Liszt: Concert Paraphrase on Rigoletto, S.434 after Verdi's opera

The award winning concert pianist warren Mailley-Smith has made solo debuts to critical acclaim at Wigmore Hall, London and Carnegie Hall, New York. In May 2011 he made his much anticipated debut with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. This thoughtful Liszt programme will no doubt help to build his already flourishing career. Described by BBC Music Magazine as “rising star-great artist of tomorrow’

Simone Pedroni has chosen works of very different character for this collection, but all are variations or a metamorphosis of a single theme. Simone is one of the most brilliant Italian pianists and has performed throughout the world, including a recital and masterclass in Beijing. He has performed as a soloist in Rome with Vladimir Ashkenazy conducting.

Jimmy Smits introduced American pianist Andrew von Oeyen to millions of PBS viewers at the July 09 event "A Capitol Fourth." In the star-studded program, Andrew joined Michael Feinstein and the National Symphony in a performance of Gershwin's "Rhapsody in Blue".

In his first solo recording, Andrew presents the depth and breadth of Liszt's piano music - the grand design, the deep poetry, the ever-present song. Liszt's involvement in opera is well represented in this album, with affecting paraphrases of Wagner (Tristan und Isolde, Lohengrin) and Verdi (Rigoletto).

Worldwide concert audiences hail Andrew as an exciting soloist with major orchestras, and in top recital and Festival series. "As for star quality, von Oeyen is already risen…. leaves you convinced that he can do absolutely anything he likes with a keyboard." (Chicago Tribune)

"Andrew von Oeyen, keenly attuned to Liszt's grand design…I would go so far as to say that von Oeyen played the finest all-around performance of Franz Liszt's Sonata in B Minor that I have heard in many years." Washington Post

This is the second album by the young, award-winning blind Japanese pianist Nobuyuki Tsujii for Challenge Classics, following a stunning account of Rachmaninov’s Second Piano Concerto (CC72371). His new CD – music from the solo repertoire – includes Mussorgsky’s great piano cycle “Pictures at an Exhibition” alongside two pieces by Franz Liszt, Un Sospiro and the Concert Paraphrase on themes from Verdi’s Rigoletto.

Blind since birth, Nobuyuki Tsujii was joint-winner of the Gold Medal at the Van Cliburn International Piano Competition in 2009. Since then he has appeared at the Aspen Music Festival and the Ravinia Festival, and given recitals throughout the U.S.A. He has worked with conductors including Vladimir Ashkenazy, Yutaka Sado and Vladimir Spivakov.

Nobuyuki Tsujii has made a number of recordings for Avex Classics including an all-Chopin recital disc, and a live DVD recording of his 2008 solo recital at Suntory Hall.

Modest Mussorgsky composed Pictures at an Exhibition in 1874, after he had attended an exhibition of paintings and drawings by the artist Victor Hartmann, who had died in the summer of 1873. Un Sospiro (A Sigh) is one of the three concert études Franz Liszt composed around 1848. His Concert Paraphrase – Rigoletto of 1859 utilises themes from the famous vocal quartet “Bella figlia dell’amore” in the third act.

First off is a revelatory compilation of Liszt’s most daring and virtuosic piano music, a special celebration of his wild and crazy side from an array of great pianists – dazzling virtuosity, extreme harmonies and textures – a helter-skelter ride through his piano oeuvre, with just the occasional moment of relaxation.

From the first strumming chords of the First Mephisto Waltz to the spooky harmonies of La lugubre gondola and the obsessive threnody of Totentanz, a master of the instrument stands before us in all his glory.

Featured are such names as Géza Anda, Martha Argerich, Vladimir Ashkenazy, Daniel Barenboim, Jorge Bolet, Shura Cherkassky, Vladimir Horowitz, Zoltán Kocsis, Lang Lang, Alice Sara Ott, Mikhail Pletnev, Sviatoslav Richter and Yundi Li.

Rarities include four first releases on CD by Jean-Rodolfe Kars and Egon Petri – the latter aMasters of the Old School, with two incomparable performances of transcriptions (of Mozart’s Figaro and Mendelssohn’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream) , guaranteed to bring the house down.

These recordings were originally recorded for Denon and are now available on CD for the first time in nearly 20 years.

To celebrate the 200th anniversary of Liszt’s birth, this new format title (2 CDs + 50,000 word biography) explores the fascinating world of LIZST: HIS LIFE AND MUSIC.

Perhaps the greatest pianist who has ever lived, Liszt was one of the titanic musical figures of the Romantic age. Abandoning his spectacular career as a travelling virtuoso in his mid-thirties, this passionate lover and fond father dedicated himself instead to a life of composing, conducting, teaching and, increasingly, religious devotion, eventually taking minor orders in the Roman Catholic Church. This biography explores an enthralling life lived for long periods in France, Switzerland, Germany, Italy and the composer’s native Hungary – a kaleidoscope of cultural worlds whose folk music, literature and landscapes richly coloured Liszt’s own music.

The 2 CDs feature music spanning Liszt’s career, and the free website www.naxosaudiobooks/lisztlifeandmusic offers hours of extra music and other bonus material.