It is not a profession to be a pianist and musician. It is a philosophy, a conception of life that cannot be based on good intentions or natural talent.
First and foremost there must be a spirit of sacrifice - Michelangeli
In this edition Deutsche Grammophon brings together for the first time all the performances by Michelangeli that have appeared on the Yellow Label.
Also included are the legendary early recordings of Beethoven and Scarlatti that he made for DECCA.
Excellent documentation includes numerous rare photographs and a new appreciation of the enigmatic pianist by DG producer, conductor and longtime Michelangeli collaborator Cord Garben.
Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli was one of this century's most outstanding pianists. --Gramophone
Michelangeli opened my ears, and showed me what a truly great pianist can deliver. He played Debussy's Images and Children's Corner, and I can still hear almost every note. He was devastatingly impressive. --Christian Zacharias, BBC Music Magazine
Michelangeli focuses and clarifies with every miraculous stroke of the keys, etching these miniatures in pristine colours, his meticulous technique bathing each scene in brilliant sunshine. --BBC Music Magazine on DEBUSSY Préludes Book 1
Disc 01 (7 / 57:48)
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1. Applause (0:22)
2. Piano Concerto No. 13 in C major, K. 415 (K. 387b)- 1. Allegro (11:40)
3. Piano Concerto No. 13 in C major, K. 415 (K. 387b)- 2. Andante (8:18)
4. Piano Concerto No. 13 in C major, K. 415 (K. 387b)- 3. Rondeau. Allegro (9:35)
5. Piano Concerto No. 15 in B flat major, K. 450- 1. Allegro (11:42)
6. Piano Concerto No. 15 in B flat major, K. 450- 2. Andante (6:15)
7. Piano Concerto No. 15 in B flat major, K. 450- 3. Allegro (9:55)
Disc 02 (9 / 1:08:38)
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1. Applause (0:41)
2. Piano Concerto No. 20 in D minor, K. 466- 1. Allegro (15:12)
3. Piano Concerto No. 20 in D minor, K. 466- 2. Romance (9:35)
4. Piano Concerto No. 20 in D minor, K. 466- 3. Allegro assai (8:45)
5. Applause (0:45)
6. Piano Concerto No. 25 in C major, K. 503- 1. Allegro maestoso (15:46)
7. Piano Concerto No. 25 in C major, K. 503- 2. Andante (7:26)
8. Piano Concerto No. 25 in C major, K. 503- 3. Allegretto (9:40)
9. Applause (0:49)
Disc 03 (6 / 1:18:55)
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1. Piano Concerto No. 1 in C major, Op. 15- 1. Allegro con brio (18:38)
2. Piano Concerto No. 1 in C major, Op. 15- 2. Largo (10:42)
3. Piano Concerto No. 1 in C major, Op. 15- 3. Rondo. Allegro (9:10)
4. Piano Concerto No. 3 in C minor, Op. 37- 1. Allegro con brio (18:12)
5. Piano Concerto No. 3 in C minor, Op. 37- 2. Largo (11:24)
6. Piano Concerto No. 3 in C minor, Op. 37- 3. Rondo. Allegro (10:48)
Disc 04 (7 / 1:14:05)
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1. Piano Concerto No.5 in Eb, Op.73, 1. Allegro (21:35)
2. Piano Concerto No.5 in Eb, Op.73, 2. Adagio un poco mosso (8:36)
3. Piano Concerto No.5 in Eb, Op.73, 3. Rondo. Allegro (12:15)
4. Piano Sonata No.4 in Eb, Op.7, 1. Allegro molto e con brio (9:50)
5. Piano Sonata No.4 in Eb, Op.7, 2. Largo, con gran espressione (8:39)
6. Piano Sonata No.4 in Eb, Op.7, 3. Allegro-Minore-allegro (5:28)
7. Piano Sonata No.4 in Eb, Op.7, 4. Rondo. Poco Allegretto e grazioso (7:41)
Disc 05 (16 / 1:16:44)
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1. Piano Sonata No. 4 in a, D. 537, 1. Allegro, ma non troppo (10:05)
2. Piano Sonata No. 4 in a, D. 537, 2. Allegretto, quasi Andantino (7:31)
3. Piano Sonata No. 4 in a, D. 537, 3. Allegro vivace (5:05)
4. Mazurka for piano No. 43 in G minor, Op. 67-2, CT. 93 (2:02)
5. Mazurka for piano No. 34 in C major, Op. 56-2, CT. 84 (1:49)
6. Mazurka for piano No. 45 in A minor, Op. 67-4, CT. 95 (3:10)
7. Mazurka for piano No. 47 in A minor, Op. 68-2, CT. 97 (3:09)
8. Mazurka for piano No. 46 in C major, Op. 68-1, CT. 96 (1:33)
9. Mazurka for piano No. 22 in G sharp minor, Op. 33-1, CT. 72 (2:05)
10. Mazurka for piano No. 20 in D flat major, Op. 30-3, CT. 70 (3:18)
11. Mazurka for piano No. 19 in B minor, Op. 30-2, CT. 69 (1:38)
12. Mazurka for piano No. 25 in B minor, Op. 33-4, CT. 75 (6:20)
13. Mazurka for piano No. 49 in F minor, Op. 68-4, CT. 99 (3:45)
14. Prelude for piano No. 25 in C sharp minor, Op. 45, CT. 190 (4:54)
15. Ballade for piano No. 1 in G minor, Op. 23, CT. 2 (9:16)
16. Scherzo for piano No. 2 in B flat minor, Op. 31, CT. 198 (11:03)
Disc 06 (30 / 1:19:39)
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1. Carnaval for piano, Op. 9: 1. Preambule. Quasi maestoso - Piu moto - Animato ... (2:30)
2. Carnaval for piano, Op. 9: 2. Pierrot. Moderato (2:15)
3. Carnaval for piano, Op. 9: 3. Arlequin. Vivo (1:10)
4. Carnaval for piano, Op. 9: 4. Valse noble. Un poco maestoso (1:53)
5. Carnaval for piano, Op. 9: 5. Eusebius. Adagio (1:19)
6. Carnaval for piano, Op. 9: 6. Florestan. Passionato (0:58)
7. Carnaval for piano, Op. 9: 7. Coquette. Vivo (1:38)
8. Carnaval for piano, Op. 9: 8. Replique. L'istesso tempo - (Sphinxes) (1:10)
9. Carnaval for piano, Op. 9: 9. Papillons. Prestissimo (0:38)
10. Carnaval for piano, Op. 9: 10. A.S.C.H. - S.C.H.A. (Lettres dansantes) - Presto (0:58)
11. Carnaval for piano, Op. 9: 11. Chiarina. Passionato (1:36)
12. Carnaval for piano, Op. 9: 12. Chopin. Agitato (1:13)
13. Carnaval for piano, Op. 9: 13. Estrella. Con affetto (0:28)
14. Carnaval for piano, Op. 9: 14. Reconnaissance. Animato (1:41)
15. Carnaval for piano, Op. 9: 15. Pantalon et Colombine. Presto (0:57)
16. Carnaval for piano, Op. 9: 16. Valse allemande. Molto vivace (1:03)
17. Carnaval for piano, Op. 9: 17. Paganini. Intermezzo. Presto (1:29)
18. Carnaval for piano, Op. 9: 18. Aveu. Passionato (1:14)
19. Carnaval for piano, Op. 9: 19. Promenade. Comodo (2:40)
20. Carnaval for piano, Op. 9: 20. Pause. Vivo (0:16)
21. Carnaval for piano, Op. 9: 21. Marche des 'Davidsbundler' contre les Philistins (4:05)
22. Faschingsschwank aus Wien ('Phantasiebilder'), for piano, Op. 26: I. Allegro (10:10)
23. Faschingsschwank aus Wien ('Phantasiebilder'), for piano, Op. 26: II. Romanze (3:10)
24. Faschingsschwank aus Wien ('Phantasiebilder'), for piano, Op. 26: III. Scherzino (2:21)
25. Faschingsschwank aus Wien ('Phantasiebilder'), for piano, Op. 26: IV. Intermezzo (2:18)
26. Faschingsschwank aus Wien ('Phantasiebilder'), for piano, Op. 26: V. Finale (5:01)
27. Ballades (4) for piano, Op. 10: 1. Andante - Allegro - Andante (4:31)
28. Ballades (4) for piano, Op. 10: 2. Andante - Allegro non troppo - (7:11)
29. Ballades (4) for piano, Op. 10: 3. Intermezzo. Allegro (4:15)
30. Ballades (4) for piano, Op. 10: 4. Andante con moto (9:29)
Disc 07 (18 / 1:00:07)
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1. Preludes, Book I, L. 117: 1. Danseuses de Delphes. Lent et grave (3:18)
2. Preludes, Book I, L. 117: 2. Voiles. Modere (4:30)
3. Preludes, Book I, L. 117: 3. Le vent dans la plaine. Anime (2:13)
4. Preludes, Book I, L. 117: 4. Les sons et les parfums tournent... (3:39)
5. Preludes, Book I, L. 117: 5. Les collines d' Anacapri (3:19)
6. Preludes, Book I, L. 117: 6. Des pas sur la neige. Triste et lent (4:59)
7. Preludes, Book I, L. 117: 7. Ce qu'a vu le vent d'ouest (3:42)
8. Preludes, Book I, L. 117: 8. La fille. aux cheveux de lin (2:55)
9. Preludes, Book I, L. 117: 9. La serenade interrompue (2:43)
10. Preludes, Book I, L. 117: 10. La cathedrale engloutie (6:52)
11. Preludes, Book I, L. 117: 11. La danse de Puck (3:12)
12. Preludes, Book I, L. 117: 12. Minstrels (2:42)
13. Children's Corner, L. 113: 1. Doctor Gradus ad Parnassum (2:16)
14. Children's Corner, L. 113: 2. Jimbo's Lullaby (3:29)
15. Children's Corner, L. 113: 3. Serenade for the Doll (2:16)
16. Children's Corner, L. 113: 4. The Snow is Dancing (2:38)
17. Children's Corner, L. 113: 5. The Little Shepherd (2:28)
18. Children's Corner, L. 113: 6. Golligogg's Cake-walk (2:57)
Disc 08 (18 / 1:08:07)
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1. Preludes, Book II, L. 123, 1. Brouillards. Modere (2:56)
2. Preludes, Book II, L. 123, 2. Feuilles mortes. Lent et melancolique (3:19)
3. Preludes, Book II, L. 123, 3. La puerta del vino (4:07)
4. Preludes, Book II, L. 123, 4. Les fees sont d'exquises danseus (3:07)
5. Preludes, Book II, L. 123, 5. Bruyeres. Calme (2:54)
6. Preludes, Book II, L. 123, 6. 'General Lavine' - eccentric (2:39)
7. Preludes, Book II, L. 123, 7. La terrasse des audiences du - (3:59)
8. Preludes, Book II, L. 123, 8. Ondine, Scherzando (3:27)
9. Preludes, Book II, L. 123, 9. Hommage a S. Pickwick Esq. (2:27)
10. Preludes, Book II, L. 123, 10. Canope. Tres clame et doucement - (2:36)
11. Preludes, Book II, L. 123, 11. Les tierces alternees (2:56)
12. Preludes, Book II, L. 123, 12. Feux d'artifice (4:47)
13. Images (3), for piano, Set I, L. 110- 1. Reflets dans l'eau. Andantino molto (4:54)
14. Images (3), for piano, Set I, L. 110- 2. Hommage a Rameua. Lent et grave (6:35)
15. Images (3), for piano, Set I, L. 110- 3. Mouvement. Anime (3:43)
16. Images (3), for piano, Set II, L. 111- 1. Cloches a travers les feuilles. Lent (4:23)
17. Images (3), for piano, Set II, L. 111- 2. Et la lune descend sur le temple - (5:15)
18. Images (3), for piano, Set II, L. 111- 3. Poissons d'or. Anime (4:02)
Disc 09 (7 / 54:24)
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1. Piano Concerto in a, Op.54, 1. Allegro affetuoso - Andante espressivo (16:13)
2. Piano Concerto in a, Op.54, 2. Intermezzo. Andantino grazioso (5:29)
3. Piano Concerto in a, Op.54, 3. Allegro vivace (11:56)
4. Images, 1. Reflets dans l'eau (5:28)
5. Images, 2. Hommage a Rameau. (6:55)
6. Images, 4. Cloches a travers (4:10)
7. Images, 6. Poissons d'or. Anime (4:12)
Disc 10 (8 / 49:49)
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1. Piano Sonata No. 32 in C minor, Op. 111: 1. Maestoso - Allegro con brio ed ap... (9:23)
2. Piano Sonata No. 32 in C minor, Op. 111: 2. Arietta. Adagio molto semplice e ... (17:19)
3. Keyboard Sonata in C major [Illy No. 27]: 1. Andante (7:50)
4. Keyboard Sonata in C major [Illy No. 27]: 2. Allegro (4:02)
5. Keyboard Sonata in C major [Illy No. 27]: 3. Allegro assai (2:38)
6. Sonata for keyboard in C minor, K. 11 (L. 352) (2:52)
7. Sonata for keyboard in C major, K. 159 (L. 104) 'La caccia' (2:25)
8. Sonata for keyboard in A major, K. 322 (L. 483) (3:21)