CD · 2 discs
An unfairly forgotten Danish master pianist!
Arne Skjold Rasmussen was one of the finest Danish musicians and a truly virtuoso pianist. Nerves and the lack of interest in the concert halls kept him away from the audience. As a professor in piano at the Royal Danish Music Academy he was much sought after. The whole idea of making recordings he detested and his discography is small. Here are all the solo recordings he did for the Danish TONO label. There are no concerto recordings and only a small handful of chamber music recordings done shortly before he died.
His Beethoven sonatas, sadly only those on this 2 CD set, are among the most convincing and overwhelmingly authentic. He was brought up in the Carl Nielsen tradition and his rare Nielsen recordings are probably the closest we will ever get to that Danish composer. Extensive notes from the Skjold Rasmussen specialist Jonas Barlyng and the high class transfers by Claus Byrith underlines the importance of this piano release. Remember the other releases in this series 3 sets featuring Danish Women Pianists One with pioneer Danish pianists and now 6 volumes with the great pianist Victor Schiøler.
SACD · 1 disc
The Ensemble Esperanza was formed in 2015 by students of the International Music Academy in Liechtenstein as part of an integral musical education programme. With the exception of the concertmaster, Chouchane Siranossian, the harpsichordist, the ensemble is made up of grantees of the International Music Academy in Liechtenstein who are coming together for their musical projects from all over Europe. With their debut release they are embarking on a new challenge, for which the venerable musical form of the suite provides an appropriate setting.
CD · 1 disc
Lullabies for Mila is dedicated to Alessio Bax’s daughter, Mila. The album begins with a moving dedication: “This album is not only a carefully curated playlist of soothing classics to calm a baby and perhaps make him or her fall asleep quicker. It is also a gift from parents to their children, with the hope that they will share music with their loved ones, not just to entertain them but also to enrich their lives.”; This disc compiles works from Bax’s past Signum albums, including performances with Southbank Sinfonia and Lucille Chung. It also contains a new recording of the Grieg’s Nocturne from his Lyric Pieces.; Alessio Bax is a celebrated and award-winning pianist. Gramophone says “His playing quivers with an almost hypnotic intensity,” and the Dallas Morning News calls it “an out of body experience.” He has performed as a soloist with over 100 orchestras.
DVD · 1 disc
