The Forgotten Romantic
This exciting project is unique in several ways. Firstly, we decided to record some of the piano works of Sergei Bortkiewicz - a composer unfamiliar to many. Bortkiewicz was born in Kharkov (Ukraine) in 1877 and had by any criterion a fascinating life. Living through the Russian Revolution and both World Wars, he spent much of his time uprooted, wandering and often in poverty. Yet during this time he was able, nonetheless, to compose some magnificent works, including three piano concertos, several symphonic and orchestral works and many pieces of varying length for the piano - his own instrument. Full of melody and always romantic and tonal, it is only recently that some of his output has been revived - and much is still lost. Bortkiewicz died in Vienna in 1952.
Secondly, we were fortunate in obtaining permission from the Bath museum to record the music on the famous "Rachmaninov Piano" - the Steinway Grand that Rachmaninov chose and used for his performances when he toured the UK, which is temporarily housed in the Wiltshire Music Centre at Bradford on Avon. As the two composers were almost exact contemporaries, and given the similarities in romantic style, this is the sort of instrument with which Bortkiwicz would have himself been familiar and it is indeed fitting that it should be used for this music.
Thirdly, we obtained the services of a young viurtuoso pianist for the recording. Lloyd Buck is from Bristol in England and completed his Conservatoire studies at the Royal College of Music in 2006. he is now on a postgraduate course at the RNCM in Manchester. Lloyd has specialised in the works of Alkan - with all the formidable technique that this music requires - and yet is possessed of a wonderful ability to play romantic music with great depth of feeling. We were confident that he would be able to do full justice to the works of Bortkiewicz and are delighted and privileged to have been able to offer him his debut recording.
Track Listing:
Lamentations and Consolations, Op 17
1 - Lamentation 1 - Recitativo dolente – andantino
2 - Consolation 1 - Tranquillo e pensieroso
3 - Lamentation 2 - Allegro non tanto
4 - Consolation 2 - Sostenuto e pensieroso – andante
5 - Lamentation 3 « Le mal du pays » - Andante
6 - Consolation 3 - Cantabile
7 - Lamentation 4 - Moderato
8 - Consolation 4 « Sorrento » - Andante
Lyrica Nova, Op 59
9 - Con moto - affetuoso
10 - Andantino
11 - Andantino
12 - Con slancio
Preludes, Op 66 Nos 1 & 3 (No 2 lost)
13 - Prelude No 1 - Andante
14 - Prelude No 3 - Moderato e cantabile
Sonata No 2, Op 60 (recorded live in concert)
15 - Allegro ma non troppo
16 - Allegretto
17 - Andante misericordioso
18 - Agitato
Secondly, we were fortunate in obtaining permission from the Bath museum to record the music on the famous "Rachmaninov Piano" - the Steinway Grand that Rachmaninov chose and used for his performances when he toured the UK, which is temporarily housed in the Wiltshire Music Centre at Bradford on Avon. As the two composers were almost exact contemporaries, and given the similarities in romantic style, this is the sort of instrument with which Bortkiwicz would have himself been familiar and it is indeed fitting that it should be used for this music.
Thirdly, we obtained the services of a young viurtuoso pianist for the recording. Lloyd Buck is from Bristol in England and completed his Conservatoire studies at the Royal College of Music in 2006. he is now on a postgraduate course at the RNCM in Manchester. Lloyd has specialised in the works of Alkan - with all the formidable technique that this music requires - and yet is possessed of a wonderful ability to play romantic music with great depth of feeling. We were confident that he would be able to do full justice to the works of Bortkiewicz and are delighted and privileged to have been able to offer him his debut recording.
Track Listing:
Lamentations and Consolations, Op 17
1 - Lamentation 1 - Recitativo dolente – andantino
2 - Consolation 1 - Tranquillo e pensieroso
3 - Lamentation 2 - Allegro non tanto
4 - Consolation 2 - Sostenuto e pensieroso – andante
5 - Lamentation 3 « Le mal du pays » - Andante
6 - Consolation 3 - Cantabile
7 - Lamentation 4 - Moderato
8 - Consolation 4 « Sorrento » - Andante
Lyrica Nova, Op 59
9 - Con moto - affetuoso
10 - Andantino
11 - Andantino
12 - Con slancio
Preludes, Op 66 Nos 1 & 3 (No 2 lost)
13 - Prelude No 1 - Andante
14 - Prelude No 3 - Moderato e cantabile
Sonata No 2, Op 60 (recorded live in concert)
15 - Allegro ma non troppo
16 - Allegretto
17 - Andante misericordioso
18 - Agitato
Notes
We're delighted to be able to let visitors to our site hear two excerpts from this wonderful CD.
The first, which you'll hear if you click the player below, is from the Op. 17 set of Lamentations and Consolations and is Track 4 of the CD, marked "sostenuto e pensieroso".
The second excerpt (click the lower button) is the ending of the first movement of Bortkiewicz's gloriously romantic Sonata No 2, from a live concert recording given by Lloyd during the evening after the first recording session.