Credits:

Moog, Joseph

Description:

The unique pianist Paul Waugh, a practicing lawyer, has recorded Alkan's superb works on SACD hybrid disc. Born in Australia to Singaporean and Malaysian parents, Paul Wei is a London-based pianist who is also a lawyer at a major London law firm. He is ranked as one of the top lawyers in The Legal 500. He began playing the piano at the age of 4, and at the age of 12, he performed his debut concert at the Royal Albert Hall in London, attracting attention as a child prodigy. He later studied at the Manhattan School of Music in New York under Nina Svetlanova, and later became not only a pianist but also a lawyer, studying law at the prestigious Oxford Law School in London. Arkan, a composer, was a musician known for his technique as good as Liszt's. He was also a pianist. However, his shyness turned into misanthropy, and at the age of 20 he retired from major concert activities.Almost all of Alkan's works during his lifetime are piano pieces, and his style is original and unorthodox. His style is original and unorthodox, and his works are dominated by works of extreme virtuosity. The Twelve Exercises in Minor, Op. 39, is one of Alkan's large-scale masterpieces, consisting of 12 pieces. The fourth through seventh "Symphonies" and eighth through tenth "Concertos" included here are each for solo piano, reminiscent of a large orchestra, and are also known as his most difficult works. Wei's outstanding technique and storytelling make this difficult piece a piece to be reckoned with! King International

Tracklisting:

1.Symphony for Solo Piano, Op. 39 Nos. 4-7~I. Allegro
2.Symphony for Solo Piano, Op. 39 Nos. 4-7~II. Marche funebre. Andantino
3.Symphony for Solo Piano, Op. 39 Nos. 4-7~III. Menuet
4.Symphony for Solo Piano, Op. 39 Nos. 4-7~IV. Finale. Presto
5.Concerto for Solo Piano, Op. 39, Nos. 8-10~I. Allegro assai
6.Concerto for Solo Piano, Op. 39, Nos. 8-10~II. Adagio
7.Concerto for Solo Piano, Op. 39, Nos. 8-10~III. Allegretto alla barbaresca