Thalberg: L'Art du Chant Appliqué au Piano, Op.70, Vol. 1

Commellato, Alessandro

PCL 10242

A famous anecdote tells of an evening in Rossini's Parisian salon. Sigismond Thalberg had just finished performing at the piano when Rossini said: "Agree that Thalberg has just given you a singing lesson such as you have never had", referring to the cantabile, refinement and expressiveness of the pianist's touch.

Sigismond Thalberg (1812-1871) was one of the 19-th century greatest pianist-composers, a contemporary and serious rival of Franz Liszt. Only recently his works receive more attention and are played in public again. Thalberg's connection with the vocal art is as deep as ever. If, on the one hand, a large part of his production is made up of paraphrases, fantasies and variations on the main opera themes, works in which he showed off the so-called "sound illusions à la Thalberg", on the other hand, the public praised the pianist's ability to recreate a "vocal" sound on his instrument.

Thalberg delegated to L'Art du chant appliqué au piano op. 70 the task of representing the "theoretical" summary of his "vocal art" and the dynamic means to obtain it. The title clarifies its purpose: to teach how to reproduce the expression, breath and warmth of singing on the piano. Thalberg's collection consists of transcriptions of vocal works by Mozart, Beethoven, Schubert, Bellini, Meyerbeer, Rossini Weber and others.

Played on an Erard piano by Alessandro Commellato, one of Italy’s finest period keyboard players. He is a great virtuoso, a sensitive and stylish musician, who already to great critical acclaim recorded for Brilliant Classics piano concertos by Hummel, chamber music by Ries and Hummel and the complete early piano variations by Beethoven.

CD

3.12.2021

5029365102421