Alessio Bax RACHMANINOV Preludes & Melodies

With this intricate and enterprising recital the wondrously gifted Alessio Bax fulfils, in his own words, a long-cherished dream. Here he couples the Op 23 Preludes with early works showing the influence of Tchaikovsky while at the same time remaining indelibly Rachmaninov, and a selection of transcriptions. These include his own arrangement of the Vocalise where, without surplus decoration (as in the Zoltán Kocsis transcription), he finds all of the composer’s dark-hued melancholy, playing with an impeccable sense of vocal line and with an intense and stylish rubato.

You would have to have a heart of stone not to be beguiled by Bax’s romantic warmth and freedom in “Lilacs” and “Daisies”, and if his Op 23 Preludes lack the classic quality of, say, Lympany or Osborne, his vividness and personality weave their own intoxicating spell. Bax’s depth-charge virtuosity in No 2 will set everyone’s pulse racing but he takes a no less gentle hand to No 6’s meandering sweetness. He captures all the restless energy of No 8 and spins his way through the treacherous double notes of No 9, a Russian Feux follets, with dizzying expertise.

Bax has written his own touching notes which help to erase the absurd ignorance concerning Rachmaninov of both the 1954 contributor to Grove and Percy Grainger quoted by Stuart Isacoff. Signum’s sound is bold and exemplary, and I can scarcely wait to hear this ardent and dazzling young pianist in the Op 32 Preludes, the Etudes-tableaux, Moments musicaux and much else besides. (Bryce Morrison / Gramophone)

Alessio Bax / Southbank Sinfonia / Simon Over BEETHOVEN Piano Concerto No. 5 & Works for Solo Piano

Combining exceptional lyricism and insight with consummate technique, Alessio Bax is without a doubt “among the most remarkable young pianists now before the public” (Gramophone). He catapulted to prominence with First Prize wins at both the Leeds and Hamamatsu International Piano Competitions, and is now a familiar face on four continents, not only as a recitalist and chamber musician, but as a concerto soloist. He has appeared with more than 100 orchestras, including the London and Royal Philharmonic Orchestras, Dallas and Cincinnati Symphonies, NHK Symphony in Japan, St. Petersburg Philharmonic with Yuri Temirkanov, and the City of Birmingham Symphony with Sir Simon Rattle.

Alessio has appeared frequently with the Southbank Sinfonia in concerts and recordings – their 2013 disc of Mozart’s Concertos Nos. 24 & 27 was described by Musicweb International’s critic as their “Recording of the Month … and quite possibly my recording of the year”. A live concert of the “Emperor” concerto in 2016 with the orchestra in Tuscany’s Incontri in Terra di Siena festival was met with praise by reviewers:

“[Bax’s] capacity for softness and for evenness of touch came beautifully to the fore for the concerto’s many top-keyboard pianissimo flutterings, as his strong relationship with the orchestra also reaped dividends, producing satisfyingly sympathetic chamber pockets amidst the surrounding symphonic excitement.” Bachtrack (Live Concert Review)

Lucille Chung / Alessio Bax POULENC Works for Piano Solo and Duo

Since I was a little girl, the music of Francis Poulenc has always fascinated me; being born to devout Roman Catholic Korean parents in Montréal, I was raised within multiple backgrounds. I attended a French private school for girls and fully embraced the fact that I happened to be born in a francophone milieu. To add to the mix, my parents had met while studying in Germany and I spoke to my brother in English. Religion and secularity always coexisted in my world.

Although Poulenc clearly has no Korean connections, his music thrives in the dichotomy of the sacred and profane, spirituality and light-heartedness, often switching from one to the other quickly and seamlessly while at the same time retaining an unmistakably French idiom and a clarity that speaks directly to everyone’s heart.

The two sides of Poulenc’s music are startlingly obvious, yet they have to be taken as a whole, because together they make a stronger statement. His music, always identifiable yet original, is so beautifully crafted that it seems to flow naturally from the composer’s mind to our ears. Music writer Jessica Duchen beautifully pinpoints Poulenc as “a fizzing, bubbling mass of Gallic energy who can move you to both laughter and tears within seconds. His language speaks clearly, directly and humanely to every generation.”

Making this album was a dream come true. From the irresistible charm of the 15 Improvisations to the irrepressible bursts of energy in the Concerto for Two Pianos , the range of Poulenc’s music and beauty had a wonderfully infectious effect for everyone involved in this project! (Lucille Chung)