Track Listing

Disc 1:

1. Partita In B Flat, BWV 825: Prelude
2. Partita In B Flat, BWV 825: Allemande
3. Partita In B Flat, BWV 825: Courante
4. Partita In B Flat, BWV 825: Sarabande
5. Partita In B Flat, BWV 825: Menuets I & II
6. Partita In B Flat, BWV 825: Gigue
7. Piano Sonata In A Minor, KV 310: Allegro maestoso
8. Piano Sonata In A Minor, KV 310: Andante cantabile con espressione
9. Piano Sonata In A Minor, KV 310: Presto
10. Waltzes, Op.39: No. 6 in C sharp
11. Waltzes, Op.39: No. 15 in A flat
12. Waltzes, Op.39: No.2 in E
13. Waltzes, Op.39: No. 1 in B
14. Waltzes, Op.39: No. 14 in G sharp minor
15. Waltzes, Op.39: No. 10 in G
16. Waltzes, Op.39: No. 5 in E
17. Waltzes, Op.39: No. 6 in C sharp (Da capo coda)
18. Piano Sonata in B minor, Op.58: Allegro maestoso
19. Piano Sonata in B minor, Op.58: Scherzo. Molto vivace
20. Piano Sonata in B minor, Op.58: Largo
21. Piano Sonata in B minor, Op.58: Finale. Presto non tanto
22. Barcarolle in F sharp, Op.60 - Chopin
23. Miroirs: Alborada del gracioso - Ravel

Disc 2:

1. Piano Concerto In A Minor, Op. 54: Allegro affettuoso
2. Piano Concerto In A Minor, Op. 54: Intermezzo. Andante grazioso
3. Piano Concerto In A Minor, Op. 54: Allegro vivace
4. Piano Concerto In A Minor, Op. 16: Allegro molto moderato
5. Piano Concerto In A Minor, Op. 16: 2. Adagio
6. Piano Concerto In A Minor, Op. 16: 3. Allegro moderato molto e marcato - Quasi presto - Andante maestoso
7. Impromptu In G Flat, D. 899 No. 3
8. Impromptu In E Flat, D. 899 No. 2
9. Nocturne In D Flat, Op. 27 No. 2
10. 'Jesu, Joy Of Man's Desiring'

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #223933 in Music
• Released on: 1998-11-10
• Number of discs: 2

Customer Reviews

absolute must buy
lipatti is unique in ways no other pianist is... his refined musical line brings an effortless lyricism to every piece he plays. superb technique made everything sound so easy

His Death at Thirty-three was a Tragic Loss for Music Lovers
I agree with all of what Alejandra Vernon says in her customer review. But I note that she doesn't comment about the performance of the Chopin Third Piano Sonata. I had recently been comparing various recordings of this wonderful sonata, and kept coming back to Lipatti's version. The sound is not necessarily the best - although it's quite good for its time - and I had to boost the bass slightly. I like the warmth of Rubinstein, and the non-rhetorical ease of Anton Kuerti (on the Analekta label), but I keep coming back to Lipatti. His phrasing, his unhurried sense of the overall architecture, particularly in the slow movement which is spun out slowly and inexorably, are very convincing to me. Both my analytical mind and my unexamining heart are convinced by his playing.

I must also add that I love the Brahms Waltzes, played with Nadia Boulanger, at least partly because that legendary teacher recorded so very little. They sing the waltzes as with one voice.

And, finally, I treasure the 'Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring' in the famous arrangement by Dame Myra Hess. A desert island recording.

Highly recommended.

Scott Morrison

the Romanian master
The sensitivity and beauty of Dinu Lipatti's playing has for me, never been equalled. With flawless technique and extraordinary phrasing, he seemed to capture the core essence, the soul of the music. Born in 1917, he came from a musical family and his godfather was the composer George Enescu. A child prodigy, he started recording when he was 20, and the excerpts from the Brahms Waltzes, Op. 39 on disc 1, tracks # 10-17, are from that period, and he plays the original four-hand version, with his teacher Nadia Boulanger.
The rest of the selections on this stupendous compilation are from the years 1947 through 1950, the last being the Schubert Impromptus (disc 1, # 7-8), from a live recording of his final concert in September, at the Besancon Music Festival. One would never imagine, listening to these two beautiful pieces, that he was in excruciating pain from the leukemia that would take his life three months later.

The Schuman Concerto is given a spirited performance, with Herbert Von Karajan at the helm, and on the melodic Grieg Concerto, Alceo Galliera conducts. I marvel at Lipatti's interpretation of the Grieg Concerto, which sounds as though he is "breathing new life" into it, even though it was recorded over 55 years ago.
My favorite pieces are the Mozart Sonata in A minor, the Bach Partita in B flat, and the sublime Bach/Hess "Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring", which to quote from the multi-language liner notes is "Three minutes in musical paradise".
the total time on disc # 1 is 78'42, and disc # 2, 77'18.