KISSIN PLAYS RUSSIAN MUSIC

CD1

PYOTR ILYITCH TCHAIKOVSKY

PIANO CONCERTO No. 1 in B flat minor Op. 23

1. Allegro non troppo e molto maestoso 20’12

2. Andantino semplice 6’30

3. Allegro con fuoco 7’09

Dmitri Shostakovich concerto for Piano, Trumpet and Orchestra in C minor Op. 35

4. Allegro moderato 6’04

5. Lento 8’24

6. Moderato 1’30

7. Allegro con brio 6’38

SERGE PROKOFIEV

Piano Concerto No. 3 in C major Op. 26

1. Andante-allegro 9’29

2. Tema con variazioni 9’11

3. Allegro ma non troppo 9’26

Piano Sonata No. 6 in A major Op. 82

4. Allegro moderato 8’32

5. Allegretto 5’16

6. Tempo di Walzer, lentissimo 7’33

7. Vivace 6’27

8. Dance Op. 32/2 (from 4 Pieces Op. 32)

2 Visions fugitives

9. Ridicolosamente 1’08

10. Con vivacita 1’19

CD2

SERGE PROKOFIEV

Piano Concerto No. 3 in C major Op. 26

1. Andante-allegro 9’29

2. Tema con variazioni 9’11

3. Allegro ma non troppo 9’26

Piano Sonata No. 6 in A major Op. 82

4. Allegro moderato 8’32

5. Allegretto 5’16

6. Tempo di Walzer, lentissimo 7’33

7. Vivace 6’27

8. Dance Op. 32/2 (from 4 Pieces Op. 32)

2 Visions fugitives

9. Ridicolosamente 1’08

10. Con vivacita 1’19

CD3

JOHANN SEBASTIAN BACH

1. Sicilienne, transcription from Flute Sonata in E flat major BWV 1031 3’04

ROBERT SCHUMANN

2. Arabeske in C major Op. 187’05

SERGEY RACHMANINOFF

3. Lilacs 2’05

4. Prelude in F sharp minor Op. 23/1 2’48

5. Prelude in A minor Op. 32/81’39

6. Prelude in G flat major Op. 23/10 3’10

ÉTUDES-TABLEAUX Op. 39

7. In C minor 3’21

8. In A minor6’08

9. In B minor 3’34

10. In E flat minor4’47

11. In A minor 2’59

12. In D major 3’57

Yevgeny Kissin, piano

Few classical artists have made so spectacular an initial impact upon public – even global – consciousness as the pianist Yevgeny Kissin, when in 1984 at the age of 12 he gave both piano concertos by Chopin in a single concert at the Great Hall of the Moscow Conservatory. His fame was assured, and from there on his reputation preceded him as a young, sublimely gifted virtuoso possessed of the most brilliant technique, seemingly natural musical touch and preternatural confidence.

All those assets can be heard to advantage in some popular – and more formidable works by his countrymen, from the glittering display vehicles written by Shostakovich and Prokofiev to the powerful sweep of Tchaikovsky’s ever-popular First Concerto. Of course Kissin has gone on to perform and indeed record these works – he is now 40, a British citizen for the last nine years, mirabile dictu – several times since, but the early recordings retain a bravado and unselfconscious vigour that infects every performance with appealing zest and sometimes astonishing assurance.

Brilliant Classics 3cds 9243