GD 161 ALEXANDER YOSSIFOV - Compositions Concerto for FOUR-HANDED PIANO
Issued: 2000
Style: Classical Music
Company: Gega New, GD161
The CD of the prominent Bulgarian composer Alexander YOSSIFOV comprises works for piano duos - an area in which he presents himself with original ideas. After the success of his opuses for two pianos and four-handed piano, he has turned to experimenting with bigger keyboard formations. This resulted in works such as the Symphony Concertante for two piano duos and orchestra of 24 pianos (24 pianists or respectively 48 hands) which has attracted the attention of the Japanese audiences and musical critics alike. The composition was unanimously defined as a unique musical piece of the 20th century. Yossifov, who is the author of operas, ballets, music for children, symphonies and instrumental pieces (more than 1200 in number) ceaselessly seeks to give new meaning through innovative expressive devices and impressive timbre nuances. A creative artist of rich experience and mastery of constructing the musical form, he manages to find the balance between homogeneous instruments - the pianos, as well as between strings and a keyboard duo. In the present recording one can be heard the wonderful Variations for Four-Handed Piano based on the well-known Bulgarian National-Revival song "Hubava si moya goro". In the Ballad for Two Four-Handed Pianos the author interweaves with virtuosity Bulgarian national rhythms and characteristic elements from the Japanese music (originally the piece was created for the Japanese duo Kodama and duo Ganevs). The large-scaled composition Concerto for Four-Handed Piano, String Orchestra and Percussion, brings eloquent evidence to Yossifov's remarkable melodic and rhythmic invention. The performers of the recordings in the release are the famous Bulgarian piano duo Dora & Atanas Slavchevs, both excellent pianists, who have achieved a superb synchronization, the duo Velislava Georgieva & Krassimir Taskov. The Concerto was recorded with the participation of Yambol String Orchestra under the conductor Nikolai Soultanov.
Contents:
• Variations for four-handed piano "Hubava si moia goro"
• Ballad for two for-handed pianos
Concerto for four-handed piano, string orchestra and percussion
• Prologo (grave comondo)
• Adagio-pastorale
• Allegro (come danza rustica)
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