Busoni's monumental Fantasia contrappuntistica originated from his project to complete the final, unfinished fugue of Bach's The Art of Fugue.
Compositional Technique
The Fantasia contrappuntistica is a complex work that expands on Bach's unfinished triple fugue by adding a fourth and fifth theme, and further movements to achieve a grand 'fantasia' form.
Recording & Production
Several pieces on this album, including Busoni's Preludio e Fuga in C minor, Op. 32, Capriccio in G minor, Op. 36, and his transcriptions of Mozart and Schumann, are world premiere recordings.
Performer Biography
Aldo Ciccolini, one of the pianists on this album, is considered one of the greatest pianists of his time, with an extraordinary career that began in 1949 after winning the Long-Thibaud Competition in Paris.
Composer Biography
Ferruccio Busoni, the composer, began assigning opus numbers to his early piano compositions in 1873, but later tended to reject his previously written works.
Performer Biography
Aldo Orvieto, another pianist on this album, has recorded over 70 albums and performed for major European radio broadcasters, including the BBC and Rai.
Composer's Artistic Vision
Busoni was a strong proponent of piano transcription, following Liszt's example, and believed in the universal and timeless nature of Bach's music.
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Transcriptions
Liszt: Concerto Pathétique; Schumann: Andante and Variations; Six studies for pedal piano
