CDconnection.com: Hamelin Plays Alkan. Sonata Op. 33 Festin D'Esope: C Alkan: Music CD

	C Alkan : Hamelin Plays Alkan. Sonata Op. 33 Festin D'Esope
	CD			Your Price: $18.25 (List Price: $21.98) Customer Rating: with 10 or more responses Availability: In Stock Sell date: 8/1995 Label: Hyperion (UK) Mfg's Catalog#: 66794 CDC Part#: 87239 Add to Basket

Notes & Reviews

Without a doubt one of the most astonishing piano recordings ever made. This is absurdly difficult music, but Hamelin's technique is so overwhelming that one easily forgets the physical struggle involved and can simply concentrate on the music, which is quite compelling when played with as much sensitivity and panache as it is here. With the exception of Hamelin's other Alkan disc (on Music & Arts and presently out-of-print), no other Alkan recording comes close in my opinion. In fact, few other recordings of any repertoire match this disc for sheer pianistic refinement. If you care anything about great pianism, buy it and see for yourself.
- Paul C Yarish, 10/04/1999, USA

Fanfare magazine has labeled this CD 'one of the greatest CDs of the century [paraphrase].' That seems a grandiose claim until you hear Hamelin attack these challenging works. I compared his version of Festin d'Esope, e.g., with renditions by Ringeissen and Ponti, both respectable accounts. Next to Hamelin, however, Ponti's sounds like an entirely different piece, having to break up block chords to make them playable, and Ringeissen, though far better than Ponti, still lacks the technique needed to do this work justice. The Grand Sonata is breathtaking, as is the whole CD. It is a jaw-dropping, heart-thumping experience. Whether you like Alkan or not, buy it. Now. It truly is one of the, if not *the* album of the century. And Hamelin may well be our next Horowitz.
- Kenneth I Saichek, 08/20/1999, USA

Sound, performance, and music are all outstanding - Hamelin takes the intimidation out of Alkan's music and blows us away!
- Douglas S Halfen, 02/02/1999, USA

Great performances.
- Raul Passarelli Jr, 02/27/1997, Brazil

Full title is: Alkan: Grande Sonate 'Les quatre Ages'; Sonatine; Le festin d'Esope

All Music Guide Title is: Alkan: Grande Sonate Op. 33; Sonatine for piano Op61

SPARS: DDD

Length: 68:59

Released: 1995

Booklet: 20 pages

Booklet printed in the following languages: German, English, French

Tracks and Sound Clips

Grande Sonate 'Les Quatre Ages', for piano in D major, Op. 33: 20 ans. Tres vite

Grande Sonate 'Les Quatre Ages', for piano in D major, Op. 33: 30 ans, Quasi-Faust. Assez vite

Grande Sonate 'Les Quatre Ages', for piano in D major, Op. 33: 40 ans, un menage heureu. Lentement

Grande Sonate 'Les Quatre Ages', for piano in D major, Op. 33: 50 ans, Promethee enchaene. Extremement lent

Sonatine, for piano in A minor, Op. 61: Allegro vivace

Sonatine, for piano in A minor, Op. 61: Allegramente

Sonatine, for piano in A minor, Op. 61: Scherzo-Minuet

Sonatine, for piano in A minor, Op. 61: Tempo giusto - Coda

Barcarolle: Assez lentemente, for piano in G minor (Recueil de Chants 3/6), Op. 65/6

Le festin d'Esope, variations for piano in E minor (Etudes dans tous les tons mineurs No. 12), Op. 39/12

Recommendations

People who buy c alkan CDS may also enjoy, in order of descending probability, the works of Marc-Andre Hamelin, Mark-Andre Hamelin.

To link directly to this page:

http://www.cdconnection.com/details/C_Alkan__Hamelin_Plays_Alkan._Sonata_Op._33_Festin_DEsope/87239

C Alkan : Hamelin Plays Alkan. Sonata Op. 33 Festin D'Esope