Rubinstein: Le Bal by Warren Lee (CD)

Composer: Anton Rubinstein

Piano: Warren Lee

During his lifetime Anton Rubinstein gained a considerable reputation as a piano virtuoso the equal of Liszt, and for a stream of distinctive compositions, among them symphonies and operas. He was also responsible for revolutionising standards in Russian teaching and performance—yet despite his eminence many of his works have been overlooked. Le Bal, Op. 14 presents a characteristic ballroom scene in ten sections full of energy and rich sentiment. This miniature drama charts the anticipation of the dancer, a series of eventful dances and a final reflection on what has been.

Charles-Marie Widor's ten organ symphonies sit at the heart of his extensive oeuvre. They reveal Widor's mastery of the form with their profundity, technical difficulty and sonorous color. Symphony No. 7, Op. 42, No. 3 inaugurated a new, orchestral approach to the genre and encompasses dreamlike sonorities, Chopinesque melancholy and majestic bravura. The Symphonie gothique, Op. 70 makes explicit reference to Gregorian chant, developing a kind of theological 'programme music' that is both austere and consolatory. Christian von Blohn graduated from the Musikakademie Saarbrücken in1987 with a first-class degree in Church Music and also with a degree in Music Education, majoring in the organ. Since 1993, von Blohn has been deanery music director for the diocese of Speyer and currently provides musical supervision for the two St Ingbert parishes of St Hildegard and St Josef.

Track List:

Le Bal (The Ball), Op. 14
1. No. 1. Impatience: Allegro agitato 06:30
2. No. 2. Polonaise 08:16
3. No. 3. Contredanse: Introduction - Allegro - Moderato 01:33
4. No. 3. Contredanse: No. 1. Tempo I 01:49
5. No. 3. Contredanse: No. 2. Allegretto non troppo 02:37
6. No. 3. Contredanse: No. 3. Allegretto 02:36
7. No. 3. Contredanse: No. 4. Allegretto vivace 02:20
8. No. 3. Contredanse: No. 5. Allegro non troppo 02:07
9. No. 3. Contredanse: No. 6. Allegro molto 04:04
10. No. 4. Valse: Allegro 10:10
11. No. 5. Intermezzo: Andante - Presto - Allegro molto agitato 02:31
12. No. 6. Polka: Allegretto con moto 06:47
13. No. 7. Polka-Mazurka: Allegretto 05:35
14. No. 8. Mazurka 07:37
15. No. 9. Galop: Allegro molto 08:10
16. No. 10. Le rêve: Andante 09:01
2 Pieces, Op. 30: No. 2. Allegro appassionato
17. 2 Pieces, Op. 30: No. 2. Allegro appassionato 05:51

Total Playing Time: 01:27:34