Pianoteoksia (SACD)

Arto Satukangas · Franz Liszt

2009 · ABCD 303

Credits

Performers: Arto Satukangas — Piano
Composers: Franz Liszt

About this release

Franz Liszt (1811-1886)
Piano works
Arto Satukangas piano
Romantic Franz Liszt
Steinway artist Arto Satukangka's new album contains selected works of Franz Liszt as brilliant interpretations for the piano. The disc includes Polonaise No. 2 in E major, Bénédiction de Dieu dans la Solitude from the collection Harmonies Poétiques et Religieuses, Rhapsodie Espagnole, Les jeux d'eaux à la villa d'Este from the collection Années de Pèlerinage, Troisième année, Réminiscences de Don Juan de Mozart and Liebestraum No. 3.
The Polonaise in E major is said to illustrate everything that made Liszt a world-renowned composer-pianist and crowd pleaser. Antti Häyrynen writes about the work: "The Polonaise in E major is a self-conscious performance piece, whose skilful rhetoric (Allegro pomposo con brio) piles up into a glittering icing over warlike rhythms and poetic deviations. The interlude in A minor with its lonely cadenzas brings fatal tones to the music, which the triumphant repetition drowns out with even more brilliant bravura. The only thing Liszt left behind uncomposed, was the thunderous applause."*)
Liebestraum No. 3 has become Liszt's signature tune or downright loving war cry: O lieb', so lang du lieben kannst! (Oh love, as long as you love!)
Arto Satukangas attracted extraordinary attention after winning 1st prize at the age of 17 at the Maj Lind piano competition in Helsinki in 1979. The competition win launched Satukanga's career, which has brought him to the international forefront of Finnish pianists. His US debut was at Carnegie Hall's Weill Recital Hall in 1994, where he returned with success in 2008. On this visit to New York, he was selected as a Steinway Artist.

Tracks

1.Polonaise No. 2 E Major S 223/2comp. Franz Liszt (1811-1886)ISRC FIABA10000478:29
Bénédiction de Dieu dans la Solitude from Harmonies Poétiques et Religieuses S 173
2.Bénédiction de Dieu dans la Solitude kokoelmasta Harmonies Poétiques et Religieuses S 173comp. Franz LisztISRC FIABA100004814:42
3.Rhapsodie Espagnole (Folies d’Espagne et Jota aragonesa) S 254comp. Franz LisztISRC FIABA100004912:33
Les jeux d’eaux à la villa d’Este from Années de Pèlerinage, Troisième année S 163
4.Les jeux d’eaux à la villa d’Este kokoelmasta Années de Pèlerinage, Troisième année S 163comp. Franz LisztISRC FIABA10000506:54
5.Réminiscences de Don Juan de Mozart S 418comp. Franz LisztISRC FIABA100005116:56
6.Liebestraum No. 3 O lieb’, so lang du lieben kannst! S 541/3comp. Franz LisztISRC FIABA10000524:29

Reviews

Säihkyvää pianismia
”Arto Satukangas soittaa Franz Lisztin pianosävellyksiä mestarillisesti. Juoksutukset kulkevat kevyesti säihkyen. Ajankäsittely on syvällistä ja sisäistettyä, musiikki hengittää ja vaeltaa levottomasti … Levytyksen kappalejärjestys on hyvin valikoitu.
Arto Satunkakaan levytys on hieno sukellus 1800-luvulle, sellaiseen hengen ja taiturillisen pianonsoiton yhdistäneeseen aikakauteen, joka ei tule toistumaan.”
Miika
YLE Uudet levyt · Miika Lauriala
Satukangas is a Finnish pianist who, though having played on several continents, has remained most active and famous near home. His only noted win at a significant competition, for example, was in 1979 at the Maj Lind Competition in Helsinki. This present offering will not likely garner him appreciably more attention from the international community. It is not that it isn’t done well. He has a polished and pleasant sound that is put to good use primarily in the opening polonaise. While the…
American Record Guide · Brent Auerbach · December 1, 2015
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