Clearaudio - LP83044 - 180 Gram Virgin Vinyl - Pressed in Germany
Great Masters - Small Pieces
Martha Argerich , Stefan Askenase , Daniel Barenboim , Monique Haas , Wilhelm Kempff , Svjatoslav Richter , Alexis Weissenberg
Clearaudio has treated us to a great vinyl record which has compiled "minor works" for piano performed by masters from the catalog of the German label Deutsche Grammophon. We meet a cast of gorgeous pieces played with great ease, including classics from Bach and Handel, performed exemplarily by Wilhelm Kempff, to Rachmaninow works performed by the subtle hands of Swjatoslaw Richter. Clearaudio has mastered these classics from the original master tapes and has treated the project with care and knowledge necessary to offer a really attractive disc.
"Great Masters Small Pieces" is a superlative musical event, as you would never have heard it in the concert hall! When Martha Argerich meets Stefan Askenase, Daniel Barenboim and Monique Haas alternate at the keys, and Wilhelm Kempff, Svjatoslaw Richter and Alexis Weissenberg once again prove their skills on the piano, one can sit back and listen to classical music in perfection. Whether it is the etude of Fredric Chopin or a prelude of Sergei Rachmaninov, Franz Liszt's "Liebestraum", Christoph Willibald Gluck's "Reigen seligge Spirits" or Felix Mendelssohn "Spinnerlied", the connoisseur quickly gets into ecstasy here. Clearaudio has fished sixteen wonderful pearls out of the Back-catalog of the Deutsche Grammophon and presented the Vinylfreund as a Kunstgenuss par excellence. The first-class mastering by Heinz Wildhagen, the topping and the classy folding cover round off this first classic highlight of the year 2008 perfectly.
This Clearaudio release promises once more to become another special treat: Große Meister – Kleine Stücke (Great Masters – Small Pieces) is a sort of ultimate concert highlight you will never be able to listen to at a concert hall! With Martha Argerich, Stefan Askenase, Daniel Barenboim, Monique Haas, Wilhelm Kempff, Swjatoslaw Richter, Alexis Weissenberg.
Made in Germany
Executive Producers: Peter Suchy, Robert Suchy, Patrick Suchy
Produced by Clearaudio 2008
Mastered by Heinz Wildhagen
Musicians:
Martha Argerich, piano
Stefan Askenase, piano
Daniel Barenboim, piano
Monique Haas, piano
Wilhelm Kempff, piano
Swjatoslaw Richter, piano
Track list:
Side A:
Maurice Ravel (1875-1937)
1. Jeux d’eau
Martha Argerich, piano
Frederic Chopin (1810-1849)
2. Prelude Des-dur op. 28 Nr. 15
Martha Argerich, piano
3. Berceuse Des-dur op. 57
Stefan Askenase, piano
Bed_ich Smetana (1824-1884)
4. Slepi_ka (Huhnchen) (Tschechische Tanze II: Nr. 2)
Stefan Askenase, piano
Franz Liszt (1811-1886)
5. Liebestraum Nr. 3
Stefan Askenase, piano
Felix Mendelssohn (1809-1847)
6. Fruhlingslied (Lieder ohne Worte op. 62: Nr. 6)
7. Spinnerlied (Lieder ohne Worte op. 67: Nr. 4)
Daniel Barenboim, piano
Side B:
Claude Debussy (1862-1918)
1. Feux d’artifice
Monique Haas, piano
Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750)
2. Siciliano (Flotensonate BWV 1031: 2. Satz)
Wilhelm Kempff, piano
Georg Friedrich Handel (1685-1759)
3. Menuett (Suite de pieces pour le clavecin HWV 434: 4. Satz)
Wilhelm Kempff, piano
Christoph Willibald Gluck (1714-1787)
4. Reigen seliger Geister (Orphee et Eurydice)
Wilhelm Kempff, piano
Frederic Chopin (1810-1849)
5. Etude C-dur op. 10 Nr. 1
6. Etude c-moll op. 10 Nr. 12 “Revolutions-Etude“
Swjatoslaw Richter, piano
Sergej Rachmaninov (1873-1943)
7. Prélude g-moll op. 23 Nr. 5
8. Prélude c-moll op. 23 Nr. 7
Swjatoslaw Richter, piano
Domenico Scarlatti (1685-1757)
16. Sonate E-dur K. 20
Alexis Weissenberg, piano