Arnaldo Cohen - LISZT: Sonata in B minor / Rhapsodie espagnole (2004)

Arnaldo Cohen’s previous album on BIS, Brasiliana (BIS 1121), was called ’a box of treats’ in BBC Music Magazine and ’splendide’ in Répertoire. On Brasiliana, Cohen performed an extremely varied programme of Brazilian keyboard music from three centuries. Now this gifted pianist - the International Record Review wrote: ’Cohen conjures up a truly wonderful range of colours and a sound that many of his peers would die for, in playing of great style, and innate taste’ - returns with a disc dedicated exclusively to Liszt.

For this recital, Arnaldo Cohen has chosen to record Funérailles (dedicated to the victims of the revolutions and uprisings in Europe 1848-49), Rhapsodie espagnole (in which Liszt uses the Renaissance dance La Folia as well as folk music to conjure up the image of Spain) and Vallée d’Obermann (of which the title refers to an influential novel from 1804 depicting a truly Romantic hero.) The programme closes with the Sonata in B minor, perhaps the most ambitious, even revolutionary piano work in Liszt’s entire output. In all, a most exciting programme, performed by a most exciting musician!