Liszt: Piano Sonata in B minor, S178 - SACD

Highly regarded Ukrainian pianist Sergei Edelmann’s third recording for Triton features two great masterpieces of the 19th century, Liszt’s Sonata in B minor and Schubert’s Fantasy in C major known as the ‘Wanderer’.

Born in Lvov, Ukraine in 1960, Sergei Edelmann was taught to play by his father, Alexander Edelmann, a renowned pianist and teacher who had links to Vladimir Horowitz and Sviatoslav Richter. His BMG Classics/RCA Red Seal CDs feature recordings of both Mendelssohn concertos and the Strauss Burlesque, and his series of solo recordings of Beethoven, Schubert, Schumann, Chopin and Prokofiev, have garnered enthusiastic critical acclaim. In recent times he has made several recordings for Triton including discs devoted to the music of Schumann (EXCL00025), and Chopin (OVCT00058).

Franz Liszt’s Sonata in B minor completed in 1853 is probably his most important single composition for solo piano, and perhaps one of his greatest masterpieces. The work was however slow to gain approval, and was coolly received at its premiere. In fact the sonata was not firmly accepted into the repertoire until well into the twentieth century. One of the models for the form of Liszt’s Sonata in B minor is the Wanderer Fantasy in C major by Schubert which is, unusually for the composer, a virtuoso piece. It was written in November 1822 around the same time as the Unfinished Symphony.

The young pianist Markus Groh, first prize winner at the Queen Elizabeth competition in 1995, makes his recording debut with a stunning performance of Liszt’s iconic B minor Sonata together with the lesser heard Fantasy and Fugue on B-A-C-H and Totentanz, more commonly heard in the version for piano and orchestra. Groh’s performance loses none of the impact, however. This is a tour de force of masterly piano playing. Groh’s impressive international itinerary includes performances of the great romantic repertoire with such orchestras as the London Symphony Orchestra, Philadelphia Orchestra, San Francisco Symphony and St. Petersburg Philharmonic. He is a regular visitor to Japan and also performs frequently in his native Germany. Liszt’s technicolour writing and Groh’s pianistic fireworks are brought to vivid life by the SACD recording.