Volume Seven of Brilliant Classics’ on-going series has a nice balance. Jan Ladislav Dussek’s massive sonata “Retour à Paris” is offset by the featherweight the Op. 47 “Sonata facile.” Sonata faciles were just that — easy sonatas. Designed for the amateur, these works were simple in structure, and simple to perform. Mozart and Beethoven both wrote sonata […]
Jan Ladislav Dussek
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Jan Ladislav Dussek – Complete Piano Concertos, Vol. 6 features transcriptions
This release features the Opus 9 Piano Sonatas of Jan Ladislav Dussek. Originally, they were written for a melodic instrument + piano, a common practice of the late 1700s. The melodic instrument could either be a violin or flute — performer’s choice. Innovations in pianoforte construction allow for longer sustained notes. Dussek could transcribe these […]
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Jan Ladislav Dussek Complete Piano Sonatas Vol. 5 – Enlightening
Jan Ladislav Dussek was a pioneering piano virtuoso who continually pushed the boundaries of his instrument. And in some cases, he was responsible for some of the improvements made to the fortepiano — especially range. Volume 5 in Brilliant Classics’ series features pianist Wolfgang Brunner. His performances are top-notch. But I found his liner […]
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Dussek Complete Piano Sonatas Volume 4 – Illuminating
This release features sonatas that span Dussek’s career. And since they’re played on fortepianos of the period, they also provide insight into the development of the piano. The Sonata in A-flat major, Op. 5 No. 3 and the Sonata in B-flat major, Op. 24 are relatively early works. Written in 1788 and 1793 respectively, Tuija […]
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Dussek Complete Piano Sonatas Vol. 3 – Better Than They Sound
Brilliant’s traversal of Dussek piano sonatas continues with two major compositions. The Op. 44 Sonata “Farewell” was completed in 1799 and marks the end of an era. The 1812 Op. 77 sonata “L’Invocation” looks forward to the next era. The Sonata in E-flat major, Op. 44 is large, four-movement work. It runs about 30 minutes. […]
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Jan Ladislav Dussek Piano Sonatas Volume 2
Brilliant Classics is using eight pianists for their traversal of Dussek piano sonatas. It’s a, well, brilliant idea. It allows each pianist to dive deep into the works they’re going to record. Volume 2 of the series features pianist Piet Kuijken. His thoughtful liner notes show the amount of research he’s applied to these sonatas […]
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Dussek Complete Piano Sonatas, Vol. 1 – Authentically Beautiful
When I received this disc for review I was excited, then worried, then excited again. I was initially excited because this is the first volume in a complete series of Jan Ladislav Dussek’s 35 piano sonatas. I was worried because these were performances with a period fortepiano. But after I heard this release, I was excited […]
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Dussek Piano Concertos Launch Hyperion Series
Following the success of their Romantic Piano Concerto series (63 volumes and counting), Hyperion launches a companion series, The Classical Piano Concerto, featuring music from 1770-1820. It marked the rise of the piano virtuoso, the traveling artist who composed primarily to showcase his own talents. Mozart is one of the more famous examples, but certainly […]