The program of this album is not a Haydn recital with an obligatory contemporary representative in the form of György Ligeti. It's a full-fledged combination of the two composers that asserts their logical connection. Give credit to pianist Shai Wosner: he executes a combination that few or no other pianists have managed so far, and for the most part he makes it sound convincing. It helps that the Capriccio No. 1 and Capriccio No. 2 of Ligeti were written early in that composer's career, when neoclassic and folk influences ...
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The program of this album is not a Haydn recital with an obligatory contemporary representative in the form of György Ligeti. It's a full-fledged combination of the two composers that asserts their logical connection. Give credit to pianist Shai Wosner: he executes a combination that few or no other pianists have managed so far, and for the most part he makes it sound convincing. It helps that the Capriccio No. 1 and Capriccio No. 2 of Ligeti were written early in that composer's career, when neoclassic and folk influences were strong. Sample the second Capriccio, which seems to flow naturally out of the Haydn Piano Concerto No. 4 in G major, Hob. 18/4 that precedes it. In general, Wosner's Haydn performances are very strong. The two piano concertos, where it's hard to find the humor and strike the right balance on a modern piano, are sparkling and energetic. The shorter Haydn pieces aren't commonly heard, and they're gems. The Capriccio in G, Hob. 17/1 ("Acht Sauschneider müssen sein," translated here...
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