À la russe Alexandre Kantorow

• Sergei Rachmaninoff (1873-1943): Piano Sonata No. 1 in D Minor, Op. 28:
• 1 Rachmaninoff: Piano Sonata No. 1 in D Minor, Op. 28: I. Allegro moderato 15:16
• 2 Rachmaninoff: Piano Sonata No. 1 in D Minor, Op. 28: II. Lento 09:29
• 3 Rachmaninoff: Piano Sonata No. 1 in D Minor, Op. 28: III. Allegro molto 14:01
• Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky (1840-1893): 18 Pieces, Op. 72, TH 151:
• 4 Tchaikovsky: 18 Pieces, Op. 72, TH 151: No. 5, Méditation 05:09
• 5 Tchaikovsky: 18 Pieces, Op. 72, TH 151: No. 17, Passé lointain 04:20
• Igor Stravinsky (1882-1971): The Firebird (Arr. G. Agosti for Piano):
• 6 Stravinsky: The Firebird Suite (1919 Version) [Arr. for Piano by G. Agosti]: III. Infernal Dance 04:44
• 7 Stravinsky: The Firebird Suite (1919 Version) [Arr. for Piano by G. Agosti]: IV. Lullaby 04:03
• 8 Stravinsky: The Firebird Suite (1919 Version) [Arr. for Piano by G. Agosti]: V. Finale 03:24
• Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky: 2 Pieces, Op. 1:
• 9 Tchaikovsky: 2 Pieces, Op. 1: No. 1, Scherzo à la russe, TH 124 06:38
• Mily Alexeyevich Balakirev (1837 - 1910): Islamey, Op. 18:
• 10 Balakirev: Islamey, Op. 18 08:16
• Total Runtime 01:15:20

Info for À la russe

Nach seinem gefeierten ersten Album für BIS mit Liszts Klavierkonzerten wendet sich der junge Pianist, noch keine 20 Jahre alt, nun seinen russischen Wurzeln zu. Der Sohn des Geigers und Dirigenten Jean-Jacques Kantorow hat schwergewichtige und höchst anspruchsvolle Literatur für diese Einspielung ausgesucht. Er eröffnet gleich mit der gewichtigen ersten Sonate Rachmaninows, die von Goethes „Faust“ inspiriert ist und die drei Hauptcharaktere des Dramas, Faust, Gretchen und Mephisto, nachzeichnet. Den Beschluss bildet Balakirevs „orientalische Fantasie Islamey“, eine der Ikonen der Klavierliteratur. Das teuflisch schwer zu spielende Werk animierte Ravel, etwas technisch noch anspruchsvolleres zu schreiben – das Resultat war „Gaspard de la nuit“.

Alexandre Kantorow, Klavier

Alexandre Kantorow
Having brought out his first CD last year to critical acclaim, Alexandre has released his second, on the BIS label, that onsist of three of Liszt’s piano concertos, recorded in Finland with the Tapiola Sinfonietta under his father, conductor Jean-Jacques Kantorow.

Alexandre has been performing these concertos live as part of his international concert schedule, taking in Osaka, Japan, under Augustin Dumay, and Taipei, Taiwan. He’ll also be playing other pieces by Liszt nearer to home, on tour with the Orchestre National des Pays de la Loire.

France gets a new concert hall this year, in the form of the much anticipated Philharmonie de Paris, and Alexandre has performed Beethoven’s Choral Fantasy there as part of the inaugural season.

Brahms is another of Alexandre’s favourite composers, and he is looking forward to performing his Piano Concerto No. 2 early in the year.

Born in Paris in 1997, Alexandre fits his many professional engagements around his studies at the Paris Conservatoire, under Franck Braley. A full-time career as a soloist beckons, but Alexandre still enjoys performing with other musicians too. LAst summer, for example, he’ll be playing chamber music at festivals in France, as well as performing Addinsell’s film music the Warsaw Concerto, and Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue in its original version with jazz band.

Booklet for À la russe