Howard Shelley - Mendelssohn: The Complete Solo Piano Music, Vol. 3 (2015)
FLAC (tracks) 24-bit/96 kHz | Time - 64:28 minutes | 1,07 GB
Studio Master, Official Digital Download | Artwork: Digital booklet
Under-valued for a century and a half, the perfected joys of Mendelssohn’s music for solo piano are further unearthed in this third volume of our complete series from Howard Shelley where fascinating early works sit happily alongside Book 4 of the ‘Songs without words’ and the wonderful Caprices of opus 33.
Mendelssohn's piano music remains underrated and underperformed in today's recital programmes—with the exception of a handful of pieces that are probably played too much. That is a shame; it is so full of charm, character and opportunities for sophisticated pianistic virtuosity that it deserves a lot more attention. Howard Shelley is now halfway through his recording of the complete solo piano music—there are to be six volumes. First of all, it is a fantastic resource for exploring this repertoire; and besides, he gets under the music's skin with flying colours.
This programme matches very early works with later ones, spanning the 20 years from 1821 to 1841. The young Mendelssohn's piano pieces already bear the unmistakable stamp of his personal voice; the earliest piece on the disc is the most substantial, the Piano Sonata in G minor, a student work that the composer decided not to publish—he was only 12 when he wrote it. But very lovely it is, buzzing with warmth and Haydnish sparkle, plus a haunting slow movement. The most famous items are the Op 53 Songs without Words; and however well-known they are, it is rewarding to hear them in context.
Shelley has the ideal touch and tone for Mendelssohn: fleet-fingered, light and clear, with a fine balance between the energy and élan of this often very busy music and the clarity of its elegant melodic lines and supremely civilised phrasing. This match of performer and composer slides smoothly and smilingly into place from the start.
Tracklist:
01 - Étude in F minor, WoO1
02 - Scherzo in B minor, WoO2
03 - Scherzo a capriccio in F sharp minor, WoO3
04 - Three Caprices, Op 33 - No 1: Adagio quasi Fantasia – Presto agitato
05 - Three Caprices, Op 33 - No 2: Allegro grazioso
06 - Three Caprices, Op 33 - No 3: Adagio – Presto con fuoco
07 - Piano Sonata in G minor, Op 105 - Movement 1: Allegro
08 - Piano Sonata in G minor, Op 105 - Movement 2: Adagio
09 - Piano Sonata in G minor, Op 105 - Movement 3: Presto
10 - Lieder ohne Worte IV, Op 53 - No 1 in A flat major: Andante con moto
11 - Lieder ohne Worte IV, Op 53 - No 2 in E flat major: Allegro non troppo
12 - Lieder ohne Worte IV, Op 53 - No 3 in G minor: Presto agitato
13 - Lieder ohne Worte IV, Op 53 - No 4 in F major: Adagio
14 - Lieder ohne Worte IV, Op 53 - No 5 in A minor 'Volkslied': Allegro con fuoco
15 - Lieder ohne Worte IV, Op 53 - No 6 in A major: Molto allegro vivace
16 - Lied in F sharp minor
Produced by Annabel Connellan. Engineered by Ben Connellan.
Recorded at St. Silas the Martyr, Kentish Town, London, U.K. on April 2014.
Analyzed: Howard Shelley / The Complete Solo Piano Music, Vol. 3
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DR Peak RMS Duration Track
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DR12 -3.69 dB -20.68 dB 1:55 01-Étude in F minor, WoO1
DR12 -3.52 dB -21.75 dB 1:06 02-Scherzo in B minor, WoO2
DR14 -0.03 dB -21.18 dB 6:25 03-Scherzo a capriccio in F sharp minor, WoO3
DR15 -2.91 dB -21.69 dB 7:27 04-Three Caprices, Op 33 - No 1: Adagio quasi Fantasia – Presto agitato
DR13 -5.39 dB -23.25 dB 7:50 05-Three Caprices, Op 33 - No 2: Allegro grazioso
DR15 -1.84 dB -22.42 dB 6:18 06-Three Caprices, Op 33 - No 3: Adagio – Presto con fuoco
DR14 -2.42 dB -23.06 dB 6:03 07-Piano Sonata in G minor, Op 105 - Movement 1: Allegro
DR13 -9.78 dB -28.57 dB 4:49 08-Piano Sonata in G minor, Op 105 - Movement 2: Adagio
DR13 -6.27 dB -23.34 dB 4:30 09-Piano Sonata in G minor, Op 105 - Movement 3: Presto
DR12 -6.64 dB -24.43 dB 3:28 10-Lieder ohne Worte IV, Op 53 - No 1 in A flat major: Andante con moto
DR12 -6.84 dB -22.91 dB 2:35 11-Lieder ohne Worte IV, Op 53 - No 2 in E flat major: Allegro non troppo
DR11 -4.13 dB -20.90 dB 2:20 12-Lieder ohne Worte IV, Op 53 - No 3 in G minor: Presto agitato
DR14 -5.53 dB -26.15 dB 2:01 13-Lieder ohne Worte IV, Op 53 - No 4 in F major: Adagio
DR11 -4.13 dB -19.44 dB 2:33 14-Lieder ohne Worte IV, Op 53 - No 5 in A minor 'Volkslied': Allegro con fuoco
DR13 -4.64 dB -23.05 dB 2:50 15-Lieder ohne Worte IV, Op 53 - No 6 in A major: Molto allegro vivace
DR12 -4.37 dB -20.40 dB 2:18 16-Lied in F sharp minor
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
Number of tracks: 16
Official DR value: DR13
Samplerate: 96000 Hz
Channels: 2
Bits per sample: 24
Bitrate: 2325 kbps
Codec: FLAC
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––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
DR Peak RMS Duration Track
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
DR12 -3.69 dB -20.68 dB 1:55 01-Étude in F minor, WoO1
DR12 -3.52 dB -21.75 dB 1:06 02-Scherzo in B minor, WoO2
DR14 -0.03 dB -21.18 dB 6:25 03-Scherzo a capriccio in F sharp minor, WoO3
DR15 -2.91 dB -21.69 dB 7:27 04-Three Caprices, Op 33 - No 1: Adagio quasi Fantasia – Presto agitato
DR13 -5.39 dB -23.25 dB 7:50 05-Three Caprices, Op 33 - No 2: Allegro grazioso
DR15 -1.84 dB -22.42 dB 6:18 06-Three Caprices, Op 33 - No 3: Adagio – Presto con fuoco
DR14 -2.42 dB -23.06 dB 6:03 07-Piano Sonata in G minor, Op 105 - Movement 1: Allegro
DR13 -9.78 dB -28.57 dB 4:49 08-Piano Sonata in G minor, Op 105 - Movement 2: Adagio
DR13 -6.27 dB -23.34 dB 4:30 09-Piano Sonata in G minor, Op 105 - Movement 3: Presto
DR12 -6.64 dB -24.43 dB 3:28 10-Lieder ohne Worte IV, Op 53 - No 1 in A flat major: Andante con moto
DR12 -6.84 dB -22.91 dB 2:35 11-Lieder ohne Worte IV, Op 53 - No 2 in E flat major: Allegro non troppo
DR11 -4.13 dB -20.90 dB 2:20 12-Lieder ohne Worte IV, Op 53 - No 3 in G minor: Presto agitato
DR14 -5.53 dB -26.15 dB 2:01 13-Lieder ohne Worte IV, Op 53 - No 4 in F major: Adagio
DR11 -4.13 dB -19.44 dB 2:33 14-Lieder ohne Worte IV, Op 53 - No 5 in A minor 'Volkslied': Allegro con fuoco
DR13 -4.64 dB -23.05 dB 2:50 15-Lieder ohne Worte IV, Op 53 - No 6 in A major: Molto allegro vivace
DR12 -4.37 dB -20.40 dB 2:18 16-Lied in F sharp minor
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
Number of tracks: 16
Official DR value: DR13
Samplerate: 96000 Hz
Channels: 2
Bits per sample: 24
Bitrate: 2325 kbps
Codec: FLAC
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