Leon McCawley - Complete Works for Solo Piano - COMPACT DISCS [CD]

Italian composer Ruggero Leoncavallo was also a great pianist. This album offers listeners the chance to see the composer under this light. The works are performed here by pianist Marco Sollini. Marco Sollini, who has been lauded by critics and fellow musicians for his energy, technique, and sincerity, has performed throughout Europe, United States, Latin America, Indonesia and Africa. In addition to his work as a recitalist, he has performed with many orchestras, including the Dohnányi Symphony Orchestra and Budapest Concert Orchestra (MÁV), and the Hungarian State Symphony Orchestra. He has broadcast for RAI (Italian radio), Radio Vaticana, Tunisian National Radio, and Serbian Radio and Television, among others. He is particularly interested in rare and unpublished Italian works and has released the premiere recordings of the complete piano works of Puccini, Giordano, Mascagni, Leoncavallo, Bellini, Verdi, Persiani and Offenbach. The German Rossini Society magazine has called his Chandos Rossini piano recordings 'an exemplary edition'.

Album Tracks 1. Keyboard Sonata in G Major, H. 16/8 1. Allegro 2. Keyboard Sonata in G Major, H. 16/8 2. Menuet 3. Keyboard Sonata in G Major, H. 16/8 3. Andante 4. Keyboard Sonata in G Major, H. 16/8 4. Allegro 5. Keyboard Sonata in C Major, H. 16/7 1. Allegro Moderato 6. Keyboard Sonata in C Major, H. 16/7 2. Menuet / Trio 7. Keyboard Sonata in C Major, H. 16/7 3. Finale. Allegro 8. Keyboard Sonata in F Major, H. 16/9 1. Allegro 9. Keyboard Sonata in F Major, H. 16/9 2. Menuet / Trio 10. Keyboard Sonata in F Major, H. 16/9 3. Scherzo. Allegro 11. Keyboard Sonata in G Major, H. 16/G1 1. Allegro 12. Keyboard Sonata in G Major, H. 16/G1 2. Menuetto / Trio 13. Keyboard Sonata in G Major, H. 16/G1 3. Finale. Presto 14. Keyboard Sonata in G Major, H. 16/11 1. Presto 15. Keyboard Sonata in G Major, H. 16/11 2. Andante 16. Keyboard Sonata in G Major, H. 16/11 3. Menuet / Trio 17. Keyboard Sonata in C Major, H. 16/10 1. Moderato 18. Keyboard Sonata in C Major, H. 16/10 2. Menuet / Trio 19. Keyboard Sonata in C Major, H. 16/10 3. Finale. Presto 20. Keyboard Sonata in D Major, H. 16/D1 (Spurious; By Kauer) 1. Tema. Moderato - Variation 1 - Variation 2 - Variation 3 21. Keyboard Sonata in D Major, H. 16/D1 (Spurious; By Kauer) 2. Menuet 22. Keyboard Sonata in D Major, H. 16/D1 (Spurious; By Kauer) 3. Finale. Allegro 23. Keyboard Sonata in a Major, H. 16/5 (Doubtful) 1. Allegro 24. Keyboard Sonata in a Major, H. 16/5 (Doubtful) 2. Menuet / Trio 25. Keyboard Sonata in a Major, H. 16/5 (Doubtful) 3. Presto 26. Keyboard Sonata in D Major, H. 16/4 1. [Moderato] 27. Keyboard Sonata in D Major, H. 16/4 2. Menuet / Trio 1. Keyboard Sonata in C Major, H. 16/1 (Probably Spurious) 1. Allegro 2. Keyboard Sonata in C Major, H. 16/1 (Probably Spurious) 2. Adagio 3. Keyboard Sonata in C Major, H. 16/

SOMM Recordings is pleased to announce the fourth volume in Leon McCawley's much praised series of Franz Joseph Haydn's Piano Sonatas. Six Sonatas spanning the years 1766-80 are featured the earliest the miniature First Sonata in G major, the latest the E flat major Sonata No. 51, while Robert Matthew-Walker's fascinating booklet note charts how deftly Haydn balanced the expectations of others and his own creative ambition. InchIntended more to entertain than engage the intellectInch, the fleet, divertimento-like First Sonata seems to anticipate the pedagogical leanings of Bartók's Mikrokosmos more than a century and half later. With it's unabashed galant style, the D major-led Sonata No. 30 is 'Papa' Haydn at his most quicksilver brilliant and delightful, while Sonata No. 35, in A flat major - Incha masterpiece of piano writingInch - displays striking characteristics of early Romanticism. Composed with the enhanced voice of the then newly available fortepiano in mind, sibling Sonatas Nos. 48 (C major) and 49 (C sharp minor) maintain a winning Classical poise even as one surprise after another see Haydn pushing the sonata form in new and unexpected directions. Volume I (SOMMCD 0162) received a coveted Diapason d'Or from Diapason magazine, which enthused InchWhat a range in his interpretation and how many layers of gradation! McCawley ties these together in a special quality of inflexions which make their point with great intelligibility and sensitivityInch. BBC Music Magazine declared Volume II (SOMMCD 0602) Inchshould stand high on any listInch of quality recordings of Haydn, adding Inchthe sparkle of McCawley's touch is instantly apparentInch. Of Volume III (SOMMCD 0624) Gramophone hailed McCawley as Incha thoughtful, keenly intelligent artist in peak form... [Haydn's] piano works an inexhaustible source of artistic riches. Inch