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Bernstein: Complete Solo Piano Music / Tozzetti
Piano Classics

Bernstein: Complete Solo Piano Music / Tozzetti

$21.99

Details

Composer
BERNSTEIN, LEONARD
Artist
Michele Tozzetti
Format
CD
Label
Piano Classics
Released
May 24, 2019
Catalog #
PCL10174
UPC
5029365101745

About

Bernstein's piano output reflects the various strands of his multifaceted personality, in works as different as Touches (1981) and, at the other end of the scale, his often tender, sentimental Anniversaries. Taken together his piano works form a musical diary tracing the breadth of his experiences and ideas. Four of his Five Anniversaries (1949-51) appear as themes in his violin concerto, the Serenade after Plato’s “Symposium.” The personal commemorations he created were not portraits so much as self-portrayals, revealing different aspects of his own multi-faceted personality. To play these works well requires an understanding of the various elements that made up the Bernstein persona.

The Italian pianist Michele Tozzetti brings out the heartfelt tenderness of most of these tributes, the Jewish elements and the dance rhythms. In the Anniversary dedicated to Aaron Copland (in Seven Anniversaries, 1943), Tozzetti captures the sound and spirit of the man Bernstein called ‘my first friend in New York, my master, my idol, my sage, my shrink, my guide, my counselor, my elder brother, [and] my beloved friend.’ The pianist reveals a delicate sense of sonority along with fine dynamic control in For Paul Bowles, and brings an idiomatic edginess to For Sergei Koussevitzky. He also injects youthful vigor into Bernstein’s Sonata (1937), a probing work rich in counterpoint, written when the composer was still a student. Also on this recording are Non Troppo Presto, a manuscript discovered in the Leonard Bernstein archive at the Library of Congress; and Touches: Chorale, Eight Variations and Coda, commissioned by the Van Cliburn Piano Competition in 1981. Its bluesy chorale is identical to Virgo Blues, written for his daughter, Jamie on her twenty-sixth birthday in 1978. Bernstein dedicated this work ‘to my first love, the keyboard’. In Michele Tozzetti’s hands, that love is beautifully realized.

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REVIEW:

When you put it all together, there is a great deal to enjoy in Leonard Bernstein’s piano music. The Sonata, Music for the Dance, and Touches are strikingly stark and crunchy. The Sabras and Anniversaries are more personal and lyrical. The contrast between modernism and Bernstein’s more familiar nostalgic tunefulness is striking. The young pianist Michele Tozzetti plays with a deft touch and sharp articulation. As a bonus, one gets to read the superb program annotation of Stuart Isacoff, author of a wonderful new book on Van Cliburn.

– American Record Guide (Jack Sullivan)

Tracklist 40 tracks

  1. 1 I. — 05:02
    Track
    1
    Title
    I. —
    Duration
    05:02
    Composer
    Leonard Bernstein
    Performer
    Michele Tozzetti
  2. 2 II. — 09:25
    Track
    2
    Title
    II. —
    Duration
    09:25
    Composer
    Leonard Bernstein
    Performer
    Michele Tozzetti
  3. 3 Touches 08:31
    Track
    3
    Title
    Touches
    Duration
    08:31
    Composer
    Leonard Bernstein
    Performer
    Michele Tozzetti
  4. 4 No. 1. Ilana, the Dreamer 01:14
    Track
    4
    Title
    No. 1. Ilana, the Dreamer
    Duration
    01:14
    Composer
    Leonard Bernstein
    Performer
    Michele Tozzetti
  5. 5 No. 2. Idele, the Chassidele 01:46
    Track
    5
    Title
    No. 2. Idele, the Chassidele
    Duration
    01:46
    Composer
    Leonard Bernstein
    Performer
    Michele Tozzetti
  6. 6 No. 3. Yosi, the Jokester 00:57
    Track
    6
    Title
    No. 3. Yosi, the Jokester
    Duration
    00:57
    Composer
    Leonard Bernstein
    Performer
    Michele Tozzetti
  7. 7 No. 4. Dina, the Tomboy Who Weeps Alone 00:59
    Track
    7
    Title
    No. 4. Dina, the Tomboy Who Weeps Alone
    Duration
    00:59
    Composer
    Leonard Bernstein
    Performer
    Michele Tozzetti
  8. 8 No. 1. For Felicia Montealegre 02:13
    Track
    8
    Title
    No. 1. For Felicia Montealegre
    Duration
    02:13
    Composer
    Leonard Bernstein
    Performer
    Michele Tozzetti
  9. 9 No. 2. For Johnny Mehegan 00:40
    Track
    9
    Title
    No. 2. For Johnny Mehegan
    Duration
    00:40
    Composer
    Leonard Bernstein
    Performer
    Michele Tozzetti
  10. 10 No. 3. For David Diamond 01:28
    Track
    10
    Title
    No. 3. For David Diamond
    Duration
    01:28
    Composer
    Leonard Bernstein
    Performer
    Michele Tozzetti
  11. 11 No. 4. For Helen Coates 01:18
    Track
    11
    Title
    No. 4. For Helen Coates
    Duration
    01:18
    Composer
    Leonard Bernstein
    Performer
    Michele Tozzetti
  12. 12 No. 1. For Elizabeth Rudolf 01:17
    Track
    12
    Title
    No. 1. For Elizabeth Rudolf
    Duration
    01:17
    Composer
    Leonard Bernstein
    Performer
    Michele Tozzetti
  13. 13 No. 2. For Lucas Foss 01:46
    Track
    13
    Title
    No. 2. For Lucas Foss
    Duration
    01:46
    Composer
    Leonard Bernstein
    Performer
    Michele Tozzetti
  14. 14 No. 3. For Elizabeth B. Ehrman 00:44
    Track
    14
    Title
    No. 3. For Elizabeth B. Ehrman
    Duration
    00:44
    Composer
    Leonard Bernstein
    Performer
    Michele Tozzetti
  15. 15 No. 4. For Sandy Gellhorn 01:36
    Track
    15
    Title
    No. 4. For Sandy Gellhorn
    Duration
    01:36
    Composer
    Leonard Bernstein
    Performer
    Michele Tozzetti
  16. 16 No. 5. For Susanna Kyle 01:26
    Track
    16
    Title
    No. 5. For Susanna Kyle
    Duration
    01:26
    Composer
    Leonard Bernstein
    Performer
    Michele Tozzetti
  17. 17 No. 1. For Aaron Copland 01:25
    Track
    17
    Title
    No. 1. For Aaron Copland
    Duration
    01:25
    Composer
    Leonard Bernstein
    Performer
    Michele Tozzetti
  18. 18 No. 2. For My Sister, Shirley 01:08
    Track
    18
    Title
    No. 2. For My Sister, Shirley
    Duration
    01:08
    Composer
    Leonard Bernstein
    Performer
    Michele Tozzetti
  19. 19 No. 3. In Memoriam: Alfred Eisner 02:32
    Track
    19
    Title
    No. 3. In Memoriam: Alfred Eisner
    Duration
    02:32
    Composer
    Leonard Bernstein
    Performer
    Michele Tozzetti
  20. 20 No. 4. For Paul Bowles 01:18
    Track
    20
    Title
    No. 4. For Paul Bowles
    Duration
    01:18
    Composer
    Leonard Bernstein
    Performer
    Michele Tozzetti
  21. 21 No. 5. In Memoriam: Nathalie Koussevitzky 01:59
    Track
    21
    Title
    No. 5. In Memoriam: Nathalie Koussevitzky
    Duration
    01:59
    Composer
    Leonard Bernstein
    Performer
    Michele Tozzetti
  22. 22 No. 6. For Sergei Koussevitzky 01:02
    Track
    22
    Title
    No. 6. For Sergei Koussevitzky
    Duration
    01:02
    Composer
    Leonard Bernstein
    Performer
    Michele Tozzetti
  23. 23 No. 7. For William Schuman 00:41
    Track
    23
    Title
    No. 7. For William Schuman
    Duration
    00:41
    Composer
    Leonard Bernstein
    Performer
    Michele Tozzetti
  24. 24 Non Troppo Presto, "Music for the Dance No. 1" 01:54
    Track
    24
    Title
    Non Troppo Presto, "Music for the Dance No. 1"
    Duration
    01:54
    Composer
    Leonard Bernstein
    Performer
    Michele Tozzetti
  25. 25 I. Moderato 00:56
    Track
    25
    Title
    I. Moderato
    Duration
    00:56
    Composer
    Leonard Bernstein
    Performer
    Michele Tozzetti
  26. 26 II. Waltz Time 01:12
    Track
    26
    Title
    II. Waltz Time
    Duration
    01:12
    Composer
    Leonard Bernstein
    Performer
    Michele Tozzetti
  27. 27 III. Allegro non troppo, with force 01:37
    Track
    27
    Title
    III. Allegro non troppo, with force
    Duration
    01:37
    Composer
    Leonard Bernstein
    Performer
    Michele Tozzetti
  28. 28 No. 1. For Shirley Gabis Rhoads Perle 01:27
    Track
    28
    Title
    No. 1. For Shirley Gabis Rhoads Perle
    Duration
    01:27
    Composer
    Leonard Bernstein
    Performer
    Michele Tozzetti
  29. 29 No. 2. In Memoriam: William Kapell 00:25
    Track
    29
    Title
    No. 2. In Memoriam: William Kapell
    Duration
    00:25
    Composer
    Leonard Bernstein
    Performer
    Michele Tozzetti
  30. 30 No. 3. For Stephen Sondheim 01:15
    Track
    30
    Title
    No. 3. For Stephen Sondheim
    Duration
    01:15
    Composer
    Leonard Bernstein
    Performer
    Michele Tozzetti
  31. 31 No. 4. For Craig Urquhart 00:54
    Track
    31
    Title
    No. 4. For Craig Urquhart
    Duration
    00:54
    Composer
    Leonard Bernstein
    Performer
    Michele Tozzetti
  32. 32 No. 5. For Leo Smit 00:30
    Track
    32
    Title
    No. 5. For Leo Smit
    Duration
    00:30
    Composer
    Leonard Bernstein
    Performer
    Michele Tozzetti
  33. 33 No. 6. For My Daughter, Nina 02:18
    Track
    33
    Title
    No. 6. For My Daughter, Nina
    Duration
    02:18
    Composer
    Leonard Bernstein
    Performer
    Michele Tozzetti
  34. 34 No. 7. In Memoriam: Helen Coates 02:45
    Track
    34
    Title
    No. 7. In Memoriam: Helen Coates
    Duration
    02:45
    Composer
    Leonard Bernstein
    Performer
    Michele Tozzetti
  35. 35 No. 8. In Memoriam: Goddard Lieberson 01:01
    Track
    35
    Title
    No. 8. In Memoriam: Goddard Lieberson
    Duration
    01:01
    Composer
    Leonard Bernstein
    Performer
    Michele Tozzetti
  36. 36 No. 9. For Jessica Fleischmann 02:14
    Track
    36
    Title
    No. 9. For Jessica Fleischmann
    Duration
    02:14
    Composer
    Leonard Bernstein
    Performer
    Michele Tozzetti
  37. 37 No. 10. In Memoriam: Constance Hope 02:19
    Track
    37
    Title
    No. 10. In Memoriam: Constance Hope
    Duration
    02:19
    Composer
    Leonard Bernstein
    Performer
    Michele Tozzetti
  38. 38 No. 11. For Felicia, on our 28th Birthday (and her 52nd) 01:21
    Track
    38
    Title
    No. 11. For Felicia, on our 28th Birthday (and her 52nd)
    Duration
    01:21
    Composer
    Leonard Bernstein
    Performer
    Michele Tozzetti
  39. 39 No. 12. For Aaron Stern 02:00
    Track
    39
    Title
    No. 12. For Aaron Stern
    Duration
    02:00
    Composer
    Leonard Bernstein
    Performer
    Michele Tozzetti
  40. 40 No. 13. In Memoriam: Ellen Goetz 02:07
    Track
    40
    Title
    No. 13. In Memoriam: Ellen Goetz
    Duration
    02:07
    Composer
    Leonard Bernstein
    Performer
    Michele Tozzetti