Russian Piano Sonatas 1

This new recording presents three piano sonatas by Russian composers, Balakirev, Glazunov and Kosenko. Balakirev's highly attractive sonata is strongly rooted in the Russian folklore, using "folk" melodies and rhythms in colorful and overtly virtuosic pianism; Glazunov's second piano sonata, in its powerful formalism, looks back at Brahms and Schumann, while Viktor Kosenko is clearly influenced by the mysticism and ecstatic romanticism of Scriabin. Italian pianist Vincenzo Maltempo, one of the most interesting pianists of the young generation, is clearly at home in this repertoire, which he showed in his staggering recording of the Transcendental Studies by Lyapunov (PCL0124), which received 5 stars in several classical magazines (a.o. the French Diapason). His recording of Liszt's Hungarian Rhapsodies received rave reviews, a Gramophone Editor's Choice: "extraordinary breadth and nobility..little short of perfection..", "9/9, close to ideal" (Jed Distler Classicstoday.com). His recordings of Alkan have "confirmed his place in the restricted circle of Alkan's best performers, 5 stars"(Diapason), "Exhilarating, thrillingly demonic, 5 Stars" (Andrew Clement in The Guardian). The booklet contains excellent liner notes written by Ates Orga.