All this week on Classic Drive, Lorcan will feature music from 'Khachaturian' by Jean-Yves Thibaudet.
Centered on Aram Khachaturian's Piano Concerto, recorded live with Gustavo Dudamel and the Los Angeles Philharmonic, Jean-Yves Thibaudet's latest release 'Khachaturian' further demonstrates the composer's wide range with a selection of solo piano pieces, including two never-before-heard arrangements by Thibaudet himself. This release coincides with Thibaudet's upcoming live performances of the piece at renowned venues such as the Kennedy Center and the Concertgebouw.
Through distinct musical touches inspired by Khachaturian's multicultural youth—an Armenian composer, born and raised in Tbilisi, Georgia amidst the backdrop of late-imperial Russia—the composer's only Piano Concerto became an unlikely hit in Cold War America thanks to virtuosi such as William Kapell and Oscar Levant. A flurry of recordings followed, including Decca recordings by Moura Lumpany, Lorin Hollander, and Alicia de Larrocha, before the piece gradually faded from the repertoire. Since first encountering the concerto, Thibaudet has remained a stalwart proponent of the work. His interpretation, honed over nearly thirty years of concert performances and hailed by the Los Angeles Times as "a passion-powered reading" marked by a blend of "flashy dynamism and feathery ruminations," has inspired a modern reappraisal.
Tracklist
- Adagio of Spartacus and Phrygia
- Gayaneh, Op. 50 Sabre Dance
- Piano Concerto in D-Flat Major, Op. 38 I. Allegro ma non troppo e maestoso.
- II. Andante con anima
- III. Allegro brillante
- Gayaneh, Op. 50 Lullaby
- Pictures of Childhood (Ed. Rowley) No. 1, A Little Song
- No. 4, Birthday Party
- No. 5, Study
- 0No. 6, Legend
- No. 7, The Little Horse
- No. 9, A Glimpse of the Ballet
- Masquerade Suite, Op. 48a I. Waltz
- II. Nocturne
- III. Mazurka
- IV. Romance
- V. Galop