Sibelius: Piano Works

On this CD:

1. Kyllikki, lyric pieces (3) for piano, Op. 41
Composed by Jean Sibelius
Performed by Marita Viitasalo

2. Sonatina No. 1, for piano in F-sharp minor, Op. 67/1
Composed by Jean Sibelius
Performed by Marita Viitasalo

3. Rondinos (2), for piano, Op. 68
Composed by Jean Sibelius
Performed by Marita Viitasalo

4. Piano Sonata, for piano in F major, Op. 12
Composed by Jean Sibelius
Performed by Marita Viitasalo

5. Finlandia, tone poem for orchestra, Op. 26
Composed by Jean Sibelius
Performed by Marita Viitasalo

Tracks:

Goldgerg Variations BWV 988: Aria
Tristan Und Isolde: Prelude
Invention No. 13 in A minor, BWV 784
English suite No. 5 in E minor, BWV 810: Prelude
Sonata No 13. in E-flat Major Op. 27, No. 1: Allegro Molto
32 variations on an Original theme in C minor, WoO 80: Variations XXVI And XXVII
Sonata No 17 in D minor, Op 31, No. 2: Allegretto
The Well Tempered Clavier Book 1: Prelude No. 2 in C Minor
English suite No. 2 in A minor BWV 807: Gigue
Sonata in B Minor, Op. 5: Adagio
Sonatine for Piano in E Major, Op 67, No. 2: Andantino
English Suite No. 2 in A Major, BWV 807: Prelude
Goldberg Variations, BWV 988: Variation 19
Minor from The Well Tempered Clavier, Book I: Fugue No. 14 in F-sharp
Sonata No. 7 in B-flat Major, Op. 83: Precipitato
2 Pieces, Op. 57: Desir
Piano Sonata No. 3: Sehr Lebhaft
Suite for Piano, Op. 25: Gigue
Six Little Pieces for Piano, Op. 19: Leicht, Zart
French Suite No. 1 in D Minor, BWV 812: Sarabande
Nine Little Preludes: Prelude in D minor, BWV 926
The Well Tempered Clavier Book I: Prelude No. 1 in C Major
The Art of the Fugue, BWV: Contrapunctus 9 1080

Customer Reviews:

Cult Devotion.......2007-02-14

The movie for which these extractions provided the soundtrack was indeed quite interesting. Sadly, it's now unavailable. Gould has achieved a cult status unlike that of any classical musician since Caruso or Paganini. Unfortunately, he devoted his considerable talents to the performance of music for which he was particularly unsuited psychologically, on an instrument equally unsuited to the music.
Thomas Bernhard, an Austrian, has written an insightful novel, titled The Loser, which probes Gould's obsessive/depressive personality. I strongly recommend it to devotees of the Gould cult.

One of My Favorite CDs.......2002-11-24

Glenn Gould artistry inspires nothing but admiration. Each piece on this cd is so entertaining and delightful! For example, Bach's Prelude English Suite for keyboard No. 5 in E minor & the Prelude and Gigue from the English Suite for keyboard No. 2 in A minor. Bach's Little prelude in D Minor tramples its identity and morphs into adolescents. The Beethoven on this cd is also remarkable and the effects he creates for some of those pieces is undeniably unique and certainly sets an interpretive standard.

And lastly, to think Gould could no longer suprise me he introduces us to some great compositions and what would become my favorite tracks on the CD: Piano Sonata in B minor, Op. 5 Adagio cantabile composed by Richard Strauss and 11. Sonatina No. 2, for piano in E major, Op. 67/2 Andantino composed by Jean Sibelius. These two recordings belong to that set of moments whose ambiance of silence and withheld passion yearns the soul.

Incredible music making.

Brilliant performances from a musical genius.......2000-08-11

This is a brilliant album! It would be nice if everything were recorded in DDD. Other than this, I cannot recommend a change that would make this CD more enjoyable than it already is. Gould is a recognized master, but seldom is an album published that provides a listener the opportunity to see the range and power of such a performer in action. If you enjoyed the movie, this CD will be a welcome addition to your collection. And even if you haven't seen the movie, you'll enjoy this musical glimpse into Gould's life.

The Whole Range of Gould's Talent.......2000-05-09

This is an outstanding soundtrack to an outstanding movie. For the listener who is new to Gould, this CD presents Gould's talents as a Bach performer, as well as his less well-known, but equally impressive talents as a performer of late 19th and 20th century music, with some stringent, thrilling Beethoven to boot. For the experienced Gould listener,it provides a chance to compare and contrast Gould's approach to various forms of music. One of the most noteworthy pieces on this CD is the interpretation of the Adagio from Richard Strauss's youthful Piano Sonata in B minor. Recorded close to the time of his death, it reveals the rare pianist who can play Romantic music with incredible clarity and emotional depth. Gould's approach to this piece is tender and wistful, distant in a way that affords it a sense of isolation and profound sadness. The reprise of Bach's music at the end of the CD is chilling and bursting with Gould's uniquely emotional approach to this music. Listening to this CD is an experience in and of itself. Don't miss out on it.

If you aren't amazed by these recordings, check for a pulse........1998-11-25

If you have studied music all your life and grown weary of the state of the performing arts and are trying to remember why you fell in love with it initially (like me) OR if you have never appreciated classical pianio music and are wondering what all the fuss is about BUY THIS RECORDING AND LISTEN TO IT! As a pianist who gave up the trade in favor of my mental health this stuff made me break out in a cold sweat. It's the real thing.

Piano Classics: Popular Works for Solo Piano

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Piano Classics: Popular Works for Solo Piano

Manufacturer: Telarc
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Waltzes | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

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15 Nocturnes of John Field (1782 - 1837)
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ASIN: B000003CYP
Release Date: 1992-11-17

Tracks:

Fur Elise
La Fileuse (The Spinner)
Nocturne
Nocturne
Prelude (Raindrop Prelude)
Waltz
Nocturne
To A Wild Rose
Romance
Scherzo
Melodie
Nocturne For The Left Hand Alone
Gymnopedie
Traumerei
Waltz
Rondo Alla Turca
Clair De Lune
Arabesque

Amazon.com

How many times have you heard a child in the other room playing--or attempting to play--Beethoven's "Für Elise" or Edward MacDowell's "To a wild rose"? Well, here you get these and 16 more all-time favorite little gems, performed to unaffected, unpretentious perfection--a real treat for anyone who's ever labored over piano lessons, and anyone, child or adult, who loves piano music.

Average customer rating:

Simply Beautiful
Listened to every night for 6 years
lovely, peaceful music beautifully played

Quietude

Manufacturer: Telarc
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Pictures of the Floating World
Debussy's Harp
A New Baroque
Sky Music
Dream Season: The Christmas Harp

ASIN: B00005B7KA
Release Date: 2001-04-24

Tracks:

Introspection - Carlos Salzedo
Reverie - Calude Debussy
Gymnopedie No. 1 - Erik Sate
Quietude - Salzedo
Meditation from Songs Without Words, Op. 67, No. 1 - Felix Mendelssohn
Notturno rom Six Pieces - Ottorino Respighi
Gnossienne No. 1 - Satie
Gnossienne No. 2 - Satie
Gnossienne No. 3 - Satie
Sarabande - Debussy
Prelude in A major, Op. 28, No. 7 - Frederic Chopin
Prelude in E minor, Op. 28, No. 4 - Chopin
Prelude in C minor, Op. 28, No. 20 - Chopin
Berceuse from Pensees lyriques, Op. 40, No. 5 - Jean Sibelius
Tenderly Emoted - Salzedo
Dreamingly - Salzedo
Profoundly Peaceful - Salzedo

Customer Reviews:

Simply Beautiful.......2005-11-18

This album has some of the most relaxing things on it I've ever listened to. Put it on before bed, and you'll go to sleep in no time. I especially love how Kondanassis chose some songs written originally for piano, and played them on the harp (e.g. Satie and Chopin's pieces on here).
A great buy!

Listened to every night for 6 years.......2005-07-16

The CD gets turned on the minute I get in bed...whether I then just listen,or read..or even have news on TV...this is my relax to sleep in peace personal system

lovely, peaceful music beautifully played.......2004-04-17

I have always loved harp music, and this collection performed by Yolanda Kondonassis is very beautiful. The pieces chosen are all mellow and quiet; they are very good to listen to while meditating or trying to wind down. Kondonassis plays beautifully, and her style brings a sensuous tranquility to the music. The transcriptions from orchestral to harp music are quite good, in that they don't sound like transcriptions, but as if the music were originally written for harp.

Average customer rating:

'AN INCURABLE ROMANTIC'
A Great Addition to anyone's CD Collection
Often Eerie, Yet Beautiful

Grieg, Bizet, Sibelius: Piano Works

Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Brahms: 4 Ballades, Op. 10; 2 Rhapsodies, Op. 79; 10 Intermezzi
Richard Strauss: Ophelia-Lieder, Op. 67; Enoch Arden, Op. 38; Piano Sonata, Op. 5; 5 Piano Pieces, Op. 3
Glenn Gould Edition: Berg, Krenek, Webern, Debussy & Ravel
Glenn Gould Edition: Schumann & Brahms
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ASIN: B0000028O3
Release Date: 1992-10-13

Tracks:

Piano Sonata In E Minor, Op.7: I. Allegro moderato
Piano Sonata In E Minor, Op.7: II. Andante molto
Piano Sonata In E Minor, Op.7: III. Alla Menuetto, ma poco piu lento
Piano Sonata In E Minor, Op.7: IV. Finalle. Molto allegro
Premier Nocturne In F Major
Variations chromatiques: Theme. Moderato maestoso
Variations chromatiques (de concert): Variation I. Un pochissimo piu allegretto
Variations chromatiques (de concert): Variations II. a tempo rubato
Variations chromatiques: Variation III. a tempo risoluto
Variations chromatiques (de concert): Variation IV. Con fuoco
Variations chromatiques (de concert): Variation V.
Variations chromatiques (de concert): Variation VI. Agitato
Variations chromatiques (de concert): Variation VII.
Variations chromatiques (de concert): Variation VIII. Con espressione
Variations chromatiques (de concert): Variation IX. Un peu plus vite
Variations chromatiques (de concert): Variation X. Alla Polacca
Variations chromatiques (de concert): Variation XI. Andante
Variations chromatiques (de concert): Variation XII. Plus anime
Variations chromatiques (de concert): Variation XIII. Mouvement des Ires Variations
Variations chromatiques (de concert): Variation XIV. appassionato
Variations chromatiques (de concert): Coda. semplice - Un peu plus lent - Quasi recitativo - a tempo

Tracks:

Sonatine For Piano In F - Sharp Minor, Op. 67 No. 1: Allegro
Sonatine For Piano In F - Sharp Minor, Op. 67 No. 1: Largo
Sonatine For Piano In F - Sharp Minor, Op. 67 No. 1: Allegro moderato
Sonatine For Piano In E Major, Op. 67 No. 2: Allegro
Sonatine For Piano In E Major, Op. 67 No. 2: Andantino
Sonatine For Piano In E Major, Op. 67 No. 2: Allegro
Sonatine For Piano In B-flat Minor, Op. 67 No. 3: Andante - Allegro moderato - Tranquillo
Sonatine For Piano In B-flat Minor, Op. 67 No. 3: Andante - Allegretto
Three Lyric Pieces For Piano, Op. 41 'Kyllikki': No. 1 Largamente - Allegro
Three Lyric Pieces For Piano, Op. 41 'Kyllikki': No. 2 Andantino
Three Lyric Pieces For Piano, Op. 41 'Kyllikki': No. 3 Commodo - Tranquillo

Amazon.com essential recording

There's more to Glenn Gould than just Bach. This enterprising disc includes the Grieg piano sonata (Gould was actually a distant relative of Grieg's, by the way), Sibelius's ingenious little sonatinas, and not least, some very rarely heard piano music by Bizet, including the Chromatic Variations, which Gould regarded as one of the greatest masterpieces ever composed for the instrument. You can listen and judge for yourself, but either way, this is one of Gould's best albums. --David Hurwitz

Customer Reviews:

'AN INCURABLE ROMANTIC'.......2004-08-21

That was how Gould chose to describe himself on one occasion, perfectly aware that this was not his usual image. He is one of the greatest Brahms-players I have ever heard in my life, which in my book entitles anyone to call himself a romantic. This 2-disc set contains some fascinating out-of-the-way romantic works by Grieg and Bizet, plus some of the rarely-heard piano music of Sibelius, whose `romantic' credentials are possibly a bit more questionable. There is only just enough music to call for a second disc, but I would not have wanted to lose any of it.

There is one unqualified masterpiece here, Bizet's Chromatic Variations, a piece greatly admired by Gould, and this performance of it is also found in the Great Pianists of the 20th Century series, now out of production but still available second-hand. Everything else in the set strikes me as good and interesting music, deserving better than the neglect that it usually receives. Grieg's sonata in particular seems to me a distinctly better piece than his piano concerto. The Sibelius sonatinas are also works of his full maturity, dating from between the 4th and 5th symphonies. They are just big enough not to be called miniatures, and when Robert Layton in his fine book on the composer says that their movements average at less than two minutes' length each he must either have been using a faulty calculator or playing them awfully fast. The three lyric pieces, dating from rather earlier, are collectively named after Kyllikki, one of the maidens of the island wooed by Lemminkainen on a drive-by basis before he set out after Pohjola's daughter, and seem to have been envisaged by the composer as a single suite, like the four legends for orchestra but on a smaller scale.

I find Gould's approach perfectly appropriate, and easily romantic enough for my own taste. The liner note says some rather conventional things concerning Gould, apparently finding abstinence from pedal-effects and rubato, but intrusive contrapuntal playing that perhaps endangers the melodic line. To my own ears, this is simply moonshine. There is plenty of the right kind of pedalling in the Bizet nocturne for one. I can concede that in Bizet's second variation, marked `a tempo rubato', there is no rubato whatsoever until the final cadence, but as the variation lasts only 45 seconds I wonder just how much rubato the composer can really have intended. What struck me a lot more, even from a romantic viewpoint, was Gould's awesome build-up of tone in variations 6 and 7. In the Sibelius lyric pieces the only movement that strikes me as calling without qualification for the epithet `romantic' is the first, possibly the weakest movement of the set, and I find no lack of romantic commitment in this performance. Again, I was very taken with Gould's extremely slow tempo in the third movement of the Grieg sonata, a romantic reading indeed, I should say.

The liner note is quite helpful and informative when it comes to factual matters regarding the performer and the recording technique. Happening to own another recording by Gould of the Bizet variations, I played the two recordings back-to-back, and although I hate to say it I thought the other recording was perhaps slightly better, bit-mapping or no bit-mapping. One way or the other, the recorded quality here is very good indeed, and this set is a real treasure from this eccentric but supereminent genius of the 20th century piano. There is a certain amount of background vocalising, but it doesn't bother me in the slightest. As for the playing, it is a lot less eccentric and a lot more romantic than they often let on.

A Great Addition to anyone's CD Collection.......2000-10-06

This is one of my favorite recordings. Glenn Gould plays with much emotion and style, making this music very easy to listen to and enjoyable. I could listen to these CDs hour after hour. I especially enkjoy the Grieg sonata, but the Sibelius and Bizet are superb as well. This is worth every penny!

Often Eerie, Yet Beautiful.......2000-06-22

These are some of the lesser-known recordings by Glenn Gould, but they deserve to be better known. Especially the Sibelius. (Or maybe I'm just strange. )

The first disk, containing Grieg and Bizet, has some beautiful music. Definitely not the type of music you associate with Glenn Gould. But I keep returning to the Sibelius. Here, Glenn Gould experimented with splicing and microphone placement to capture the best effects at each possible place in the score. You will probably envision Northern landscapes while listening to this -- yet I've never found this music cold.

My only regret is that Glenn Gould didn't get a chance to record more Sibelius pieces. And that he never got another chance to experiment with microphone placement and splicing to this extent.

Tracks:

Romance Op. 42
Impromptu
Rakastava (The Lover) Op. 14: 1. Rakastava (The Lover)
Rakastava (The Lover) Op. 14: 2. Rakastetun Tie (The Path Of The Beloved)
Rakastava (The Lover) Op. 14: 3. Good Night - Farewell
Ste Champetre Op. 98b: 1. Piece Caracteristique
Ste Champetre Op. 98b: 2. Melodie Elegiaque
Ste Champetre Op. 98b: 3. Danse
Humoresque No. 3 Op. 89a
Humoresque No. 4 Op. 89b
Andante Festivo
Canzonetta Op. 62a
Ste Caracteristique Op. 100: 1. Vivo
Ste Caracteristique Op. 100: 2. Lento
Ste Caracteristique Op. 100: 3. Commodo

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Sibelius: Piano Works

Manufacturer: Chandos
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Suites | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

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ASIN: B00004TZSD
Release Date: 2000-08-22

Tracks:

Five Romantic Pieces, Op. 101: I Romance
Five Romantic Pieces, Op. 101: II Chant du soir
Five Romantic Pieces, Op. 101: III Scene lyrique
Five Romantic Pieces, Op. 101: IV Humoresque
Five Romantic Pieces, Op. 101: V Scene romantique
Five Pieces For Piano ('The Trees'), Op. 75: I When The Rowan Tree Flowers
Five Pieces For Piano ('The Trees'), Op. 75: II The Solitary Fir Tree
Five Pieces For Piano ('The Trees'), Op. 75: III The Aspen
Five Pieces For Piano ('The Trees'), Op. 75: IV The Birch Tree
Five Pieces For Piano ('The Trees'), Op. 75: V The Spruce
Five Pieces For Piano ('The Flowers'), Op. 85: I The Daisy
Five Pieces For Piano ('The Flowers'), Op. 85: II The Carnation
Five Pieces For Piano ('The Flowers'), Op. 85: III The Iris
Five Pieces For Piano ('The Flowers'), Op. 85: IV The Snapdragon
Five Pieces For Piano ('The Flowers'), Op. 85: V The Campanula
Cinq Esquisses, Op. 114: I Landscape
Cinq Esquisses, Op. 114: II Winter Scene
Cinq Esquisses, Op. 114: III Forest Lake
Cinq Esquisses, Op. 114: IV Song In The Forest
Cinq Esquisses, Op. 114: V Spring Vision
Five Characteristic Impressions, Op. 103: I The Village Church
Five Characteristic Impressions, Op. 103: II The Fiddler
Five Characteristic Impressions, Op. 103: III The Oarsman
Five Characteristic Impressions, Op. 103: IV The Storm
Five Characteristic Impressions, Op. 103: V In Mournful Mood

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Sibelius: Works for Violin & Piano

Manufacturer: Bis
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B0000016JZ
Release Date: 1994-10-12

Tracks:

Mazurka. Commodo E Con Gracia
Rondino. Allegretto Grazioso
Valse. Poco Con Moto
Aubade. Andantino Con Moto
Menuetto. Moderato Assai
Allegro
Largamente Assai - Vivace
Alla Polacca
Tempo Moderato
Tempo Di Menuetto
Poco Moderato - Allegretto
On The Heath. Andantino
Ballade. Allegro Moderato
Humoresque. Tranquillo - Allegretto
The Bells (Capriccietto). Presto
Scene De Danse. Tempo Moderato
Danse Caracteristique. Tempo Moderato
Rondeau Romantique. Largamente - Tempo Commodo

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Pleasant Piano Miniatures from the End of Sibelius's Career

Sibelius: Piano Miniatures

Manufacturer: Naxos
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B0002BXO2I
Release Date: 2004-08-17

Tracks:

Humoreske I
Lied (Song)
Kliener Walzer (Little Waltz)
Humoristischer Marsch (Humorous March)
Impromptu
Humoreske II
Piece Humoristique
Esquisse
Souvenir
Impromptu
Couplet
Animoso
Moment De Valse
Petite Marche
Romance
Chant Du Soir (Evening Song)
Scene Lyrique
Humoresque
Scene Romantique
The Village Church
The Fiddler
The Oarsman
The Storm
In Mournful Mood
Maisema (Landscape)
Talvikuva (Winter Scene)
Metsalampi (Forest Lake)
Metsalaulu (Song In The Forest)
Revatnaky (Spring Vision)

Customer Reviews:

Pleasant Piano Miniatures from the End of Sibelius's Career.......2004-09-07

No one would ever call Sibelius one of the great composers for the piano. He was trained as a violinist and his piano pieces are awkwardly written for the keyboard player. Further, he never wrote 'big' pieces for the instrument. One wishes he had, for instance, written a piano concerto. What Sibelius did, though, was write miniatures for use in domestic music-making. Consequently, none of his pieces is particularly difficult per se, however unidiomatic the writing may be. Further, he wrote these pieces primarily as a way to make money; there was still, in this era, a huge market for these sorts of pieces. Indeed, these and earlier piano miniatures really helped him out financially during the period of the First World War and the years following when his German earnings were cut off.

The music here is not typical Sibelius. Indeed, I would defy anyone to identify the composer in a blind test (and assuming no prior familiarity with them). Still, they are pleasant enough, unfailingly tuneful, occasionally creatively descriptive as such characteristic pieces often are (as, for instance, in 'The Fiddler' and 'The Storm' from 'Five Characteristic Impressions'). The style is somewhat akin to similar kinds of pieces by Grieg or the young Busoni. For what they are, Havard Gimse does a fine job of playing them, hence the four-star rating.

This is pleasant music, possibly useful for gentle background music but not much else. They don't hold interest after a time or two.

TT=59:11

Scott Morrison

Music Track:

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