Purcell / Bridge / Penard / Ens Contraste - Midsummer Phantasy - COMPACT DISCS [CD]

This album pays homage to the concept of the Schubertiad-the intimate gatherings held during the life of the Inchfourth Viennese classic,Inch where the composer himself would sit at the piano, joined by the finest musicians, to perform Schubert's chamber works in the salons of wealthy friends. Much like these legendary soirées, the album presents Schubert's most celebrated compositions from the final years of his life, brought to life by a group of exceptional young artists handpicked by Andrzej Pikul.The program features two expansive songs, enhanced by a wind instrument, which frame Schubert's iconic Sonata in A minor, written for the then-novel arpeggione, a unique instrument that, unfortunately, enjoyed a brief lifespan of less than fifty years. The album also includes Schubert's monumental Fantasy in F minor for Piano Four Hands. The centerpiece is a poignant miniature that evokes the melancholic yet beloved nature of Schubert-the composer who, despite his public charm, was often tormented by personal struggles.A unifying thread throughout the album is the piano, which, under the skilled hands of acclaimed chamber musician Andrzej Pikul, transports the listener into a world of musical camaraderie and enduring friendships. Album Tracks 1. Auf Dem Strom, D 943 2. Sonata in a Minor InchArpeggioneInch, D 821-Allegro Moderato 3. Sonata in a Minor InchArpeggioneInch, D 821-Adagio 4. Sonata in a Minor InchArpeggioneInch, D 821-Allegretto 5. Allegretto in C minor, D 915 6. Fantasie in F minor, D 940 7. Hirt Auf Dem Felsen, D 965

Album Tracks 1. Fantasia 2. Pinceladas de la Mancha 3. Variations on a Gregorian Chant (I) 4. Variations on a Gregorian Chant (II) 5. Fantasia 6. Su Ba Do Be 7. I. Prelude 8. II. Allemande 9. III. Courante 10. IV. Sarabande 11. V. Menuet I & II 12. VI. Gigue 13. Bocetos de la Mancha 14. Variatons on a Gregorian Chant (III) 15. I. Danse la Cleves 16. II. Amoroso 17. III. La Spagna 18. Cadenza de la Mancha 19. Fantasia

Album Tracks 1. Overture 2. Introduction 3. Dance of the Knights 4. The Young Juliet 5. Romeo at Friar Laurence's 6. Funeral 7. Juliet's Death 8. Promenade I 9. Gnomus 10. Promenade II 11. Old Castle 12. Promenade III 13. Tuileries 14. Bydlo 15. Promenade IV 16. Ballet of the Chickens in Their Shells 17. Samuel Goldenberg & Schmuÿle 18. The Market-Place at Limoges 19. Catacombæ (Sepulcrum Romanum) 20. Con Mortuis in Lingua Mortua 21. The Hut on Fowl's Legs 22. The Great Gate at Kiev