Frédéric Chopin: Nocturne in C minor, Op. 48 no. 1
Polonaise-Fantaisie in A flat Major, Op. 61
Franz Liszt: Sonetti del Petrarca 47, 123, 104 (complete)
Après une Lecture du Dante: Fantasia quasi Sonata
Hungarian Rhapsody #14 in F Minor
Two Outstanding Achievement Awards from Global Music Awards
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Listen to Live Performances:
‘Dante’ Sonata at the Pennautier Festival (France)
Hungarian Rhapsody No. 14 at the NJIT
Nocturne in C minor at the Greene Space WQXR
Polonaise-Fantaisie at the Polish Cultural Foundation
Listen to CD tracks on Spotify:
Video Interview – Performing Arts Review, January 2019
Interview and 3 Reviews – Fanfare Magazine July-August 2018
More Reviews of this Album
“…’She exhibits power and depth of tone, yet these qualities are subordinated to a natural lyrical gift.’ I feel the same about this new recital of Chopin and Liszt and perhaps even more so, because the unabashed Romanticism brought to both composers is found almost nowhere outside the Russian tradition. Agranovich is taking a bold step to wear her heart on her sleeve, but such personal warmth wins listeners over in a special way, as witness the love affair between Shura Cherkassky and his audiences… She gives Chopin a bold voice and introduces a poetic, improvisatory rubato into her Liszt. If you love Richter’s free expression, combined in this case with the rich mid-range and rumbling bass of Gilels, Agranovich is likely to delight you… I admire Agranovich’s warm, colorful performance, which never bangs or gives way to vulgarity… These are striking interpretations from a performer whose style immediately appeals and at the same time offers an impressive depth of musicianship. Centaur’s recorded sound is close, full-bodied, and very present.”
-Huntley Dent, Fanfare Read full review
“Pianist Sophia Agranovich, born in Ukraine and adopted by the USA, gives another recital that shows us why she is so much in demand as a performer and teacher. On the menu are some of the most technically demanding (and rewarding) works of Frédéric Chopin and Franz Liszt, all rendered with Sophia’s customarily infectious verve… This artist, by the way, has an unusually strong left hand, an asset that comes into play frequently in the Liszt portion of the program.”
“Après un Lecture de Dante: Fantasia quasi Sonata, otherwise known as the “Dante” Sonata, is one of the most difficult of all major works for the piano, requiring frequent re-positionings to accommodate the many changes in tempi, texture, and harmonic structure. It is about half the length of Liszt‟s famous Sonata in B Minor, which it resembles in having a radiant central episode, here a chorale expressing the Heavenly joy of the blessed souls. The contrasts with the despair of the souls in Hell in the opening section and the incredible final section depicting Satanic torments make this one of the most emotionally and physically demanding works in the literature. I have personally under-rated it in the past, frankly because I had never heard it performed with the conviction it receives here.”
–Audio Video Club of Atlanta Read full review
“As always, Agranovich displays in her approach to everything she plays a deep insight into the overall style and persona of the composer in general and into the musical content and essence of each piece in particular. You can hear it in the way she alters her tone and touch and in how she modifies her pedaling. There’s no question that Chopin and Liszt are two different composers and two individuals of different life experiences and personalities. Yet, at the same time that Agranovich is able to discern and project those differences in her playing, she is also able to convey how in many ways they were kindred spirits too.
As expected from her previous albums, Agranovich’s technique is quite dazzling, but her ability to spin the long line and summon her instrument to sing is every bit as impressive and inspiring. A piano lover’s delight, to be sure, this is also an album for all music lovers.”
-Jerry Dubins, Fanfare Read full review
“…Dazzling technique and an abundance of passion… an epic performance! …Virtuosity and wide range of expression, which is beyond impressive.”
-Kathy Parsons, Mainly Piano Read full review
“The C-Minor Nocturne is given a beautifully shaded, interpretatively deep reading; the elusive Polonaise-Fantaisie feels appropriately exploratory but at the same time Agranovich finds an overarching structure that prevents the experience from becoming diffuse. The Polonaise-Fantaisie offered here is a terrific reading of one of Chopin’s most challenging works, one that ranks in maturity along with the likes of Pires (DG)…
Sonetto 104 has a lot of single lines, beautifully done by Agranovich; so much so that the effect reminds one of Bellini, a composer usually linked to Chopin’s melodic writing. The Sonetto 123 compares earthly feminine beauty to angels, and the higher lying registers reflect that. Agranovich finds all the necessary tenderness…The so-called “Dante Sonata” finds Agranovich delivering Liszt’s gestures with high intelligence, yet finds just the right stormy atmosphere later on. Her interpretative control is highly impressive…Agranovich has a commendably sparing way with the sustaining pedal, allowing textures to remain clear…Overt, vulgar virtuosity is not her style, although she has technique to spare; she seems to relax into, and relish, any passage offering beauty, and this approach offers a refreshing alternative to the barn-storming performances that crowd the catalog. A most enjoyable release that offers further proof of Agranovich’s musical intelligence.”
-Colin Clarke, Fanfare Read full review