Alexander Glasunow: Klavierkonzerte Nr.1 & 2 on CD

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The disc is the thirteenth volume in the famous Hyperion »Romantic Piano Concerto« series; it also follows on from Stephen Coombs's four-volume set of Glazunov's music for solo piano, meaning that Coombs has now recorded all of Glazunov's music for piano soloist.

The two piano concertos date from relatively late in the composer's career and are lyrical works, betraying the characteristically lush orchestral textures familiar from Glazunov's symphonies and ballets.

Alexander Goedicke (Medtner's cousin!) wrote his Concertstück earlier than Glazunov's two concertos despite being the younger man. The work was published in 1900 and won the composer the Rubinstein Prize for Composition, bringing him early fame hardly matched by any subsequent successes. The Concertstück is rhapsodic, with much brilliant piano writing and a distinctly Russian flavour to its themes.

Rezensionen

»Stephen Coombs is on scintillating form throughout, turning even the most standardised of virtuoso gestures into remarkable utterances« (Piano International)

»As in his four-disc set of Glazunov's complete solo piano music, Stephen Coombs is poetic and powerful. The rare Goedicke concertante makes a charming filler« (The Guardian)

»Sparkling performances ... his playing is by turns gloriously extrovert and affectionately intimate ... superbly recorded orchestral colours« (BBC Music Magazine)

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