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Two “Soviet” concertos for cello and orchestra, both written in 1966, that is the idea behind this recording of cellist Maximilian Hornung. Of course, the most famous of the two is and remains Shostakovich's Second Concerto, written for and premiered by Rostropovich. Less famous, except perhaps in Georgia, is the Georgian composer Sulkhan Tsintsadze (1925-1991), himself a renowned virtuoso cellist, who composed an impressive number of chamber music, concertos, symphonies, operas, oratorios, completely ignored by the rest of the world, what a pity. Tsintsadze, as might be thought from a "regional" Soviet composer, often borrows from the folklore of his country, but this is in no way a limitation or a specialization, no more than the way Khatchaturian would sometimes borrow from Armenia. Here is his Concerto No. 2 in five episodes, in which Tsintsadze is certainly quite indebted to Shostakovich, but also to Prokofiev undoubtedly, even to Khatchaturian here and there. The instrumental language is both brilliant and idiomatic. The contrast between his concerto and that of Shostakovich – keeping in mind that they both date from the same year – is striking. The cellist Maximilian Hornung has already performed as a soloist with the Bavarian Radio Orchestra, the Tonhalle Zurich, the London Philharmonic, the Orchestre National de France, the London Philharmonia; in short, many of the most prestigious orchestras in the world. © SM/Qobuz

Franz Liszt's Transcendental Etudes have enjoyed renewed interest among pianists who wish to showcase the composer in all his aspects as a virtuoso performer, mystic, and innovator of piano techniques. This collection of visionary pieces is much more than a group of challenging exercises, rather, more a summation of Romantic thinking, both musical and poetic. Liszt was one of the great creators of evocative character pieces, of which Feux follets and Harmonies du soir have become representative examples. But the whole work is an excellent vehicle for Kirill Gerstein's bravura abilities and his deeply reflective expressions, which make this performance a worthy addition to the growing catalog. Perhaps the most striking characteristic of Gerstein's playing is his subtle displays of color, even in the midst of fiendishly difficult passages. Gerstein's prismatic timbres and shadings of articulation are fascinating to explore on listening, and his exceptional artistry makes this recording of the Transcendental Etudes a must-have for any collection. The hybrid SACD gives Gerstein a great sound advantage, and the spacious ambience of the Siemens Villa in Berlin gives the performance an appealing balance of physical presence and resonance. © TiVo

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