Leif Ove Andsnes, piano

ANTONÍN DVOŘÁK Poetic Tone Pictures, Op.85

Twilight Way; Toying; In the Old Castle; Spring Song; Peasants’ Ballad; Rêverie; Furiant; Goblins’ Dance; Serenade; Bacchanalia; Tittle-Tattle; At the Hero’s Grave; On the Holy Mountain

The Sony Classical release of the Poetic Tone Pictures cycle for piano by Antonín Dvořák is worth raving about.

In these neglected one dozen-plus miniatures the Czech master hung his serious composer hat and let his imagination roam free. The Norwegian pianist Leif Ove Andsnes treats these pianistic gems as more than mere salon pieces, injecting into them superb musicality and elegance, along with his prodigious technical arsenal, resulting in an enchanting album.

As is always the case with all Sony Classical releases, the engineering is flawless, and the personal insights of Andsnes shared as liner notes make this CD a desirable addition to any collection of piano music.

Rafael de Acha © 2022