Prague Radio Symphony Orchestra - Forgotten Czech Piano Concertos - COMPACT DISCS [CD]

The highly valued discography of Ivan Moravec (1930-2015), one of the 20th century's piano legends, comes to a great extent from recording studios. However, thanks to radio microphones some of his remarkable concert performances in Prague concert halls could be retrieved as well. From 1962 on, he performed twenty times at the Prague Spring festival alone. He played Prokofiev's first concerto at the festival in May 1967 and the recording captures one of the top - and also one of the last - performances of Karel Ancerl with the Czech Philharmonics before his leaving for Toronto. The Ravel recording from May 1974 represents another unforgettable musical experience and no doubt also one of the best Ravel creations ever performed by Moravec. What is more, the recording of the Grieg concert played in December 1984 is the only recording made public by the virtuoso pianist. Microphones have captured Ivan Moravec in his top shape, his play possessing romantic flight, ferocity and a wide range of timbre nuances on the one hand, and remarkable preciseness on the other. At every moment, Moravec is deeply sunk in the substance of the work he performs. By this threesome of recordings, Supraphon supplements the pianist's existing discography by unexpected gems found in the radio archives, undoubtedly pleasing all of his admirers.

This is the second installment of the SWR CLASSIC series dedicated to Friedrich Gulda. It contains the piano concertos he recorded for the SWR between 1959 and 1962. Although most famous for his L.v. Beethoven interpretations, Friedrich Gulda also performed the music of J.S. Bach, W.A. Mozart, Schubert, Frédéric Chopin, Debussy and Ravel. From the 1950's on he cultivated an interest in jazz, writing several songs and instrumental pieces himself and combining jazz and classical music in his concerts at times. In 1982, Gulda teamed up with jazz pianist Chick Corea, who found himself in between the breakup of Return to Forever and the formation of his Elektric Band. Issued on The Meeting (Philips, 1984), Gulda and Corea communicate in lengthy improvisations mixing jazz (Someday My Prince Will Come and the lesser known Miles Davis song Put Your Foot Out) and classical music (Brahms' Wiegenlied). It was this unorthodox practice that, among other things, earned him the nickname Inchterrorist pianistInch; Friedrich Gulda had a strong dislike of authorities like the Vienna Academy, the L.v. Beethoven Ring of which he was offered in recognition of his performances but which he refused, and even faked his own death in the late 1990's, cementing his status as the enfant terrible among pianists. Nevertheless, Gulda is widely regarded as one of the most outstanding piano players of the 20th century.

A world-premiere recording of works by a brilliant composer who died far too young at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries. Her Ballads stand among the finest achievements in Polish piano music. Sarnecka's writing is intense and deeply reflective, marked by bold dissonances and sweeping, expertly crafted modulations. Pianist Marek Szlezer brings this forgotten music back to life with performances of striking emotional depth and powerful sonority-an ideal match for the expressive, dramatic voice of this gifted Young Poland composer.