein Concert Grand.

"This live recording of Rachmaninoff Piano Concerto no.3 was made on November 13, 1992 at the Bolshoi Hall of Moscow Conservatory during a concert to honour the memory of Jacob Flier (1912-1977) with whom Pletnev and I both studied. Flier was one of the greatest teachers in Moscow Conservatory who brought up several generations of prominent pianists. It was a very special and emotional occasion for Pletnev and myself and we did our best to pay a worthy tribute to our teacher." Vladimir Feltsman

The solo pieces which accompany the Piano Concerto were recorded at the Wyastone Concert Hall in November 2010.

The piano music of Rachmaninov explores the registral capabilities of the modern piano in a fascinating manner. Rachmaninov’s artistic idiom is rich in references to traditional Russian music. It is, however, counter-pointed by a progressive chromaticism set in a neo-classical framework. Rachmaninov incorporates haunting melodies, thick chordal textures and distinct rhythmic patterns – all of which are held in a musical architecture marked by astounding economy.

Rachmaninov was a remarkable artist: he excelled in the fields of composing, performing and conducting. His playing indeed, along with the size of his hands, has become legendary. As a composer Rachmaninov is famous for his symphonies, concerti and instrumental music. In addition, his songs and sacred music have recently gained recognition as important areas of his oeuvre.

Jeremy Filsell is one of very few performers to have established a virtuoso concert career as both a pianist and organist on the international stage. This recital disc explores Filsell’s lifelong love of Rachmaninov’s piano music, surveying selections from Preludes and Sonatas as well as two song transcriptions.

"The Slavonic works presented here include original works for trumpet, written by composers who are not well known to the general public, and also arrangements of popular works, ones that everyone must have heard at some time or another. The latter include Vocalise by Rachmaninov, Valse Sentimentale and the last movement, Mélodie, from Souvenir d’un lieu cher by Tchaikovsky, and the famous Flight of the Bumblebee, an orchestral interlude written by Nikolay Rimsky- Korsakov for his opera The Tale of Tsar Saltan. This recording represents an important new step for me; I hope it will give the listener as much pleasure as it gave me. “ Romain Leleu