Fanny Azzuro, the pianist on this album, had an inspirational encounter with Vladimir Viardo at a masterclass on Rachmaninov's Corelli Variations, which led her to study with Boris Petrushansky.
Composer's Artistic Vision
Rachmaninov believed that beyond the notes, the 'soul' is the vital spark and source of higher expression in music, dictating elements like crescendos and the duration of pauses.
Performer Biography
Pianist Fanny Azzuro's previous two albums, Russian Impulse and 1905 Impressions, also focused on early 20th-century post-Romantic repertoire.
Compositional Technique
Rachmaninov's music draws on popular melodies, features grand bell effects, and includes oriental colors, such as the B flat major harmonies in Op. 23, No. 5.
Interpretation
Pianist Fanny Azzuro uses the sostenuto pedal liberally in Rachmaninov's Préludes, sometimes 'juggling' all three pedals simultaneously, a technique she learned from Vladimir Viardo.
Compositional Technique
Rachmaninov's Préludes incorporate a wide range of influences, from the bel canto style of Chopin to the technical complexity of Liszt and the impulsive character of Schumann.
Recording & Production
This album was recorded in February 2021 at the Auditorium Jean-Pierre Miquel de Vincennes, France, using a Yamaha CFX piano.
