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'Novacek's strong sense of architecture in marshalling an absorbing unity from the sprawling, turbulent sonata is matched by the yearning delicacy of the Op.76 and the intermezzi.'
Classical Music

'The Sonata is among Brahms’s least-recorded piano works, and though there are excellent versions available from, among others, Katchen and Richter (both on Decca), I feel Novacek may have set a new benchmark here, while his op. 76 stands out strongly from other accounts. Altogether an impressive release. '
BBC Music Magazine

 View all reviews for this release.

Artists
Libor Novacek, piano

Description
Instrumental Choice, BBC Music Magazine

Award-winning Czech pianist Libor Novacek's latest recording is entirely devoted to works by Johannes Brahms. It deliberately covers a wide chronological range, mapping Brahms’s path from youthful brilliance to mellow maturity and includes the comparatively rarely played early Second Piano Sonata in F sharp minor, Op 2, as well as the Klavierstucke, Op 76 and the three late Intermezzi, Op 117.

One of the most exciting and individualistic pianists of his talented generation, Novacek signed his contract with Landor immediately after winning the first Landor Records Prize in 2005. The following year he made his first two recordings for the company, the first including music by Janacek, Martinu, Ravel and Debussy; the second consisting of works from Franz Liszt’s collection Annees de Pelerinage - Deuxieme Annee: Italie.

Both were widely and vociferously acclaimed. The Liszt disc was a Gramophone magazine’s Editor's Choice and also won the 33rd Liszt International Record Grand Prix’s Diploma of Honour. The Gramophone wrote of this recording that “there seems something very special about this artist. It’s evident in the hushed, reflective passages, in the whole sense of a pianist who knows how a piece should go. One to watch indeed.”

Booklet Notes

 Click [here] to download booklet notes.


Track Listing

Johannes Brahms (1833 - 1897)

 (from Sonata for Piano No.2 in F Sharp Minor, Op.2)

1

Allegro non troppo ma energico

6.13

 (from Sonata for Piano No.2 in F Sharp Minor, Op.2)

2

Andante con espressione

6.31

 (from Sonata for Piano No.2 in F Sharp Minor, Op.2)

3

Scherzo: Allegro

3.53

 (from Sonata for Piano No.2 in F Sharp Minor, Op.2)

4

Finale: Introduzione (Sostenuto); Allegro non troppo e rubato

12.39

 (from Eight Piano Pieces, Op.76)

5

Capriccio in F sharp minor No.1

3.55

 (from Eight Piano Pieces, Op.76)

6

Capriccio in B minor No.2

3.45

 (from Eight Piano Pieces, Op.76)

7

Intermezzo in A flat major No.3

3.20

 (from Eight Piano Pieces, Op.76)

8

Intermezzo in B flat major No.4

2.21

 (from Eight Piano Pieces, Op.76)

9

Capriccio in C sharp minor No.5

3.25

 (from Eight Piano Pieces, Op.76)

10

Intermezzo in A major No.6

3.36

 (from Eight Piano Pieces, Op.76)

11

Intermezzo in A minor No.7

3.02

 (from Eight Piano Pieces, Op.76)

12

Capriccio in C major No.8

4.54

 (from Three Intermezzi, Op.117)

13

Intermezzo in E flat major No.1

5.28

 (from Three Intermezzi, Op.117)

14

Intermezzo in B flat minor No.2

5.17

 (from Three Intermezzi, Op.117)

15

Intermezzo in C sharp minor No.3

7.21

  Total Timing 75.48

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