Brahms: Intermezzo in E flat minor, Op. 118 No. 6

A special atmosphere conveys a central theme throughout this CD which includes pieces by Schumann, Franz Schubert, Claude Debussy, Johann Sebastian Bach, Johannes Brahms, and two compositions by Franz Vorraber; the pianist himself.

American Record Guide described the Vocalensemble Rastatt; “Its sound is akin to pure gold.” Under their conductor Holger Speck, the ensemble has developed into a top-class chamber of international standing. Their performances are distinguished by their spirited, compelling and historically informed interpretations in the most varied styles.

The 1956 RIAS recordings of Solomon, made shortly before the tragic end of his career, are benchmark recordings even today thanks to their sonorous lucidity and structural transparency. Archive releases of recordings made by the English pianist Solomon (1902-1988) are particularly noteworthy – partly due to the tragic turning point in the life of this exceptional artist. In 1956, during recordings of the complete Beethoven sonatas and following recordings of the piano concertos by Grieg and Schumann for EMI-Columbia, he suffered a major stroke which forced him into silence for the rest of his life. The music world was thus robbed of an eminent pianist and artist who, with his technically and creatively superior interpretations, always managed to penetrate the core of the musical message.

Solomon’s recordings of the classical and romantic piano repertoire document the highest artistic standing and, as such, take an immovable place in the history of pianism. This programme, recorded in February 1956 at the RIAS Berlin, is one of the last recordings made by Solomon. It is compiled in the same manner as his concert tours of 1955: two Beethoven sonatas form the centrepiece and are supplemented by works of Bach, Chopin, Schumann and Brahms.

The Canadian musician Glenn Gould was undoubtedly one of the greatest pianists of all time. To mark the 75th anniversary of his birth, and the 25th anniversary of his death, Sony BMG Masterworks presents this seminal artist’s vinyl recordings as re-mastered CDs, designed to replicate the exact artwork of the original gramophone records in miniaturised form. Already issued as part of an 80-CD box set (88697130942), these albums are now being made available individually, with the first 20 in the series being released in November 2007.