The expressive immediacy of Aram Khachaturian's music, with it's sensuous melodic writing, vibrant orchestration and rhythmic drive, resulted in a popularity equaled by few composers of his generation. Composed in 1936, the Piano Concerto was the work that established Khachaturian's name. Cast in the customary three movements, it is scored for a sizable orchestra, with notable contributions from both side-drum and military drum in the percussion section. In the second movement there is also an extensive solo for a so-called 'flexatone'; it is often put forward that Khachaturian in fact intended the part to be played on the musical saw, as it is on the present recording. Thirty years after the Concerto, the composer returned to the genre with his Concerto-Rhapsody for piano and orchestra. This time the score offers prominent roles for the xylophone, marimba and vibraphone, which contribute towards making this one of the composer's most colorful works. The demanding solo parts are here performed by the young Jordanian-Palestinian pianist Iyad Sughayer, with spirited support from the BBC National Orchestra of Wales under Andrew Litton. Sughayer made his acclaimed dÃ©but as a recording artist with an album of Khachaturian's piano works and sandwiched between the two works with orchestra he here presents the piano version of one of the composer's best loved pieces, the Masquerade Suite with it's yearning opening Waltz and closing Galop.

Tracklist:

Piano Concerto in D flat major~Allegro ma non troppo e maestoso
Piano Concerto in D flat major~Andante con anima
Piano Concerto in D flat major~Allegro brillante
Masquerade Suite~Waltz
Masquerade Suite~Nocturne
Masquerade Suite~Mazurka
Masquerade Suite~Romance
Masquerade Suite~Galop
Concerto-Rhapsody for Piano and Orchestra in D flat major~Beginning
Concerto-Rhapsody for Piano and Orchestra in D flat major~1 bar after Fig. 17
Concerto-Rhapsody for Piano and Orchestra in D flat major~Fig. 3
Allegro vivace
Concerto-Rhapsody for Piano and Orchestra in D flat major~Fig. 6
Tempo I. Feroce

UPC: 7318599925868
Label: Bis
Release Date: 9.2.22
Format: CD

Khachaturian / Sughayer - Concertante Works For Pian (Hybr) (CD)