rch
Rob Challinor
Etsuko Hirose: The Complete Denon Recordings (Danacord)
These remarkable discs have been hard to track down so it is wonderful to have them collected together and to hear Etsuko Hirose’s dazzling pianism [RCh]
Scheherazade: Rimsky-Korsakov & Bortkiewicz (Danacord)
These two works are ideal companions and Hirose is fervent in her brilliant playing of them [RCh]
Grosz: Piano Music Vol. 1 (Grand Piano)
Brilliant playing and glorious late Romantic music – a happy mix [RCh]
Tarenghi: Works for 2 Pianos (Danacord)
Gloriously rich two piano works from an undeservedly forgotten Italian [RCh]
Clara Schumann: Piano Music 1 (Grand Piano)
A decent opening disc for this worthy project but it would not be my first choice [RCh]
Debussy: Préludes Books 1 and 2 (Signum Classics)
Tsybuleva scores very highly in this impressive set [RCh]
Palmgren: Complete Piano Works 8 (Grand Piano)
More treasures in this latest unearthing of Palmgren’s unjustly neglected piano music [RCh]
Donna Voce Vol 2: Women of Legend (Music & Arts)
Passionate performances of two important cycles that should be heard more often; and a contemporary work awaits posterity’s verdict [RCh]
Alla Polacca! (Polskie Radio)
Polish rarities from Józef Elsner and his pupils given spirited performances [RCh]
Sorcellerie: Works for piano duo (Alpha Classics)
There’s plenty of magic in the playing here [RCh]
Beethoven: Piano Sonatas Nos 3 and 29 (Hyperion)
Hamelin at his finest in these two wildly different sonatas [RCh]
Aline van Barentzen (piano) Radio Archives Edition (Meloclassic)
An absolute feast of piano recordings that greatly expands our knowledge of a pianist who has been very undeservedly forgotten [RCh]
Debussy & Chaminade: Piano Works (Indésens)
Two composers, masters of their very different idioms, brought together by this talented young pianist [RCh]
The Earliest French Piano Recordings (APR)
A perfect picture of French pianism in the early part of the twentieth century [RCh]
Golden Thread – The Art of Piano Transcription (Acis Productions)
An interesting collection of transcriptions let down by lacklustre playing [RCh]
Unplayed Stories … in 40 Fingers (Hyperion)
Dazzling playing in these highly appealing rarities [RCh]
Paris est une fête (Fuga Libera)
Paris, Pelléas, Party – a winning trio in this sparkling collection [RCh]
Rarities of Piano Music at Schloss vor Husum 2023 (Danacord)
Treats galore in this annual release that never disappoints [RCh]
Farrenc: Complete Piano Works, Vol 3 (Grand Piano)
Maria Stratigou is winning once more in this third volume of Farrenc’s complete piano music [RCh]
Sisters of the Moon: Piano works by female composers (Eudora)
A stellar exploration of female composers at the piano, in more ways than one [RCh]
Claudio Arrau (piano) Live Vol 2 (Doremi)
Arrau in blistering form in this romantic repertoire [RCh]
Alfred Brendel (piano): The 1950s SPA Recordings (APR)
These pioneering and wonderfully executed performances are a valuable addition to Brendel’s discography (RCh)
Madeleine de Valmaléte & Monique Haas (piano) The Swiss Piano Recitals (Meloclassic)
It is wonderful to hear these pianists who have been undeservedly forgotten and in new works to their discography [RCh]
Khachaturian: Piano Transcriptions (Grand Piano)
Khachaturian’s colourful scores brought to life at the piano [RCh]