Welcome to Hyperion Records, an independent British classical label devoted to presenting high-quality recordings of music of all styles and from all periods from the twelfth century to the twenty-first.

Hyperion offers both CDs, and downloads in a number of formats. The site is also available in several languages.

Please use the dropdown buttons to set your preferred options, or use the checkbox to accept the defaults.

Click cover art to view larger version
Track(s) taken from CDA67789

Étude No 6 in D minor 'Esercizio per pianoforte, Omaggio a Domenico Scarlatti'

composer
1992; published by C. F. Peters Corp., New York

Marc-André Hamelin (piano)
Recording details: November 2009
Concert Hall, Wyastone Estate, Monmouth, United Kingdom
Produced by Andrew Keener
Engineered by Simon Eadon
Release date: September 2010
Total duration: 3 minutes 31 seconds

Cover artwork: Still of Marc-André Hamelin from the film Des pas sur la neige.
CLC Productions, 2009
 

Other recordings available for download

Marc-André Hamelin (piano)

Reviews

‘Dear Marc-André, I begged and pleaded for Hyperion to keep this disc under wraps. But now that it's released, all of us composer / pianists have no choice but to go out of business. Isn't it enough for you simply to be the world's most proficient pianist? Do you also have to compose amazingly well for your instrument, and rewardingly so? Must you serve up some of the most witty, charming, entertaining and devastatingly effective piano music of your generation?’ (Gramophone)

‘Hamelin's original etudes … as well as the character pieces that round out the disc, with their blend of tasteful lyricism and striking textures and harmonies, are as enjoyable as his homages. While brashly flaunting his influences (Gershwin, Poulenc, Rachmaninov) he sounds utterly individual. Of course, the composer makes all the technical difficulties sound easy to play in these vividly recorded performances’ (BBC Music Magazine)

‘A set of 12 Études that reveals Hamelin's immersion in the great virtuoso tradition … Hamelin the composer has the same kind of tact and imagination that Hamelin the pianist does … the virtuoso demands are daunting; but there's so much harmonic and contrapuntal interest in these works, so much sheer joie de vivre, such evident love for the instrument and its history, and such consistent wit, that even music lovers who disdain virtuoso excess are likely to be seduced … in its gentle luminosity, the [Theme and Variations] is the most touching work on the CD. Hamelin the pianist, of course, plays with his usual understated virtuosity—his unerring control of phrasing, articulation and dynamics; his ability to generate huge masses of sound without banging; his succulent legato; and, most important in the more thorny textures, his ability to give each contrapuntal line its own flavour … the engineering is first rate. A cause for celebration’ (International Record Review)

‘One of this extraordinary musician's finest achievements, indeed, one of the great solo piano recordings ever made’ (Fanfare, USA)

‘These are astounding pieces … with a hint of frenetic, sometimes out-and-out grotesque, madness. They bar no holds where technical extremes are concerned … these are the other individual works on this superlative disc cover anythign from grandiose Romanticism to 20th-century stride’ (The Scotsman)
Domenico Scarlatti’s 555 keyboard sonatas constitute a body of work replete with marvellous invention and amazing variety. Yet, inevitably perhaps, there are recurring mannerisms, and to someone like myself who is easily given to lampooning, these are very easy to make fun of. Anyone who, like me, loves these sonatas should not in the least take offence at what I’ve done in No 6, Esercizio per pianoforte ‘Omaggio a Domenico Scarlatti’—this is a purely affectionate tribute, even though I have obviously exaggerated a few things! The acrobatic nature of the writing adds a humorous visual dimension to any live performance, a dimension that is of course lost in a recording.

from notes by Marc-André Hamelin © 2010

Les 555 sonates pour clavier de Domenico Scarlatti constituent un ensemble d’œuvres qui regorgent d’une merveilleuse invention et d’une exceptionnelle variété. Pourtant et c’est peut-être inévitable, il y a des caractéristiques récurrentes qu’il est très facile de tourner en dérision pour quelqu’un comme moi qui se livre facilement à la satire. Quiconque aime ces sonates comme moi ne devrait pas le moins du monde s’offenser de ce que j’ai fait dans la no 6, Esercizio per pianoforte «Omaggio a Domenico Scarlatti»—c’est un hommage purement affectueux, même s’il est évident que j’ai exagéré quelques petites choses! La nature acrobatique de l’écriture ajoute une dimension visuelle humoristique à toute exécution «live», dimension bien sûr perdue dans un enregistrement.

extrait des notes rédigées par Marc-André Hamelin © 2010
Français: Marie-Stella Pâris

Domenico Scarlattis 555 Cembalo-Sonaten bilden einen Werk-Kosmos, übervoll an wunderbarer Erfindung und Vielfalt. Trotzdem trifft man (vielleicht unvermeidlich) auf immer wiederkehrende Eigenheiten, und für jemand wie mich, der eine durchaus spöttische Ader hat, ist es kein Problem, sich darüber lustig zu machen. Niemand, der wie ich diese Sonaten liebt, sollte sich auch nur im Geringsten darüber ärgern, was ich in Nr. 6 Esercizio per pianoforte „Omaggio a Domenico Scarlatti“ getan habe. Das ist nichts als eine reine Liebeserklärung, auch wenn ich offenbar ein paar Sachen übertrieben habe! Der akrobatische Klaviersatz hat bei jeder Aufführung allein schon optisch eine humorige Note, eine Dimension, die natürlich bei einer Aufnahme fehlt.

aus dem Begleittext von Marc-André Hamelin © 2010
Deutsch: Ludwig Madlener

Other albums featuring this work

Kaleidoscope
CDA67275
Waiting for content to load...
Waiting for content to load...