Simon Callow - Another Night Before Christmas & Scrooge - COMPACT DISCS [CD]

The insatiable demand for sheet music for domestic use in the 19th century meant that popular works were widely disseminated in piano duet form. Robert Schumann's own arrangements of the 'Spring' Symphony (in collaboration with his wife Clara Schumann) and the Fourth Symphony balance playability and fidelity to the original with tremendous skill. Clara considered the Fourth Symphony to be 'another work from the innermost depths of Robert's soul', a symphony that has become one of the most quintessential of the Romantic era. This is a highly collectible set of Schumann's works in arrangement for piano duet, appearing here in world premiere recordings for versions of symphonies arranged by the composer himself along with his wife Clara. Vol. 1 (8.572877) was considered 'extremely well done' by Fanfare. Vol. 2 can be found on 8.572878, Vol. 3 included the Third Symphony 'Rhenish' and is on 8.572879, while Vol. 4 (8.572880) which was considered a 'handsome account off our symphonic works' by the Audio Video Club of Atlanta, and of the Second Symphony 'The whole work works extremely well in this arrangement; it is also interesting to compare the details which are brought out by the arrangement - Clara and Robert clearly knew exactly what they were doing. I am very much looking forward to the next volume'.(MusicWeb International) Album Tracks 1. Symphony No. 1 in B Flat Major, Op. 38 InchSpringInch (1841) 2. Symphony No. 4 in D minor, Op. 120 (1841/1853)

The son of the famous Bologna composer Giovanni Battista Vitali, Tomaso Antonio moved with his father to Modena in 1674, joining the court orchestra of Duke Francesco II d'Este, which he was later to lead, in the following year. Album Tracks 1. Sonata 1 in D Major. Grave 2. Sonata 1 in D Major. Allegro - Adagio 3. Sonata 1 in D Major. Grave 4. Sonata 1 in D Major. Without Tempo Indication 5. Sonata 2 in C Major. Grave 6. Sonata 2 in C Major. Vivace 7. Sonata 2 in C Major. Grave - Adagio 8. Sonata 2 in C Major. Allegro 9. Sonata 3 in E minor. Grave 10. Sonata 3 in E minor. Prestissimo 11. Sonata 3 in E minor. Grave 12. Sonata 3 in E minor. Allegro 13. Sonata 4 in D minor. Grave 14. Sonata 4 in D minor. Presto 15. Sonata 4 in D minor. Grave 16. Sonata 4 in D minor. Allegro 17. Sonata 5 in D minor. Grave 18. Sonata 5 in D minor. Allegro 19. Sonata 5 in D minor. Grave 20. Sonata 5 in D minor. Vivace 21. Sonata 5 in D minor. Grave 22. Sonata 5 in D minor. Allegro 23. Sonata 6 in G Major. Grave 24. Sonata 6 in G Major. Allegro 25. Sonata 6 in G Major. Grave 26. Sonata 6 in G Major. Andante 27. Sonata 6 in G Major. Grave 28. Sonata 6 in G Major. Allegro 29. Sonata 7 in G Major. Grave 30. Sonata 7 in G Major. Vivace 31. Sonata 7 in G Major. Grave 32. Sonata 7 in G Major. Allegro 33. Sonata 8 in B minor. Grave 34. Sonata 8 in B minor. Presto - Grave 35. Sonata 8 in B minor. Allegro 36. Sonata 8 in B minor. Grave 37. Sonata 8 in B minor. Allegro 38. Sonata 9 in C minor. Grave 39. Sonata 9 in C minor. Without Tempo Indication 40. Sonata 9 in C minor. Grave 41. Sonata 9 in C minor. Allegro 42. Sonata 10 in F Major. Grave 43. Sonata 10 in F Major. Allegro 44. Sonata 10 in F Major. Grave 45. Sonata 10 in F Major. Without Tempo Indication 46. Sonata 11 in a Minor. Grave 47. Sonata 11 in

Jozef Wieniawski, younger brother of Henryk, was a prolific Polish composer and virtuoso pianist renowned throughout Europe. After studies in Paris he spent two years in Weimar studying with and absorbing the compositional style of Franz Liszt - Wieniawski's work combines the pianistic flair and poetic intensity of both Liszt and his fellow countryman Chopin. These qualities can all be heard in the virtuoso Polonaises and the tragic Ballade as well as the Piano Sonata in B minor - the pinnacle of Jozef Wieniawski's many contributions to the piano repertoire. Andrew Cannestra's recording of Polonaise No. 1 is available for streaming and download on a digital single (9.70388). Album Tracks 1. Barcarolle in B Flat Major, Op. 29 (1884) 2. Ballade in E Flat minor, Op. 31 (1884) 3. Piano Sonata in B minor, Op. 22 (1858; Second Version C.1890) 4. Polonaise No. 2 in a Flat Major, Op. 21 'Polonaise Triomphale' (Pub. 1862) 5. Polonaise No. 3 in G Sharp minor, Op. 27 (Pub. 1881) 6. Polonaise No. 4 in G Major, Op. 48 (Pub. 1892) 7. Polka Brillante, Op. 11 (Pub. 1852)