Sandro remembers: ”It had to be approached as an extraordinary chance to present Liszt’s museum piece of a bygone era and make it come alive in our hearts. I felt very excited about the marvelous opportunity to immortalize such a historical event for this piano, and, most of all, to come into closer contact with my most beloved master’s sound world.”
Being very much at home with the ‘Golden Age’ of the piano does not preclude an interest in contemporary compositions or lesser-known repertory of various eras for Russo.
Arthur Sato quotes Russo in his 2009 NY Rising Star interview as saying: "There are many works that didn’t have the superstar musicians to get famous, but still they are wonderful in quality… I am very interested in the contemporary music of composers, especially those who are pianists, because they really know how to write for the instrument. Also, because I feel like I am part of the same living tradition…"
Sato concludes: “The best part of being a classical musician or performing artist is taking part in the lineage, history and tradition of the art and its practice.”
Whether playing on the antique Liszt piano, or the Steinway CD-75, Sandro Russo conveys his love for music with great sensitivity and spirited passion. Add to that his deep understanding for the historical context of his endeavours, and the term ‘living tradition’ is very much alive, indeed.
Track Listing:
Mendelssohn (1809-1847)
- Andante Cantabile and Presto Agitato.
- 19 variations serieuses, Op.54
Chopin (1810-1849)
- Nocturne in D-flat major Op.27 no.2
Liszt (1811-1886)
- Sonetto 104 del Petrarca
Medtner (1880-1951)
- Tale in C minor Op. 8 no.2
Scriabin (1872-1915)
- Etude in C-Sharp minor Op.42, no.5
- Etude in D-Sharp minor Op. 8 no. 12
- Sonata no. 4 in F-sharp major. Op. 30
Rachmaninoff (1873-1943)
- Waltz from 2nd. Suite for Two Pianos op. 17 (transcription by Vladimir Leyetchkiss, world premiere recording)
Article comments
1 - pianoguy
Great article. But one correction should be made. The Scriabin Etude was not an encore at Horowitz's 1986 Moscow recital. It was just the final piece of the first part of his program.
2 - Hank Drake
Horowitz did not play Liszt's Mephisto Waltz at the Met program where CD75 was used. He played Liszt's Ballade in B minor.