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SCHUBERT: Sonata in B-flat, Op. Posth. Ländler, Op. 171 MOZART: Sonata in C, K. 330. Sonata in E flat, K. 282. Rondo in D, K.
485. LISZT: Sonata in B minor. WEBER: Sonata No. 4 in E minor, Op. 70. Invitation
to the Dance, Op. 65. DEBUSSY: Suite Bergamasque. RAVEL: Sonatine. Valses nobles et sentimentales.
Alborada del gracioso. COPLAND: Piano Sonata. SESSIONS: From My Diary. KIRCHNER: Piano Sonata.
ROREM: Three Barcarolles. BRAHMS: Piano Quintet in F minor, Op. 34. These are major reissues for collectors, a collaboration between ArkivMusic and Sony/BMG. These six CDs represent Leon Fleisher's solo recordings originally issued on Epic LPs, each CD containing contents of one disk resulting in rather short playing time for a CD (the Mozart is less than 40 minutes), but this really doesn't matter, and the price is modest. Fleisher, who studied with Artur Schnabel, just celebrated his 80th birthday. He has been a major figure on the music scene ever since winning the Queen Elisabeth of Belgium competition in 1952, after which he made a number of recordings including those listed above. Fleisher's recordings of the period also included the Beethoven and Brahms concertos with George Szell and the Cleveland Orchestra, still considered to be among the finest ever made. He has indicated in interviews that in his earlier years he was quite a whirlwind, and would play much of this music differently after he was more settled in his career had not a neurological problem limited use of his right hand. Surely, Fleisher's recording of Alborada del gracioso, is a stunning virtuoso display. All of these recordings were praised when originally released, and have been in and out of the CD catalog. It's great to have these recordings available once again in these fine transfers. R.E.B (August 2008)
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