Arthur Pizarro - RACHMANINOV: Complete Piano Works, Vol.2

1. 01 – 13 Preludes Op.32 – I. Allegro vivace (C major)
   
2. 02 – 13 Preludes Op.32 – II. Allegretto (B flat minor)
   
3. 03 – 13 Preludes Op.32 – III. Allegro vivace (E major)
   
4. 04 – 13 Preludes Op.32 – IV. Allegro con brio (E minor)
   
5. 05 – 13 Preludes Op.32 – V. Moderato (G major)
   
6. 06 – 13 Preludes Op.32 – VI. Allegro appassionato (F minor)
   
7. 07 – 13 Preludes Op.32 – VII. Moderato (F major)
   
8. 08 – 13 Preludes Op.32 – VIII. Vivo (A minor)
   
9. 09 – 13 Preludes Op.32 – IX. Allegro moderato (A major)
   
10. 10 – 13 Preludes Op.32 – X. Lento (B minor)
    
11. 11 – 13 Preludes Op.32 – XI. Allegretto (B major)
    
12. 12 – 13 Preludes Op.32 – XII. Allegro (G sharp minor)
    
13. 13 – 13 Preludes Op.32 – XIII. Grave – Allegro (D flat major)
    
14. 14 – Variations on a theme of Chopin Op.22 – Theme – Largo
    
15. 15 – Variations on a theme of Chopin Op.22 – Variation I – Moderato
    
16. 16 – Variations on a theme of Chopin Op.22 – Variation II – Allegro
    
17. 17 – Variations on a theme of Chopin Op.22 – Variation III
    
18. 18 – Variations on a theme of Chopin Op.22 – Variation IV
    
19. 19 – Variations on a theme of Chopin Op.22 – Variation V – Meno mosso
    
20. 20 – Variations on a theme of Chopin Op.22 – Variation VI – Meno mosso
    
21. 21 – Variations on a theme of Chopin Op.22 – Variation VII – Allegro
    
22. 22 – Variations on a theme of Chopin Op.22 – Variation VIII
    
23. 23 – Variations on a theme of Chopin Op.22 – Variation IX
    
24. 24 – Variations on a theme of Chopin Op.22 – Variation X – Piu vivo
    
25. 25 – Variations on a theme of Chopin Op.22 – Variation XI – Lento
    
26. 26 – Variations on a theme of Chopin Op.22 – Variation XII – Moderato
    
27. 27 – Variations on a theme of Chopin Op.22 – Variation XIII – Largo
    
28. 28 – Variations on a theme of Chopin Op.22 – Variation XIV – Moderato
    
29. 29 – Variations on a theme of Chopin Op.22 – Variation XV – Allegro scherzando
    
30. 30 – Variations on a theme of Chopin Op.22 – Variation XVI – Lento
    
31. 31 – Variations on a theme of Chopin Op.22 – Variation XVII – Grave
    
32. 32 – Variations on a theme of Chopin Op.22 – Variation XVIII – Piu mosso
    
33. 33 – Variations on a theme of Chopin Op.22 – Variation XIX – Allegro vivace
    
34. 34 – Variations on a theme of Chopin Op.22 – Variation XX – Presto
    
35. 35 – Variations on a theme of Chopin Op.22 – Variation XXI – Andante
    
36. 36 – Variations on a theme of Chopin Op.22 – Variation XXII – Maestoso
    
    Disc 2
    
37. 01 – Morceaux de Fantaisie Op.3 – I. Elegie
    
38. 02 – Morceaux de Fantaisie Op.3 – II. Prelude
    
39. 03 – Morceaux de Fantaisie Op.3 – III. Melodie
    
40. 04 – Morceaux de Fantaisie Op.3 – IV. Polchinelle
    
41. 05 – Morceaux de Fantaisie Op.3 – V. Serenade
    
42. 06 – 10 Preludes Op.23 – I. Largo (F sharp minor)
    
43. 07 – 10 Preludes Op.23 – II. Maestoso (B flat major)
    
44. 08 – 10 Preludes Op.23 – III. Tempo di minuetto (D minor)
    
45. 09 – 10 Preludes Op.23 – IV. Andante cantabile (D major)
    
46. 10 – 10 Preludes Op.23 – V. Alla marcia (G minor)
    
47. 11 – 10 Preludes Op.23 – VI. Andante (E flat major)
    
48. 12 – 10 Preludes Op.23 – VII. Allegro (C minor)
    
49. 13 – 10 Preludes Op.23 – VIII. Allegro vivace (A flat major)
    
50. 14 – 10 Preludes Op.23 – IX. Presto (E flat minor)
    
51. 15 – 10 Preludes Op.23 – X. Largo (G flat major)
    

ARTHUR PIZARRO – RACHMANINOV: Complete Piano Works, Vol.2

13 Preludes, Op. 32 | Variations on a Theme of Chopin, Op. 22 | Morceaux de Fantaisie, Op. 3 | 10 Preludes, Op. 23

Described as a “poet amongst pianists”, Portuguese artist Artur Pizarro presents a new recording of the complete solo piano works of Sergei Rachmaninoff. A former winner of the Leeds Piano Competition, Pizarro offers his listeners a lifetime of love for, and experience with, this music which speaks, as he says, “of the endless variety of the human condition”. Tracing Rachmaninoff’s development as a composer from the early Nocturnes and his encounters with Tchaikovsky as a teenage student of Nikolai Zverev in the 1880s, to the so-called ‘Corelli Variations’ of the 1930s, this landmark release shines a new light on every aspect of this remarkable oeuvre. From the famed thunder claps of the C# minor Prelude, via the monumental passion of the two sonatas to the tender lyricism of many of the lesser-known miniatures, Pizarro imbues every page of this music with the fire and feeling for melodic contour for which his playing has become so admired.

‘Pizarro’s playing is absolutely exquisite, not only revelling in the expressive beauty of Rachmaninov’s invention, but also managing to draw out lots of interesting inner melodic voices in the more densely scored passages.’
5 STARS / Instrumental Choice – September 2015
BBC Music Magazine Erik Levi

“thought-provoking…  courageous and poetic”
Gramophone Bryce Morrison


“You might then well want to collect the whole series. If this standard is maintained, it should then take its place alongside the complete surveys of Howard Shelley (Hyperion) and Vladimir Ashkenazy (Decca).”

Music Web International Roy Westbrook


“unashamedly Romantic, with a wonderfully fluid conception of tempo and expressive nuance…”, “a barnstorming performance, providing one of many examples of Pizarro’s dazzling finger dexterity… There is a great deal to enjoy here, particularly given Odradek’s outstandingly vivid recorded sound.”
BBC Music Magazine Erik Levi
March 2015

“Pizarro is more concerned with, and highly successful in, finding the underlying poetry and expressive range in all of this music. The result is a group of performances of no little musical distinction, which will surely cause some listeners to re-evaluate their approach to this great composer’s work.”
International Record Review Robert Matthew-Walker
January 2015

“much to relish and look forward to.”

Gramophone Jeremy Nicholas
January 2015
…

Booklet in English, German and Japanese.
Program notes by Peter Avis.

Reviews

INSTRUMENTAL CHOICE SEPTEMBER 2015
PERFORMANCE *****
RECORDING ****
“Pizarro’s playing is absolutely exquisite, not only revelling in the expressive beauty of Rachmaninov’s invention, but also managing to draw out lots of interesting inner melodic voices in the more densely scored passages.”
BBC Music Magazine - Erik Levi / September 2015

“Pizarro’s reflective quality has plenty to commend it, not least that there is beauty and meaning to be found in this music that the brilliant extroversion of some players will miss… I will certainly return to Pizarro for his many contemplative insights, and remain eager to hear the next installment of this series.”
MusicWeb International - Roy Westbrook / August 2015

“Here you are invited to reconsider the true innermost nature of Rachmaninov’s genius… courageous and poetic.”
Gramophone - Bryce Morrison / July 2015

“As an overall view of the Rachmaninov piano music, this should be your first choice… Pizarro is a master musician with enough technical power to make the music dance from score.”
Pianist Magazine / May 2016