Schubert: Works for Solo Piano, Vol. 3 Barry Douglas

• Franz Schubert (1797 - 1828): Piano Sonata No. 19 in C Minor, D. 958:
• 1Piano Sonata No. 19 in C Minor, D. 958: I. Allegro11:12
• 2Piano Sonata No. 19 in C Minor, D. 958: II. Adagio08:31
• 3Piano Sonata No. 19 in C Minor, D. 958: III. Menuetto. Allegro02:57
• 4Piano Sonata No. 19 in C Minor, D. 958: IV. Allegro09:19
• 6 Moments musicaux, Op. 94, D. 780:
• 56 Moments musicaux, Op. 94, D. 780: No. 1 in C Major. Moderato06:30
• 66 Moments musicaux, Op. 94, D. 780: No. 2 in A-Flat Major. Andantino06:26
• 76 Moments musicaux, Op. 94, D. 780: No. 3 in F Minor. Allegro moderato01:43
• 86 Moments musicaux, Op. 94, D. 780: No. 4 in C-Sharp Minor. Moderato05:54
• 96 Moments musicaux, Op. 94, D. 780: No. 5 in F Minor. Allegro vivace02:13
• 106 Moments musicaux, Op. 94, D. 780: No. 6 in A-Flat Major. Allegretto09:09
• 12 Lieder von Franz Schubert, S. 558:
• 1112 Lieder von Franz Schubert, S. 558: No. 1, Sei mir gegrüßt05:19
• 1212 Lieder von Franz Schubert, S. 558: No. 2, Auf dem Wasser zu singen04:11
• Total Runtime01:13:24

Info for Schubert: Works for Solo Piano, Vol. 3

Barry Douglas’s Schubert series has reached Volume 3 with this unique programme, featuring two of the composer’s masterpieces as well as two ingenious transcriptions of his Lieder by his friend and admirer Liszt.

Occasionally echoing Beethoven’s Variations in the same key (WoO 80), the Sonata in C minor melts into one of Schubert’s most daring, lyrical, and unpredictable developments, alternating unexpected harmonic variations, pulsating rhythms, and purely dramatic passages.

With no sort of organic unity or cyclic intent across the set, the late Six Moments musicaux display many of Schubert’s compositional elements: from the elegant and the folkloristic to the pathetic and the anxious.

The album ends in homage, with two arrangements by Liszt, paying tribute to the melodic and harmonic detail of Schubert’s music, and creating new, busy, and varied textures from Schubert’s ingredients, finally unleashing the resources of the virtuoso to convey the poet’s (and composer’s) metaphysical exaltation.

“...Barry Douglas is one of history's grand Schubertians, his artistry and sensitivity yielding fabled glories at every turn. His C-minor Sonata is a gripping symphonic canvas, its roads, valleys and peaks wandered and dreamt to perfection, every lyrical contrast gloriously poeticised, every tempo tensionally scaled, each movement gap judged to a nicety... Regally magnificent...” (Ates Orga, ClassicalSource.com)

“… Douglas is essentially a pianist of big gestures, making him well suited to the drama of the fifth of the Moments musicaux, which he imbues with an exhilarating energy…” (Harriet Smith, Gramophone magazine)

Barry Douglas, piano

Barry Douglas
has established a major international career since winning the Gold Medal at the 1986 Tchaikovsky International Piano Competition, Moscow. As Artistic Director of Camerata Ireland and the Clandeboye Festival, he continues to celebrate his Irish heritage whilst also maintaining a busy international touring schedule.

Barry Douglas Picture 2015Barry opened the 17/18 season performing Tchaikovsky with the Halle Orchestra, after which he began new collaborations with both the Endellion String Quartet and the Borodin Quartet. He toured in recital in the UK and USA and performed with orchestras across the globe from Canada to Europe to China to Russia. During the 16/17 season Barry performed two full Tchaikovsky Piano Concerto cycles in Ireland with the RTE Orchestra in Dublin and the Ulster Orchestra in Belfast. He also gave performances of Tchaikovsky’s first Piano Concerto with the London Symphony Orchestra, and opened the St. Petersburg Philharmonic’s concert season, all marking the 30th anniversary of his Tchaikovsky International Competition win.

Other recent and future highlights include performances at BBC Proms in the Park with the Ulster Orchestra, a UK tour with the Russian State Symphony Orchestra, and appearances with Orchestre de Auvergne, Barcelona Symphony, Bogota Philharmonic and Vancouver Symphony orchestras. He also recently gave the premiere of Kevin Volans’ fourth piano concerto with the Birmingham Contemporary Music Group, and performed in recital at the Verbier Festival.

He has previously given concerts with the BBC Scottish Symphony, London Symphony, Russian National, Cincinnati Symphony, Singapore Symphony, Berlin Radio Symphony, Staatskapelle, Halle, Orchestre National de France, Seattle Symphony, Melbourne Symphony, the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic and Hong Kong Philharmonic orchestras, among others. Barry regularly plays in recitals throughout the world, with recent performances in the UK, the Netherlands, Armenia, Mexico, China and the US.

Barry is an exclusive Chandos recording artist. He recently completed recording the full works for solo piano of Brahms, the six albums of which have received much critical praise. International Record Review wrote that “this is indeed Brahms playing of the utmost integrity and authority… this cycle looks set to become a benchmark version.” The interesting programming of each disc presents each album as a stand-alone recital, providing a varied and engaging listening experience. His current recording project focusses on the solo piano works of Schubert; the fourth and final disc will be released next season. Last season he also began a new series, recording Tchaikovsky solo piano music. Also with Chandos Barry is exploring Irish folk music through his own arrangements, working with ancient melodies through to pieces by contemporary song writers. The first in this series, Celtic Reflections, was released in September 2014 and was followed in 2016 by a second disc: Celtic Airs.

In 1999 Barry Douglas founded the chamber orchestra Camerata Ireland to celebrate and nurture the very best of young musicians from both Northern and the Republic of Ireland. In addition to striving for musical excellence, one of the orchestra’s aims is to further the peace process in Ireland by promoting dialogue and collaboration through its musical education programmes. Barry regularly tours with Camerata Ireland throughout the world and visited the US in the spring of 2018. Highlights of past seasons were Camerata Ireland’s debut at the BBC Proms in London and a world premiere of a new cantata commissioned by The Honourable The Irish Society, “At Sixes and Sevens”, alongside the London Symphony Orchestra to celebrate Derry-Londonderry becoming City of Culture 2013. Barry Douglas received the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 2002 New Year’s Honours List for services to music.

Booklet for Schubert: Works for Solo Piano, Vol. 3