Alexander Siloti (1863-1945)
Prelude in B minor
Listen to samples and buy CD
Ukranian pianist, teacher, composer and conductor, Siloti was one of Russia's most important musicians before the 1917 revolution. As a student of Liszt and teacher of Rachmaninoff he became a key figure in the cultural life of St Petersburg and an internationally recognised concert artist.
Siloti fled Russia to England, then to America, finally settling in New York in 1921. He taught at The Julliard School and continued to give major recitals until his retirement in 1942.
J.S. Bach's 48 Preludes and Fugues for harpsichord are notable both for the diversity and elegance of the preludes and the intellectual mastery of the fugues. Siloti arranged the E minor prelude from Book 1 for the modern grand piano, transposing it to B minor and moving the melody to the right hand.
In this live recording, Gregory Kinda takes full advantage of the Stuart piano's capacity for long sustain and clear pianissimo to render a subtle and beautiful performance.
- Notes by Gregory Lewis