Vladigerov's music skillfully blended Western music, jazz, Hollywood-style themes, and Bulgarian popular music, earning praise from composers like Richard Strauss and Dmitri Shostakovich.
Composer Biography
Vladigerov was considered one of the greatest teachers in Bulgaria in the 20th century, with his pupil Alexis Weissenberg stating, "The basis of my piano playing is what you might call Vladigerov-style."
Composer Biography
Pancho Vladigerov, the composer, was born in Zurich to a Bulgarian lawyer father and a Russian Jewish physician mother, and spent his childhood in Shumen, Bulgaria.
Performer Biography
Etsuko Hirose won First Prize at the Martha Argerich Competition in 1999, which launched her solo career.
Composer Biography
Vladigerov was twice awarded the prestigious Mendelssohn Prize: in 1918 for his first Piano Concerto and in 1920 for his Impressions opus 9.
Historical Context
In 1932, Vladigerov declined an offer to continue his collaboration with director Max Reinhardt in the United States due to the rise of Nazism, choosing instead to return to Bulgaria.
Performer Biography
Etsuko Hirose, the pianist on this album, began studying piano at age three and performed Mozart's Piano Concerto No. 26 with an orchestra at age six.
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