Pianist Boris Giltburg has been a major Naxos recording artist for some ten years now, during which time he has proved himself a consummate interpreter of the music of Rachmaninov. Gramophone, for example, noted of his performances of Piano Concertos Nos. 1 and 4 (8.574528) that ‘Throughout this superb disc, Giltburg is a joy to hear … these are among the finest accounts of these works.’ His latest programme will no doubt attract similar accolades. It features the dramatic power of Rachmaninov's First Piano Sonata, the vividly passionate Second Piano Sonata, and Georgy Kirkor’s 1957 transcription of The Isle of the Dead, which Boris himself has revised significantly.
Sergey RACHMANINOV (1873–1943)
Piano Sonatas Nos. 1 and 2
The Isle of the Dead
Boris Giltburg, PianoSymphonic in scale and with great dramatic power, Rachmaninov’s Piano Sonata No. 1 in D minor is an underappreciated masterpiece, depicting a tremendous range of human emotions. The turbulent and brilliant Piano Sonata No. 2 in B flat minor is heard in the 1931 revised version which clarifies textures and streamlines the work, heightening its emotional impact. The Isle of the Dead employs Georgy Kirkor’s 1957 transcription which Boris Giltburg has revised significantly. Giltburg’s authority in Rachmaninov has been universally acknowledged, with his performances termed ‘characterful, sensitive and technically dazzling’ by BBC Music Magazine (Naxos 8.574528).
I. Allegro moderato
Pianist Boris Giltburg is lauded across the globe as a deeply sensitive, insightful and compelling musician. Born in 1984 in Moscow, he moved to Tel Aviv at an early age, studying with his mother and then with Arie Vardi. He went on to win numerous awards, notably the First (and Audience) Prize at the Queen Elisabeth Competition in Brussels in 2013. He has performed regularly in recital and with leading orchestras worldwide. He made his Australian debut in 2017 and has frequently toured China and South America. Since his BBC Proms debut in 2010, Boris has also appeared at many of the world's major festivals.
– Gramophone
Piano Concertos Nos. 1 and 2
String Quartet No. 8
Giltburg • Owens
Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra
Petrenko
– American Record Guide
– American Record Guide
Piano Concerto No. 2
Études-tableaux, Op. 33
Giltburg
Royal Scottish National Orchestra
Prieto
– Gramophone