Lyapunov: Piano Concertos

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!).

CDA67326  58 minutes 43 seconds
‘A disc as beautiful as it is comprehensive … throughout, Hamish Milne holds his head high, lucidly and affectionately commanding cascades of notes, and he is stylishly partnered by Martyn Brabbi ...
‘Yet another programme that makes incomprehensible the narrow choice of 19th-century piano concertos heard in our concert halls today’ (BBC Music Magazine)
‘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)