D’ALBERT, EUGEN (1864–1932)

Piano Music • 1

Sofja Gülbadamova, piano

Eugen d’Albert was one of the great pianists of his age and wrote a series of exciting pieces for the instrument. The expressive, forward looking harmonies of the Suite are as notable as the work’s Baroque style. The Four Pieces – pyrotechnically brilliant as well as pensive – show some Lisztian influence, while the Albumblatt is a genial, reflective piece. In this recital Sofja Gülbadamova performs on d’Albert’s own 1898 Steinway, recently restored and now on display at his former home, Villa Teresa in Coswig. D’Albert’s Impromptu, which Gülbadamova discovered at the Brahmshaus in Baden-Baden, is heard here in a world première recording.

Tracklist

Piano Suite in D Minor, Op. 1 (1883) (00:00:00 )

I. Allemande: Breit gehalten (00:03:23)

II. Courante: Sehr lebhaft (00:03:27)

III. Sarabande: Getragen und mit Empfindung (00:04:57)

IV. Gavotte und Musette: Mässig (00:04:17)

V. Gigue: Frisch belebt mit markiertem Rhythmus (00:03:10)

Impromptu in D-Flat Major (1915) (00:04:29)

Albumblatt in D-Flat Major (ca. 1891) (00:03:41)

Walzer in A-Flat Major, Op. 16, No. 1 (1898) (00:09:26)

Scherzo in F-Sharp Major, Op. 16, No. 2 (1897) (00:05:05)

Intermezzo in B Major, Op. 16, No. 3 (1898) (00:06:50)

Ballade in B Minor, Op. 16, No. 4 (1898) (00:13:32)

Total Time: 01:02:17

The Artist(s)

A prizewinner of many international competitions, pianist Sofja Gülbadamova has been hailed for the ‘poetic beauty’ of her playing, and her ‘astounding musicality, tonal imagination’ and ‘the ease of her command and surprisingly diverse interpretative range’. She has dedicated much of her career to the music of Hungarian composer Ernő Dohnányi, recording several albums of his major works for piano on the Capriccio label. Recent performances include solo appearances under the baton of famous conductors including Michel Tabachnik, Michail Jurowski, Marko Letonja, Kirill Karabits, Alevtina Ioffe and Antoni Wit. She has also performed at the Elbphilharmonie and the Laeiszhalle in Hamburg, the Philharmonie and Konzerthaus in Berlin, Liederhalle Stuttgart and Kurhaus Wiesbaden, as well as at other important international venues and festivals.

The Composer(s)

D’Albert made transcriptions and arrangements for piano, as expected of any virtuoso.

Also Available

“Alexandra Oehler plays these miniatures with dedication and an excellent technique.” — Pizzicato

“…music that evokes bells and plays with melody in a way that could be Rachmaninov. One wonders how this impressively vivid music has fallen into neglect and I hope that we have the opportunity to hear the orchestral version soon. While the early Préludes are merely pleasant, much of the rest is impressive and on the strength of this excellent release her music certainly deserves attention.” — MusicWeb International

“A beautiful and instinctive sense of musicality and poetry” — Pianiste Magazin

“Biljana Urban plays a piano of rare elegance, nuanced as possible, with refined resonances; in short, everything that is needed to arouse interest in this music and this composer who is still largely unknown.” — Classica