Notes and Editorial Reviews
Pianist Vladimir Ashkenazy is one of the best known pianists of the 20th Century. His eternally youthful vigor and intensity consistently won the adoration of audiences and critics alike. His exclusive recording contract with Decca blessed the label with a rich catalog from which to cull material for this two-disc collection.
THE ART OF ASHKENAZY showcases the artist's talent with a wide variety of works. From Chopin to Schubert, Ravel to Rachmaninov, Ashkenazy performs each piece with deep insight. Opening with the powerful works of the great Russian composers, the pianist's fire and virility come to the fore. Famous lyrical pieces, such as Chopin's 'Grande valse brillante,' highlight his nimble fingerwork and dexterity.
Thirty years
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of great performances boiled down to a 2-CD set? It may not be complete, but it is certainly an enjoyable retrospective of one of the great careers in music. Read less
Works on This Recording
1.
Rhapsody on a theme of Paganini, Op. 43: Variation 18 by Sergei Rachmaninov
Performer:
Vladimir Ashkenazy (Piano)
Conductor:
Bernard Haitink
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Philharmonia Orchestra
Period: Romantic
Written: 1934; USA
Date of Recording: 1986
Length: 3 Minutes 6 Secs.
2.
Concerto for Piano no 1 in B flat minor, Op. 23: 2nd movement, Andantino semplice by Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky
Performer:
Vladimir Ashkenazy (Piano)
Conductor:
Lorin Maazel
Orchestra/Ensemble:
London Symphony Orchestra
Period: Romantic
Written: 1874-1875; Russia
Date of Recording: 1963
Length: 6 Minutes 52 Secs.
Notes: This selection is an ADD recording.
3.
Concerto for Piano no 21 in C major, K 467: 2nd movement, Andante by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Performer:
Vladimir Ashkenazy (Piano)
Conductor:
Vladimir Ashkenazy
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Philharmonia Orchestra
Period: Classical
Written: 1785; Vienna, Austria
Date of Recording: 1977
Length: 8 Minutes 0 Secs.
Notes: This selection is an ADD recording.
4.
Concerto for Piano no 1 in D flat major, Op. 10: 2nd movement, Andante assai by Sergei Prokofiev
Performer:
Vladimir Ashkenazy (Piano)
Period: 20th Century
Written: 1911-1912; Russia
Date of Recording: 1974
Length: 4 Minutes 38 Secs.
Notes: This selection is an ADD recording.
5.
Concerto for Piano no 2 in F minor, B 43/Op. 21: 2nd movement, Larghetto by Frédéric Chopin
Performer:
Vladimir Ashkenazy (Piano)
Conductor:
David Zinman
Orchestra/Ensemble:
London Symphony Orchestra
Period: Romantic
Written: 1829-1830; Poland
Date of Recording: 1965
Length: 9 Minutes 15 Secs.
Notes: This selection is an ADD recording.
6.
Concerto for Piano no 2 in C minor, Op. 18 by Sergei Rachmaninov
Performer:
Vladimir Ashkenazy (Piano)
Conductor:
Bernard Haitink
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra
Period: Romantic
Written: Russia
Date of Recording: 1894
Length: 34 Minutes 14 Secs.
Notes: Composition written: Russia (1900 - 1901).
7.
Waltz for Piano in E flat major, B 62/Op. 18 "Grande valse brillante" by Frédéric Chopin
Performer:
Vladimir Ashkenazy (Piano)
Period: Romantic
Written: 1831; Poland
Date of Recording: 1983
Length: 4 Minutes 49 Secs.
8.
Preludes (24) for Piano, Op. 28: no 15 in D flat major "Raindrop" by Frédéric Chopin
Performer:
Vladimir Ashkenazy (Piano)
Period: Romantic
Written: 1838-1839; Paris, France
Date of Recording: 1978
Length: 1 Minutes 42 Secs.
Notes: This selection is an ADD recording.
9.
Etudes (12) for Piano, Op. 10: no 5 in G flat major "Black Keys" by Frédéric Chopin
Performer:
Vladimir Ashkenazy (Piano)
Period: Romantic
Written: 1830; Poland
Date of Recording: 1972
Length: 4 Minutes 3 Secs.
Notes: This selection is an ADD recording.
10.
Nocturnes (3) for Piano, B 54/Op. 9: no 2 in E flat major by Frédéric Chopin
Performer:
Vladimir Ashkenazy (Piano)
Period: Romantic
Written: 1830-1831; Poland
Date of Recording: 1981
Length: 4 Minutes 3 Secs.
11.
Waltzes (3) for Piano, B 164/Op. 64: no 1 in D flat major "Minute Waltz" by Frédéric Chopin
Performer:
Vladimir Ashkenazy (Piano)
Period: Romantic
Written: 1846-1847; Paris, France
Date of Recording: 1976
Length: 1 Minutes 52 Secs.
Notes: This selection is an ADD recording.
12.
Bagatelle for Piano in A minor, WoO 59 "Für Elise" by Ludwig van Beethoven
Performer:
Vladimir Ashkenazy (Piano)
Period: Classical
Written: 1808; Vienna, Austria
Date of Recording: 1984
Length: 3 Minutes 4 Secs.
13.
Sonata for Piano no 14 in C sharp minor, Op. 27 no 2 "Moonlight": 1st movement, Adagio sostenuto by Ludwig van Beethoven
Performer:
Vladimir Ashkenazy (Piano)
Period: Classical
Written: 1801; Vienna, Austria
Date of Recording: 1989
Length: 5 Minutes 30 Secs.
14.
Sonata for Piano no 8 in C minor, Op. 13 "Pathétique": 2nd movement, Adagio cantabile by Ludwig van Beethoven
Performer:
Vladimir Ashkenazy (Piano)
Period: Classical
Written: 1797-1798; Vienna, Austria
Date of Recording: 1980
Length: 5 Minutes 0 Secs.
Notes: This selection is an ADD recording.
15.
Impromptus (4) for Piano, D 899/Op. 90: no 3 in G flat major by Franz Schubert
Performer:
Vladimir Ashkenazy (Piano)
Period: Romantic
Written: 1827; Vienna, Austria
Date of Recording: 1996
Length: 5 Minutes 27 Secs.
16.
Kinderszenen, Op. 15: no 1, Von fremden Ländern und Menschen by Robert Schumann
Performer:
Vladimir Ashkenazy (Piano)
Period: Romantic
Written: 1838; Germany
Date of Recording: 1987
Length: 1 Minutes 45 Secs.
17.
Kinderszenen, Op. 15: no 7, Träumerei by Robert Schumann
Performer:
Vladimir Ashkenazy (Piano)
Period: Romantic
Written: 1838; Germany
Date of Recording: 1987
Length: 2 Minutes 50 Secs.
18.
Polonaises (2) for Piano, Op. 40: no 1 in A major, B 120 "Military" by Frédéric Chopin
Performer:
Vladimir Ashkenazy (Piano)
Period: Romantic
Written: 1838; Poland
Date of Recording: 1981
Length: 5 Minutes 7 Secs.
19.
Etudes (12) for Piano, Op. 10: no 3 in E major, B 74 "Tristesse" by Frédéric Chopin
Performer:
Vladimir Ashkenazy (Piano)
Period: Romantic
Written: 1836-1839; Paris, France
Date of Recording: 1972
Length: 4 Minutes 24 Secs.
Notes: This selection is an ADD recording.
20.
Mazurkas (4) for Piano, B 115/Op. 33: no 2 in D major by Frédéric Chopin
Performer:
Vladimir Ashkenazy (Piano)
Period: Romantic
Written: 1837-1838; Paris, France
Date of Recording: 1982
Length: 2 Minutes 9 Secs.
21.
Waltzes (3) for Piano, B 164/Op. 64: no 2 in C sharp minor by Frédéric Chopin
Performer:
Vladimir Ashkenazy (Piano)
Period: Romantic
Written: 1846-1847; Paris, France
Date of Recording: 1976
Length: 3 Minutes 28 Secs.
Notes: This selection is an ADD recording.
22.
Impromptu for Piano no 4 in C sharp minor, B 87/Op. 66 "Fantaisie-Impromptu" by Frédéric Chopin
Performer:
Vladimir Ashkenazy (Piano)
Period: Romantic
Written: 1835; Paris, France
Date of Recording: 1983
Length: 4 Minutes 52 Secs.
23.
Pavane pour une infante défunte by Maurice Ravel
Performer:
Vladimir Ashkenazy (Piano)
Period: 20th Century
Written: 1899; France
Date of Recording: 1983
Length: 6 Minutes 7 Secs.
24.
Preludes (10) for Piano, Op. 23: no 5 in G minor, Alla marcia by Sergei Rachmaninov
Performer:
Vladimir Ashkenazy (Piano)
Period: Romantic
Written: 1901; Russia
Date of Recording: 1975
Length: 3 Minutes 55 Secs.
Notes: This selection is an ADD recording.
25.
Morceaux de fantaisies (5), Op. 3: no 2, Prélude in C sharp minor by Sergei Rachmaninov
Performer:
Vladimir Ashkenazy (Piano)
Period: Romantic
Written: 1892; Russia
Date of Recording: 1975
Length: 4 Minutes 31 Secs.
Notes: This selection is an ADD recording.
26.
Concerto for Piano no 3 in D minor, Op. 30: 1st movement, Allegro ma non tanto by Sergei Rachmaninov
Performer:
Vladimir Ashkenazy (Piano)
Conductor:
Bernard Haitink
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra
Period: Romantic
Written: 1909; Russia
Date of Recording: 1985
Length: 5 Minutes 5 Secs.
27.
Concerto for Piano no 5 in E flat major, Op. 73 "Emperor": 2nd movement, Adagio un poco mosso by Ludwig van Beethoven
Performer:
Vladimir Ashkenazy (Piano)
Conductor:
Vladimir Ashkenazy
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Cleveland Orchestra
Period: Classical
Written: 1809; Vienna, Austria
Date of Recording: 1986
Length: 7 Minutes 45 Secs.
28.
Pieces (10) for Piano from "Romeo and Juliet", Op. 75: no 9, Danse des filles aux fleurs by Sergei Prokofiev
Performer:
Vladimir Ashkenazy (Piano)
Period: 20th Century
Written: 1937; USSR
Date of Recording: 1994
Length: 2 Minutes 47 Secs.
Sound Samples
Piano Concerto No.3 in D minor, Op.30: 1. Allegro ma non tanto (excerpt)
Rhapsody on a Theme by Paganini, Op.43: Variation 18
Piano Concerto No.5 in E flat major Op.73 -"Emperor": 2. Adagio un poco mosso
Piano Concerto No.1 in B flat minor, Op.23: 2. Andantino semplice - Prestissimo - Tempo I
Piano Concerto No.21 in C, K.467: 2. Andante
Piano Concerto No.1 in D flat, Op.10: 2. Andante assai
Piano Concerto No.2 in F minor, Op.21: 2. Larghetto
Piano Concerto No.2 in C minor, Op.18: 1. Moderato
Piano Concerto No.2 in C minor, Op.18: 2. Adagio sostenuto
Piano Concerto No.2 in C minor, Op.18: 3. Allegro scherzando
Waltz No.1 in E flat, Op.18 -"Grande valse brillante"
24 Préludes, Op.28: 15. in D flat major ("Raindrop")
12 Etudes, Op.10: No. 5 in G flat "Black Keys"
Nocturne No.2 in E Flat, Op.9 No.2
Waltz No.6 in D flat, Op.64 No.1 -"Minute"
Bagatelle in A minor, WoO 59 -"Für Elise"
Piano Sonata No.14 in C sharp minor, Op.27 No.2 -"Moonlight": 1. Adagio sostenuto
Piano Sonata No.8 in C minor, Op.13 -"Pathétique": 2. Adagio cantabile
4 Impromptus, Op.90, D.899: No.3 in G flat: Andante
Kinderszenen, Op.15: 1. Von fremden Ländern und Menschen
Kinderszenen, Op.15: 7. Träumerei
Polonaise No.3 in A, Op.40 No.1 - "Military"
12 Etudes, Op.10: No. 3 In E "Tristesse"
Mazurka No.23 in D Op.33 No.2
Waltz No.7 in C sharp minor, Op.64 No.2
Impromptu No.4 in C sharp minor, Op.66 "Fantaisie-Impromptu"
Pavane pour une infante défunte - for Piano
Pieces for piano from "Romeo and Juliet" Op.75 - Arr. Prokofiev: 9. Dance of the Girls with the Lillies
Prelude in G minor, Op.23, No.5
Prelude in C sharp minor, Op.3, No.2
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