Piano Sonatas Nos.1, 2 : Lugansky (2012)

Rachmaninov:
Piano Sonata No. 1 in D minor, Op. 28
Piano Sonata No. 2 in B flat minor, Op. 36

Nikolai Lugansky, piano

Recorded: 05/2012

Following his much-praised Liszt recital, released in 2011, this new recording is the second project on Naive-Ambroisie from renowed Russian pianist Nikolai Lugansky. Considered as one of the best performers of Rachmaninov in the world, Nikolai Lugansky is offering his very personal and accurate vision of the two piano sonatas of the composer.

Both piano sonatas are monuments of the repertoire, with technical challenges and intense colours. Yet, composed 5 years apart, presenting a multitude of emotions and contrasts, they are significantly different works. Very few recordings already exist of the first sonata, that Rachmaninov intended to be a programme sonata based on the main characters of Goethe's Faust.