PENTATONE is delighted to announce that pianist Inon Barnatan, one of the most admired pianists of his generation, is releasing his first album with the label, marking the start of a long-term collaboration.
THE FRUIT OF PROFOUND MUSICAL FRIENDSHIPS
One of the most admired pianists of his generation, Inon Barnatan kicks off his complete Beethoven piano concertos cycle with this double album, together with the Academy of St. Martin in the Fields and maestro Alan Gilbert. Ranging from the classical First and Third to the experimental Fourth Piano Concerto, and closing with the festive Triple Concerto, Barnatan and his colleagues display the exceptional expressive range and stylistic diversity of Beethoven’s musical language. For the Triple Concerto, Barnatan joins forces with violinist Stefan Jackiw and cellist Alisa Weilerstein. This recording project bears the fruit of longstanding and profound musical friendships, and – surprisingly – offers the first integral recording of Beethoven piano concertos by the Academy of St. Martin in the Fields, one of the most-recorded ensembles in the world of classical music.
Inon Barnatan is now making his PENTATONE debut. This will be followed by Beethoven Piano Concertos Part 2 in 2020, which will complete the cycle. The Academy of St. Martin in the Fields has built a consistent repertoire with the label throughout the years, whereas Alisa Weilerstein presented the first result of her exclusive collaboration with PENTATONE in 2018 with Transfigured Night. Stefan Jackiw and Alan Gilbert make their PENTATONE debut.
“I’ve been getting to know the Beethoven concertos since childhood. Hearing them was one of my earliest musical memories, and they have been a constant in my life as both listener and player. Every time I return to one of them there are further discoveries to be made, greater depths to be mined, and more conversations to be had with the music. For me, this is the most rewarding aspect of exceptional music; it warrants an ongoing relationship, to which there is always a next level ahead.
As with exceptional music, so, too, with exceptional musicians. I’ve cherished every occasion I’ve had to play with extraordinary orchestras and conductors, and it is especially fulfilling when the first artistic collaboration develops into a long-standing musical relationship, where you know one another well enough that the power of your shared experience allows you to go further. When I decided to record the Beethoven concertos, I knew it would be the perfect opportunity to work with people I could engage with as a musical family, all of us advancing our collective conversation with the music.”
-Inon Barnatan
This album will be released as 2 CDs and in digital formats for streaming and high-resolution downloads. (Article number: PTC 5186817)
