Louis Lortie / BBC Philharmonic / Edward Gardner SAINT-SAËNS Piano Concertos Nos. 1, 2 and 4

Having already mastered such French concertos as Poulenc’s on record, the French-Canadian pianist Louis Lortie and Edward Gardner now explore with the BBC Philharmonic the vigorous and progressive world of Camille Saint-Saëns, offering the first of two volumes to contain his complete piano concertos.

The brilliance, virtuosity, and technical perfection of Louis Lortie’s playing encapsulate these unusual, yet exhilarating works. While the spirited, unconventional Concerto No. 1 centres round a slow movement consisting of a dialogue between the sober orchestra and virtuosic piano, the technical requirements of No. 2 are so high that Saint-Saëns himself after its premiere admitted that his fluent technique was not quite up to the challenge. Finally, the unusual form and mixed musical ideas of No. 4 make for a uniquely dramatic, passionate, and dream-like experience.

Grigory Sokolov MOZART - RACHMANINOV Concertos

This release is a piece of history: it is a combination of unreleased and historic audio and visuals. It allows a unique view of the enigmatic maestro Grigory Sokolov's life because it offers an opportunity to hear authentic performances from over ten and even twenty years ago accompanied by a brand-new film by Nadya Zhdanova. 

On Sokolov's performance of Mozart's Piano Concerto K 488, the Salzburger Nachrichten noted: "Such is his intensity that Sokolov sweeps everything and everyone along with him". Similarly, The Times wrote that "Sokolov swept through the concerto like a hurricane" with Rachmaninov's Third Piano Concerto. 

These historic performances will be published in combination with a unique documentary, which looks back on both Sokolov's artistic and private biography. Whilst Sokolov is well known for being reclusive and rarely giving interviews, filmmaker Zhdanova achieved the impossible: she spoke with his friends and colleagues and eventually was allowed to use private material from Sokolov's archives. Ultimately, Zhdanova discovered rare and unreleased video footage which offers an intimate insight into the life of Sokolov.