Est 1923

(La) Campanella - Favourite Piano Encores

An impressive technique, but little musical insight from a pianist/actor

Record and Artist Details

Composer or Director: Fryderyk Chopin, Franz Liszt, Moritz Moszkowski, Johann Sebastian Bach, Christoph Gluck, Alexander Scriabin, Vladimir Horowitz, Maurice Ravel, Sergey Rachmaninov

Genre:

Instrumental

Label: Sony Classical

Media Format: CD or Download

Media Runtime: 0

Mastering:

Stereo

Catalogue Number: 88697157942

Tracks:

Composition Artist Credit
(6) Etudes d'exécution transcendante d'après Paganini, Movement: A flat minor (La campanella) Franz Liszt, Composer
Franz Liszt, Composer
Patrick Rapold, Piano
Morceau de fantaisie Sergey Rachmaninov, Composer
Patrick Rapold, Piano
Sergey Rachmaninov, Composer
(8) Characteristic Pieces, Movement: No. 6, Etincelles Moritz Moszkowski, Composer
Moritz Moszkowski, Composer
Patrick Rapold, Piano
Orfeo ed Euridice, Movement: Ballet in D minor (Dance of the Blessed Spirits): (flute solo) Christoph Gluck, Composer
Christoph Gluck, Composer
Patrick Rapold, Piano
Soirées de Vienne: 9 Valses caprices d'après Schubert, Movement: No. 6 in A minor (first edition) Franz Liszt, Composer
Franz Liszt, Composer
Patrick Rapold, Piano
(26) Preludes, Movement: No. 20 in C minor Fryderyk Chopin, Composer
Fryderyk Chopin, Composer
Patrick Rapold, Piano
(Das) Wohltemperierte Klavier, '(The) Well-Tempered Clavier, Movement: C, BWV846 Johann Sebastian Bach, Composer
Johann Sebastian Bach, Composer
Patrick Rapold, Piano
Jeux d'eau Maurice Ravel, Composer
Maurice Ravel, Composer
Patrick Rapold, Piano
(12) Songs, Movement: No. 9, Melody (wds. Nadson) Sergey Rachmaninov, Composer
Patrick Rapold, Piano
Sergey Rachmaninov, Composer
(6) Consolations, Movement: Lento placido Franz Liszt, Composer
Franz Liszt, Composer
Patrick Rapold, Piano
(3) Pieces, Movement: No. 1, Etude in C sharp minor Alexander Scriabin, Composer
Alexander Scriabin, Composer
Patrick Rapold, Piano
Waltzes, Movement: No. 14 in E minor, Op. posth. Fryderyk Chopin, Composer
Fryderyk Chopin, Composer
Patrick Rapold, Piano
Variations on a theme from Bizet's "Carmen" Vladimir Horowitz, Composer
Patrick Rapold, Piano
Vladimir Horowitz, Composer
(4) Orchestral Suites, Movement: No. 3 in D, BWV1068 (2 oboes, 3 trumpets, strings Johann Sebastian Bach, Composer
Johann Sebastian Bach, Composer
Patrick Rapold, Piano
I’d never come across the name of Patrick Rapold before and this disc produced two conflicting reactions. The programme is an eclectic collection of 14 more-or-less favourite encores ranging from the C major Prelude of The Well-Tempered Clavier to Horowitz territory. My initial impression was of a young pianist with an impressive technique who has little of interest to say about the music. The clinical recorded sound has all the allure of a pharmacy. Compared with Sony’s star pianist, Arcadi Volodos, one yearns for the same burnished, velvet-pawed tone that caresses the ear, the same musical insight, imagination and power in reserve, let alone the warm acoustic that Sony accords him.

Perhaps that’s unfair, for Volodos is in a class of his own, and Rapold, though a gifted player whose fingers would be the envy of many a pianist, is not in it. I then looked up Rapold on the internet and discovered that the piano is only half of his career. Swiss-born (1975), he seems to spend most of his time as a successful film and TV actor. While this does not change my view of his playing, ipso facto the recital acquires an extra fascination and certainly increases my admiration for Rapold as an artist, for to run two careers in parallel at this level is quite astonishing. I wonder which way he will go – Hollywood or Carnegie Hall? It will be a difficult, indeed unique, achievement to have an important career in both. I for one wish him well, and if anyone is planning a remake of Song Without End then look no further.

(La) Campanella - Favourite Piano Encores

(6) Etudes d'exécution transcendante d'après Paganini, Movement: A flat minor (La campanella)

Morceau de fantaisie

(8) Characteristic Pieces, Movement: No. 6, Etincelles

Orfeo ed Euridice, Movement: Ballet in D minor (Dance of the Blessed Spirits): (flute solo)

Soirées de Vienne: 9 Valses caprices d'après Schubert, Movement: No. 6 in A minor (first edition)

(26) Preludes, Movement: No. 20 in C minor

(Das) Wohltemperierte Klavier, '(The) Well-Tempered Clavier, Movement: C, BWV846

Jeux d'eau

(12) Songs, Movement: No. 9, Melody (wds. Nadson)

(6) Consolations, Movement: Lento placido

(3) Pieces, Movement: No. 1, Etude in C sharp minor

Waltzes, Movement: No. 14 in E minor, Op. posth.

Variations on a theme from Bizet's "Carmen"

(4) Orchestral Suites, Movement: No. 3 in D, BWV1068 (2 oboes, 3 trumpets, strings

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