Byron Janis: The Mercury Masters (9 CD + Audio) [Blu-ray]

Byron Janis: The Mercury Masters Collection (1960-1964)

The legendary American pianist Byron Janis, who turns 95 in March 2023, was the first pupil of another iconic pianist - Vladimir Horowitz. Horowitz famously told Janis 'I don't want you to be a 'second Horowitz' I want you to be a 'first Janis'.' Janis certainly established himself on the world stage when he made his Carnegie Hall debut recital in October 1948, garnering a rave review from the New York Times' Olin Downes who praised him as a distinctive artist in his own right destined for a major career. Between 1960 and 1964 Janis made a set of remarkable recordings for the Mercury Living Presence label. The Janis-Mercury partnership proved to be a good fit with Mercury's uniquely detailed and exciting sound quality, using three microphones for an entire symphony orchestra and piano. Janis welcomed the opportunity to expand his recorded repertoire with Mercury. These recordings have been lovingly restored from the original master tapes and remastered at 24bit 192kHz by mastering engineer Tom Fine and presented in original sleeves. Included as a bonus CD in this edition is a concert recital from Leningrad (St Petersburg) from a historic 1960 visit to Soviet Union, recorded secretly by his Soviet hosts. Janis was the first American pianist to be sent to the Soviet Union to open the first formal cultural exchange - he would later be hailed as 'an ambassador in breaking down 'cold war' barriers'.

Треклист Blu-ray:
1. I. Moderato (Original Version)
2. II. Adagio sostenuto (Original Version)
3. III. Allegro scherzando (Original Version)
4. Original Version
5. No. 6 in E-Flat Major: Andante (10 Preludes, Op.23)
6. I. Allegro non troppo e molto maestoso - Allegro con spirito (Original Version)
7. 2. Andantino semplice - Prestissimo - Tempo I (Original Version)
8. III. Allegro con fuoco (Original Version)
9. 1 Allegro ma non tanto (Original Version)
10. 2. Intermezzo. Adagio (Original Version)
11. 3. Finale. Alla breve (Original Version)
12. I. Andante - Allegro (Piano Concerto No. 3 in C Major, Op. 26)
13. II. Tema con variazioni (Piano Concerto No. 3 in C Major, Op. 26)
14. III. Allegro ma non troppo (Piano Concerto No. 3 in C Major, Op. 26)
15. 1. Vivace (Original Version)
16. 2. Andante (Original Version)
17. 3. Allegro vivace (Original Version)
18. Hungarian Rhapsody No. 6 in D flat, S.244
19. Valse oubliée No. 1 in F sharp, S.215
20. 2. Einfach F-Sharp Major (Original Version)
21. The Miller's Dance (Part 1)
22. 5. Sonetto 104 del Petrarca (Original Version)
23. The Harmonica Player
24. Original Version
25. 1. Andante espressivo (Original Version)
26. No.1 In F Markiert und kräftig (Original Version)
27. No. 3 in F Major "The Horseman" (Original Version)
28. Original Version
29. 1. Run, Run (Original Version)
30. 2. March (Original Version)
31. 3. Hobby-Horse (Original Version)
32. 1. Allegro maestoso (Original Version)
33. 2a. Quasi adagio (Original Version)
34. 2b. Allegretto vivace - Allegro animato (Original Version)
35. 3. Allegro marziale animato (Original Version)
36. 1a. Adagio sostenuto assai (Original Version)
37. 1b. Allegro agitato assai (Original Version)
38. 2. Allegro moderato (Original Version)
39. 3a. Allegro deciso (Original Version)
40. 3b. Marziale un poco meno allegro (Original Version)
41. 4. Allegro animato (Original Version)
42. I. Allegro affettuoso (Original Version)
43. II. Intermezzo. Andantino grazioso (Original Version)
44. III. Allegro vivace (Original Version)
45. 3. Quasi variazioni Variations on a Theme by Clara Wieck (Original Version)
46. Original Version
47. Promenade. Allegro giusto, nel modo rustico, senza allegrezza, ma poco sostenuto - attacca (for Piano)
48. Gnomus.Sempre vivo (for Piano)
49. Promenade. Moderato commodo assai e con delicatezza - attacca (for Piano)
50. The Old Castle. Andantino molto cantabile e con dolore (for Piano)
51. Promenade. Moderato non tanto, pesamente - attacca (for Piano)
52. The Tuileries Gardens. Allegretto non troppo troppo, capriccioso (for Piano)
53. Bydlo. Sempre moderato, pesante (for Piano)
54. Promenade. Tranquillo - attacca (for Piano)
55. Ballet of the Chickens in Their Shells (for Piano)
56. Samuel Goldenberg and Schmuyle. Andante. Grave-energico - Andantino (for Piano)
57. The Market-place at Limoges. Allegretto vivo, sempre scherzando - attacca (for Piano)
58. The Catacombs Sepulchrum romanum. Largo - attacca (for Piano)
59. Con mortuis in lingua mortua. Andante non troppo, con lamento (for Piano)
60. The Hut on Fowl's Legs Baba-Yaga. Allegro con brio, feroce - Andante mosso - Allegro molto - attacca (for Piano)
61. The Great Gate of Kiev. Allegro alla breve. Maestoso. Con grandezza (for Piano)