Denis Kozhukhin - Haydn: Sonatas - COMPACT DISCS [CD]

This album, which Denis Kozhukhin dedicates in memory of his parents, is very special and deeply personal to him. It brings together the innocence of Tchaikovsky's Children's Album, the playful yet technically demanding Music for Children by Prokofiev, and Alexey Shor's emotionally rich Piano Sonata No. 2. Tchaikovsky's pieces evoke childhood wonder and the fragility of life, while Prokofiev's IncheasyInch works cleverly disguise technical challenges with mischievous charm. Shor's Sonata, filled with bold contrasts and introspective melodies, takes the listener on a journey of emotional discovery and resilience. Together, these works transcend their individual stories to offer a profound exploration of human experience - from the simplicity of childhood to the complexities of adulthood - all brought to life with Kozhukhin's masterful artistry.A prize-winner in prestigious competitions, including the Leeds International Piano Competition (2006) and the Queen Elizabeth Competition (2010), Denis Kozhukhin, has established himself as one of the greatest and most acclaimed pianists, with worldwide success. He now presents another chapter to his exclusive collaboration with PENTATONE, enriching the already extensive discography, after albums Grieg and Tchaikovsky's piano concertos (2016) which received a Gramophone Editor's Choice, Brahms' Ballades and Fantasies (2017) which was awarded 5 stars in Diapason, piano concertos by Ravel and Gershwin, Richard Strauss' Burleske (both 2018), Grieg Lyric Pieces & Mendelssohn Lieder ohne Worte (2019) which was selected as Gramophone's Recording of the Month, as well as the Cesar Franck's Symphonic Variations for piano and orchestra (2020).

Seattle's art-core outfit These Arms Are Snakes never really fit in anywhere. Over the course of their 2003 debut EP they vacillated between epileptic fits of '90s DIY post-hardcore, woozy narcotic jam-outs, fortified classic rock riffage, and slow-churning cataclysmic dirges. The band continued on a path made even more confusing but undeniably invigorating by the jarring synth hooks and four-on-the-floor pulse of their first album Oxeneers and the prog-rock forays of their sophomore full-length Easter. When it came time to record their final album Tail Swallower & Dove, the band was less interested in charting out new territories and more focused on turning their myriad of approaches into one cohesive sound. From the chugging thrust and Heldon-esque breakdown of dueling synth and guitars on InchWoolen Heirs,Inch to the jagged noise rock of InchRed Line Season,Inch to the 8-bit sludge of InchLucifer,Inch to the climactic twang-and-crunch of side closers InchEthric DoubleInch and InchBriggs,Inch These Arms Are Snakes managed to retain their broad palette of sound while reigning it all in to a cohesive style that continues to defy categorization. Suicide Squeeze is proud to offer a limited vinyl reissue of Tail Swallower & Dove limited to 500 copies worldwide with expanded gatefold artwork and a download card.

Antonio Soler's eminent position at the eighteenth-century Spanish court led to a series of important works, both sacred and secular. Of them, the best known are his keyboard sonatas, many of which were written for the young prince, Don Gabriel, son of Carlos III. The sonatas manage to absorb the influence of Domenico Scarlatti but also exude the prevailing modernist trends of Vienna. Some are designed in pairs, and many employ subtle echo effects, syncopation and exciting, athletic leaps that show his delight in repetition and contrast. This is Volume 3 of the complete Soler Keyboard Sonatas.