List of recordings
NEW RELEASED IN NOVEMBER 2011
Sergei Bortkiewicz, Piano Works (vol. 6) played by Jouni Somero
1. Prelude, op 6 nr. 1
2. Esquisses de Crimée, opus 8
3. Im 3/4 Takt, opus 48
4. Lyrica Nova, opus 59
5. Quatre Morceaux, opus 3
Duration 73'01''
DDD. 2011. FCRCD-9740
Jouni Somero's CD can be purchased at the Fuga webshop: www.fuga.fi
Sergei Bortkiewicz, Piano Works (vol. 5) played by Jouni Somero
1. Quatre Pieces, op. 10
2. Trois Morceaux, op. 24
3. 12 Etudes Nouvelles, op. 29
Duration 72'24''
DDD. 2011. FCRCD-9736
Jouni Somero's CD can be purchased at the Fuga webshop: www.fuga.fi
Sergei Bortkiewicz, Piano Works (vol. 4) played by Jouni Somero
1. Second Sonata, op. 60
2. Aus Meiner Kindheit, opus 14
3. Ten Etudes, opus 15
Duration 74'47''
DDD. 2010. FCRCD-9730
Jouni Somero's CD can be purchased at the Fuga webshop: www.fuga.fi
Sergei Bortkiewicz, Piano Works (vo. 3) played by Jouni Somero
1. The little wanderer, opus 21
2. Six preludes, opus 13
3. Marionettes, opus 54
4. Sonata no. 1, opus 9
Duration 67'50''
DDD. 2009. FCRCD-9723
Jouni Somero's CD can be purchased at the Fuga webshop: www.fuga.fi
Piano Concerto no 2 for the left hand only, opus 28
1. Allegro Dramatico [6'14]
2. Allegretto [11'51]
3. Allegro Dramatico [4'12]
4. Allegro Vivo [7'00]
Piano Concerto no 3 in C minor, opus 32
5. Grave [4'17]
6. Cadenza [1'54]
7. Andante [10'52]
8. Lento, Maestoso, Solenne [6'02]
9. Moderato [5'57]
Duration: 58'30''
STEFAN DONIGA, piano
JANACEK PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA
DAVID PORCELIJN, conductor
Recorded in the Concert Hall of the Janacek Philharmonic Orchestra in Ostrava (Czech Republic) on 9-13 June 2008
DDD. 2009. This CD can be purchased at (the web shop of) the Netherlands Music Institute
(www.nederlandsmuziekinstituut.nl/winkel)
Review in the American Record Guide (July/August 2009)
.. Outstanding recording ..
.. it's worth every penny ..
.. We're greatly indebted to the Netherlands Music Institute for this most welcome world premiere recording ..
.. I agree wholeheartedly this is a major release for all lovers of Russian Music ..
.. a rich billowing sound beautifully captured by the expert Ostrava engineering team ..
Review in Gramophone (May 2009)
.. Classy performances ...
.. The recorded sound and performances from all concerned are in the Hyperion Romantic Piano series class ..
.. Stefan Doniga drives the music onward fearlessly and makes the best possible case for both works ..
Review by Malcolm Henbury Ballan (author of the sleeve notes of Hyperion's recording of the two Bortkiewicz Symphonies (January 2009)
´I have been waiting many years for a definitive recording of these two works [as have many other people from correspondence I've received over the years] - and I was not disappointed when this CD was released in January 2009.
Piano Concerto No. 2 was originally written for Paul Wittgenstein, with the original score languishing for many years within the Wittgenstein estate after his death. We tend to remember a number of other concertos he commissioned -Ravel, Prokofiev, Strauss and Britten- yet strangely despite many performances of the Bortkiewicz concerto across Europe, it almost disappeared into oblivion until very recently. This concerto is in one movement with a range of contrasting sections that unit together as a cohesive whole. It is full of scintillating melodies and exquisite piano work, and the composer achieves a beautiful and delicate balance between the piano and the orchestra [something Wittgenstein moaned about incessantly about the other concertos written for him]. From the opening Allegro Drammatico, you know you are in safe but exciting hands under David Porcelijn. The orchestral introduction acts almost as a prelude until the piano enters, immediately grabbing your attention with its powerful opening theme and what a wonderful melody it is, full of Russian pathos and passion. The composer draws and develops this theme, drawing you in with its beguiling beauty and energy. Then through series of secondery themes and development, the concerto unfolds like a rhapsody, through a series of unfolding segments that run together seamlessly until we return to the opening dramatic theme now performed by the pianist in octaves; a recapulation of previous themes then draws us on to its resounding conclusion. This is a beautiful concerto and more surprising that it has taken so long to be recorded. Listening to the pianist -a very talented Stefan Doniga- it is astounding to think that this concerto is for one hand that balances perfectly with the full orchestra.
The Piano Concerto No. 3 'Per aspera ad astra' was again conceived as a one movement work of various contrasting sections that seem to evolve out of each other; from the dark opening motif to its resounding, bright and up-lifting climax to the end of the work. Although the composer calls for technical brillance and virtuosity from the piano - both the piano and orchestra seem to work together collectively to create an organic whole ... one almost being existent upon the other. The concerto is also unusual in that it calls for an organ within the score that lends to it a deeper resonance as well as positive affirmation at the exuberant ending - piano, orchestra and organ welded together with chiming bells to truly lift one's spirit to the stars.
My hat's off to Stefan Doniga, David Porcelijn and the Janacek Philharmonic Orchestra - this is a sumptuous recording, full of beauty and drawing out both the light and touches of darkness from the scores. I adored both works and highly recommended to all those who love their piano concertos in a lush, romantic vein. Excellent, a joy to hear.
Malcolm Henbury Ballan.´
The Forgotten Romantic, Keyboard Works of Sergei Bortkiewicz, played by Lloyd Buck on Rachmaninov's piano.
The piano on which the works on this CD were recorded was selected by Rachmaninov from Steinway's London offices at the beginning of the 20th century and was used by him for most, if not all, of his performances in the UK frome thenceforth. With a stunningly beautiful treble range and a thunderous bass clearly evident in this recording, it was, in Lloyd Buck's words, 'an unbelievable joy to perform on'.
Content:
1. Lamentations et Consolations, opus 17
2. Lyrica Nova, opus 59
3. 2 Préludes from opus 66
4. Sonata no 2, opus 60 (live recording)
Duration: 69'34''
DDD. 2008. Amemptos Music (www.amemptosmusic.co.uk)
Sergei Bortkiewicz, Piano Works, vol. 2, played by Jouni Somero
Content:
1. Ballade, opus 42
2. Elégie, opus 46
3. Dix préludes, opus 33
4. Minuit, opus 5
5.Trois valses, opus 27
FCRCD-9719
Jouni Somero's CD can be purchased at the Fuga webshop: www.fuga.fi
Sergei Bortkiewicz, Piano Works, Vol. 1, played by Jouni Somero
Content:
1. Six Pensées Liriques opus 11
2. Lamentations et Consolations opus 17
3. Quatre Morceaux opus 65
4. 2 Préludes from opus 66
FCRCD-9714
Jouni Somero's CD can be purchased at the Fuga webshop: www.fuga.fi
Sergei Bortkiewicz, Pianoworks-3 (2-CD) played by Klaas Trapman.
Content CD-1
1. Lamentations et Consolations, opus 17
2. Marionetten, opus 59 (first recording)
3. Trois Morceaux, opus 12 (first recording)
Content CD-2
1. Quatre Morceaux, opus 3
2. Aus meiner Kindheit, opus 14 (first complete recording)
3. Dix préludes, opus 33
DDD. 2006. Nederlands Muziek Instituut
This 2-CD album can be purchased at the (web shop of the) Netherlands Music Institute
(www.nederlandsmuziekinstituut.nl/winkel)
Sergei Bortkiewicz, Pianoworks-2 (2-CD) played by Klaas Trapman
Content CD-1
1. Quatre Morceaux, opus 65
2. Impressions, opus 4
3. Dix Etudes, opus 15
4. Sonata no. 1, opus 9
Duration CD-1 73'37''
Content CD-2
1. Ballade, opus 42
2. Elégie, opus 46
3. Trois Valses, opus 27
4. Kindheit, opus 39
5. Quatre Pieces, opus 10
6. Lyrica Nova, opus 59
Duration CD-2 63'55''
DDD. 2004. Nederlands Muziek Instituut
This 2-CD album can be purchased at the (web shop of the) Netherlands Music Instituut
Sergei Bortkiewicz, Pianoworks-1 (2-CD) played by Klaas Trapman.
Content CD-1:
1. Trois Morceaux, opus 24 (first complete recording)
2. Ein roman, opus 35 (first complete recording)
3. Trois Morceaux, opus 6 (first recording)
4. Sonata no. 2, opus 60 (first recording)
Duration CD-1 61'03''
Content CD-2:
1. Two préludes from opus 66 (first recording)
2. Minuit, opus 5 (first recording)
3. Sept préludes, opus 40
4. Im 3/4 Takt, opus 48 (first complete recording)
5. Six préludes, opus 13 (first complete recording)
6. Six pensées liriques, opus 11 (first recording)
Duration CD-2 60'06''
DDD. 2002. Nederlands Muziek Instituut
This 2-CD album can be purchased at the (web shop of the) Netherlands Music Institute
Review Pianoworks-1 in Luister (Dutch Classical Magazine), March 2004, performance 8.
TRAPMANS' cd's have been reviewed by Peter Burwasser in US classical music magazine 'FANFARE' (September/October 2005, p. 85-86). Peter Burwasser wrote about Trapmans' recordings: "Klaas Trapman [...] approaches the music of Bortkiewicz in the manner of the best interpreters of Rachmaninoff, avoiding over dramatization and sentimentality. The quality of respecting the ability of the music to make a case for itself on the basis of the written score and not contorting the music in a misguided effort to enhance expressivity is very important. The music of Bortkiewicz [...] under Trapman's hands, always sounds elegant and well made. The best of Bortkiewicz is quite strong and even haunting, and those with a taste for fin-de-siecle late Romanticsm should give this a listen."
Sergei Bortkiewicz: Complete works for violin and piano played by Nils Franke, piano and Christian Persinaru, violin.
Content:
Sergei Bortkiewicz
1. Violin Sonata in G minor, opus 26
2. Suite for violin and piano, opus 63
3. Three Piano Pieces (transcribed for violin and piano by the composer)
Sergei Rachmaninov
4. Morceaux de salon, opus 6
Total duration 66'21''
DDD. 2005. APEX (Division of Warner Classics) 2564-61990-2.
Sergei Bortkiewicz, Symphonies no. 1 opus 52 and no. 2 opus 55.
Content:
Symphony No 1 in D major, opus 52
1. Un poco sostenuto - Allegro [12'31]
2. Scherzo: Vivace [7'39]
3. Adagio [10'06]
4. Allegro vivace [8'39]
Symphony No 2 in E flat major, opus 55
5. Allegro ma non troppo [8'21]
6. Vivace [7'07]
7. Andante sostenuto [7'11]
8. Vivace (alla breve) [9'46]
Total duration 71'58
BBC SCOTTISH SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
MARTIN BRABBINS, conductor
DDD. 2002. Hyperion CDA67338
Sergei Bortkiewicz, Piano Concerto no. 1 opus 16
Anton Arensky
Piano Concerto in F minor, opus 2
1. Allegro maestoso [12'08]
2. Andante con moto [6'47]
3. Scherzo-Finale: Allegro molto [6'40]
4. Fanasia on Russian Folksongs, opus 48 [8'55]
Sergei Bortkiewicz
Piano Concerto no. 1 in B flat major, opus 16
5. Lento - Allegro deciso [16'46]
6. Andante Sostenuto [6'34]
7. Molto vivace e con brio [12'14]
Total duration: 70'40
STEPHEN COOMBS, piano
BBC SCOTTISH SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
JERZY MAKSYMIUK, conductor
DDD. 1993. Hyperion CDA66624
Sergei Bortkiewicz, Piano Music (2-CD), played by Stephen Coombs.
Content CD-1:
1. Lamentations et Consolations, opus 17
2. Aus Andersens Märchen, opus 30
3. Dix études, opus 33
Content CD-2:
1. Ballade, opus 42,
2. Elégie, opus 46,
3. Quatre Morceaux, opus 3,
4. Vier Klavierstücke, opus 65
5. Sonata no. 1, opus 9.
DDD. 2008 (reissue of recordings of 1997 and 2000). Hyperion CDD22054
Sergei Bortkiewicz, Piano works played by Cyprien Katsaris.
Content:
1. Dix études, opus 15 (no. 1, 6-10)
2. Vier Klavierstücke, opus 65 (no. 2)
3. Douze études, opus 29 (no. 1-3 and 5-6)
4. Trois Morceaux, opus 24 (no. 3)
5. Lamentations et Consolations, opus 17 (no. 3-4)
6. Sept préludes, opus 40 (no. 1, 4-6)
7. Dix études, opus 33 (no. 1, 5, 7, 8, 10)
8. Elégie, opus 46
9. Im 3/4 Takt, opus 48 (no. 2)
10. Espana, opus 63 no. 4
DDD. 2001. Piano 21 P21 004
Serge Bortkiewicz, works for piano, played by Pierre Huybregts.
Content:
1. Sept préludes, opus 40
2. Dix études, opus 15 (no. 6, 8, 10)
3. Ballade, opus 42
4. Trois valses, opus 27
5. Elégie, opus 46
6. Dix études, opus 33 (no. 3, 5, 6, 10)
DDD, 1991. Centaur CRC 2096
