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Balakirev, Lyapunov & Liszt: Piano Works / Kentner
APR

Balakirev, Lyapunov & Liszt: Piano Works / Kentner

$21.99

Details

Composer
BALAKIREV LISZT LYAPUNOV
Artist
Louis Kentner
Format
CD
Label
APR
Released
Oct 28, 2016
Catalog #
APR6020
UPC
5024709160204

About

Though born in what was then the Austro-Hungarian Empire and having studied and launched his career in Budapest, Louis Kentner decided to relocate to London in the 1930’s and for the next 50 years remained a part of the British musical establishment. He was a mainstay of the Columbia catalogue throughout the 1930’s and 40s where he recorded a wide range of repertoire including the ‘Hammerklavier’ sonata and many premiere recordings of major Liszt works. APR has already devoted two CDs to the latter (APR5514 & APR5614). In the 1950s he went on to record for HMV, both as soloist and as duo partner to Menuhin, whose brother-in-law he had become through marriage.

Almost all the recordings on this set date from the end of the 78rpm era and have been unjustly neglected as a result. Two major works of the late romantic Russian repertoire, the Balakirev Sonata and the Lyapunov Transcendental Studies, here received their premier recordings, and to many listeners, they have yet to be surpassed. Kentner had an invincible Lisztian technique; there was no one better to tackle Lyapunov’s homage to Liszt’s own ‘Transcendentals’. He was also able to take complete command of that other virtuoso warhorse – Islamey.

Of particular interest is Kentner’s only recording of the Liszt sonata, and a magnificent one it turns out to be. Issued on 78s in 1951 when most other labels had switched to LP, this recording had a very short life and has never previously been reissued. It is a major addition to the available discography of Liszt sonatas and to Kentner’s legacy.

Tracklist 21 tracks

  1. Disc 1
  2. 1 I. Andantino 06:12
    Track
    1
    Title
    I. Andantino
    Duration
    06:12
    Composer
    Mily Alexeyevich Balakirev
    Performer
    Louis Kentner
  3. 2 II. Mazurka: Moderato 04:41
    Track
    2
    Title
    II. Mazurka: Moderato
    Duration
    04:41
    Composer
    Mily Alexeyevich Balakirev
    Performer
    Louis Kentner
  4. 3 III. Intermezzo: Larghetto 04:44
    Track
    3
    Title
    III. Intermezzo: Larghetto
    Duration
    04:44
    Composer
    Mily Alexeyevich Balakirev
    Performer
    Louis Kentner
  5. 4 IV. Allegro non troppo, ma con fuoco 08:29
    Track
    4
    Title
    IV. Allegro non troppo, ma con fuoco
    Duration
    08:29
    Composer
    Mily Alexeyevich Balakirev
    Performer
    Louis Kentner
  6. 5 Rêverie in F Major 04:50
    Track
    5
    Title
    Rêverie in F Major
    Duration
    04:50
    Composer
    Mily Alexeyevich Balakirev
    Performer
    Louis Kentner
  7. 6 Mazurka No. 6 in A-Flat Major 04:39
    Track
    6
    Title
    Mazurka No. 6 in A-Flat Major
    Duration
    04:39
    Composer
    Mily Alexeyevich Balakirev
    Performer
    Louis Kentner
  8. 7 Islamey 09:05
    Track
    7
    Title
    Islamey
    Duration
    09:05
    Composer
    Mily Alexeyevich Balakirev
    Performer
    Louis Kentner
  9. 8 Piano Sonata in B Minor, S178/R21 27:57
    Track
    8
    Title
    Piano Sonata in B Minor, S178/R21
    Duration
    27:57
    Composer
    Franz Liszt
    Performer
    Louis Kentner
  10. Disc 2
  11. 1 No. 1. Lullaby (first recording) 04:27
    Track
    1
    Title
    No. 1. Lullaby (first recording)
    Duration
    04:27
    Composer
    Sergei Mikhailovich Lyapunov
    Performer
    Louis Kentner
  12. 2 No. 1. Lullaby 04:13
    Track
    2
    Title
    No. 1. Lullaby
    Duration
    04:13
    Composer
    Sergei Mikhailovich Lyapunov
    Performer
    Louis Kentner
  13. 3 No. 2. Dance of the Ghosts 03:05
    Track
    3
    Title
    No. 2. Dance of the Ghosts
    Duration
    03:05
    Composer
    Sergei Mikhailovich Lyapunov
    Performer
    Louis Kentner
  14. 4 No. 3. Pealing of Bells 06:13
    Track
    4
    Title
    No. 3. Pealing of Bells
    Duration
    06:13
    Composer
    Sergei Mikhailovich Lyapunov
    Performer
    Louis Kentner
  15. 5 No. 4. Terek 03:42
    Track
    5
    Title
    No. 4. Terek
    Duration
    03:42
    Composer
    Sergei Mikhailovich Lyapunov
    Performer
    Louis Kentner
  16. 6 No. 5. Summer Night 07:53
    Track
    6
    Title
    No. 5. Summer Night
    Duration
    07:53
    Composer
    Sergei Mikhailovich Lyapunov
    Performer
    Louis Kentner
  17. 7 No. 6. Storm 04:02
    Track
    7
    Title
    No. 6. Storm
    Duration
    04:02
    Composer
    Sergei Mikhailovich Lyapunov
    Performer
    Louis Kentner
  18. 8 No. 7. Idyll 04:29
    Track
    8
    Title
    No. 7. Idyll
    Duration
    04:29
    Composer
    Sergei Mikhailovich Lyapunov
    Performer
    Louis Kentner
  19. 9 No. 8. Epic Song 07:39
    Track
    9
    Title
    No. 8. Epic Song
    Duration
    07:39
    Composer
    Sergei Mikhailovich Lyapunov
    Performer
    Louis Kentner
  20. 10 No. 9. Aeolian Harps 04:52
    Track
    10
    Title
    No. 9. Aeolian Harps
    Duration
    04:52
    Composer
    Sergei Mikhailovich Lyapunov
    Performer
    Louis Kentner
  21. 11 No. 10. Lesghinka 06:43
    Track
    11
    Title
    No. 10. Lesghinka
    Duration
    06:43
    Composer
    Sergei Mikhailovich Lyapunov
    Performer
    Louis Kentner
  22. 12 No. 11. Dance of the Elves 03:50
    Track
    12
    Title
    No. 11. Dance of the Elves
    Duration
    03:50
    Composer
    Sergei Mikhailovich Lyapunov
    Performer
    Louis Kentner
  23. 13 No. 12. Elegy in Memory of Franz Liszt 11:04
    Track
    13
    Title
    No. 12. Elegy in Memory of Franz Liszt
    Duration
    11:04
    Composer
    Sergei Mikhailovich Lyapunov
    Performer
    Louis Kentner