Hyperion Records | The Romantic Piano Concerto, Vol. 30

Click album cover image to view the sleeve notes

CDA67326

Buy? £13.99

Recording details: June 2002
City Hall, Candleriggs, Glasgow, United Kingdom
Produced by Andrew Keener
Engineered by Simon Eadon
Release date: October 2002
Total duration: 58 minutes 43 seconds
Available for download on iTunes: Yes

View sleeve notes/artwork

'A disc as beautiful as it is comprehensive' (Gramophone)

'Yet another programme that makes incomprehensible the narrow choice of 19th-century piano concertos heard in our concert halls today' (BBC Music Magazine)

'Russian melodic flavour, colourful orchestration and sonorous piano writing is present in abundance throught this very welcome release … The combination of Lyapunov's complete piano-and-orchestra output on one disc, in excellent performances and superb recorded sound, make a favourable recommendation mandatory' (International Record Review)

'Throughout, Hamish Milne holds his head high, lucidly and affectionately commanding cascades of notes, and he is stylishly partnered by Martyn Brabbins' (Gramophone)

'With the risk of the laser beam totally ruining this new Hyperion release from repeated playing, I am now prepared to throw away a few more symphonies just to make room for more Lyapunov' (Pianist)

'Milne, as usual, offers resilient rhythms and tightly focused phrasing marked by a refreshing attention to detail … you’re unlikely to hear a better performance of this repertoire in the foreseeable future' (Fanfare, USA )

'This is one of the very best entries in Hyperion’s ongoing survey, and I’m pleased to recommend it to you without the slightest hesitation' (American Record Guide)

'This is bejewelled writing carried off with spiritual and technical mastery by Milne' (musicweb.uk.net)

'there’s no denying the sumptuous virtuosity inherent in these pieces, which pianist Hamish Milne tosses off with obvious relish and technical assurance' (ClassicsToday.com)

Sergei Mikhailovich Lyapunov (1859-1924)

The Romantic Piano Concerto, Vol. 30 – Lyapunov

Hamish Milne (piano), BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, Martyn Brabbins (conductor)

		Piano Concerto No 1 in E flat major, Op 4
1		Movement 1: Allegro con brio [6:53]
2		Movement 2: Adagio non tanto [3:06]
3		Movement 3: Allegro moderato e maestoso [4:54]
4		Movement 4: Adagio non tanto [3:28]
5		Movement 5: Allegro con brio [4:00]
		Rhapsody on Ukranian Themes, Op 28
6		Movement 1: Andantino pastorale [6:59]
7		Movement 2: Allegretto scherzando [3:02]
8		Movement 3: Andantino pastorale [2:17]
9		Movement 4: Allegro giocoso [4:44]
		Piano Concerto No 2 in E major, Op 38
10		Movement 1: Lento ma non troppo [5:34]
11		Movement 2: Allegro molto ed appassionato [1:31]
12		Movement 3: Allegro moderato [2:36]
13		Movement 4: Allegro molto [3:22]
14		Movement 5: Lento ma non troppo [1:12]
15		Movement 6: Allegro molto [5:05]

Over the ten years that the Romantic Piano Concerto has been running one of the projects most often requested by the many fans of the series has been a recording of the complete Lyapunov works for piano and orchestra. Well finally here it is!

These three works, all written in the ten years either side of 1900, are typical of the Russian nationalist school (Lyapunov was a pupil and disciple of Balakirev) with their colourful orchestration and often folk-inspired melodies. The other great hero in Lyapunov's life was Liszt and both the concertos are in a single multisectional movement as pioneered by the Hungarian. Their virtuosity too is Lisztian and there are many cadenza-like passages akin to those found in that master's concertos.

This is the premiere recording of the first concerto.

Who better to play these pieces than Hamish Milne, who has made a speciality of Russian music (he has made many Medtner recordings and his Hyperion recording of Alexandrov has just been exceptionally well received), and the ever excellent BBCSSO consducted by Martyn Brabbins (who also has impeccable Russian credentials - he studied conducting in Leningrad!).