Posts by Ivo Varbanov

The Classical Source July 2017

The Editor`s choice Review by Colin Anderson – Editor  

Read More

HYPERION RECORDS – CDA68205

Dimitar Nenov (1901 – 1953) Concerto for Piano and Orchestra (1936) Ballade for Piano Concertante and Orchestra (1943) Ivo Varbanov, piano Royal Scottish National Orchestra Emil Tabakov, conductor A refusal to toe the party line in communist Bulgaria led to polymath Dimitar Nenov being marginalized in life, and to posthumous neglect. But this is hugely enjoyable music, well worthy of revival in such fiercely committed performances as we find here.   ‘it’s a strangely compelling journey. Once you get on, it’s hard to get off’ (Gramophone) ‘Colourful and spicy rather...

Read More

Brahms on the piano, volume 3

J. Brahms, Sonata No. 1 Op. 38 for piano and cello, Sonata No. 2 Op. 99 for piano and cello   ICSM 008 (OMNIA)   Jozef Lupták, cello, & Ivo Varbanov, piano   Johannes Brahms often consolidated his mastery of freshly explored domains by writing two examples in a specific genre in quick succession. His output consequently features such complementary couplings as the Piano Quartets Nos. 1 and 2, Opp. 25 and 26; the String Quartets, Opp. 51, Nos. 1 and 2; the Clarinet Trio, Op. 114, and Clarinet Quintet, Op. 115; Six Piano Pieces, Op. 118, and Four Piano Pieces, Op. 119; and,...

Read More

LÉGENDES ANCIENNES

I. Stravinsky, Pétrouchka, Le Sacre du printemps (original piano four hands versions by the composer)   ICSM 006 (DIALOGUE)   Fiammetta Tarli & Ivo Varbanov, piano four hands   The piano was fundamental to the modus operandi of Igor Stravinsky as a composer, not least when he was writing orchestral scores.  Touching the keys gave him immediate contact with sound which he considered to be a vital part of the creative process.  This tactile element provided him with an opportunity to feel sonorities and harmonies in addition to hearing them and the subtleties of the...

Read More

Brahms on the piano – volume 2

J. Brahms, Sonata, Op. 1 Scherzo, Op. 4 Ballades, Op. 10   ICSM 004 (OMNIA)   Ivo Varbanov, piano   The second release of Ivo Varbanov on ICSM Records (ICSM Records 004) presents early piano works by Johannes Brahms: his Piano Sonata no. 1 in C major, Op. 1, the Scherzo, Op. 4, and the four Ballades, Op. 10. All three piano works were performed at crucial moments in Brahms’s life:  the  Piano Sonata was the focus of one of the most romantic ‘first encounters’ in musical history. The handsome 20-year-old-unknown from Hamburg presented himself at Robert Schumann’s house in...

Read More

LEGACY

L. v. Beethoven, Bagatelles Op. 126 R. Schumann, Gesänge der Frühe, Op. 133 J. Brahms, 6 Chorale Preludes Op. 122 (transcription F. Busoni) ICSM 002 (SOLO)   Ivo Varbanov, piano   The first release of Ivo Varbanov on ICSM Records (ICSM 002) features the last piano works by Ludwig van Beethoven (Bagatelles Op. 126), Robert Schumann (Gesänge der Frühe Op. 133), and the piano transcription of Ferruccio Busoni of 6 of the 11 Choral Preludes for organ Op. 122 by Johannes Brahms. Beethoven’s Bagatelles, written three years before his death, were considered by the composer the best things...

Read More

Brahms on the piano — volume 1

Brahms, Walzer Op. 39 Liebeslieder Walzer Op. 52a Neue Liebeslieder Walzer Op. 65a ICSM 001 (OMNIA)   Fiammetta Tarli & Ivo Varbanov, piano four hands   The first release of ICSM Records (ICSM 001) features the complete recording of Brahms four-hand Waltzes. Dance music was in Johannes Brahms’s blood. Two particular dance-measures fascinated him throughout his life, the waltz and the Hungarian Czárdás. Here we explore what he could do with waltz-rhythms, even on the smallest scale, in the medium of the piano duet. Brahms’s two sets of Liebeslieder-Walzer (Love-song Waltzes)...

Read More

Johannes Brahms

Four Pieces for piano, op. 119, Two Rhapsodies for piano, op. 79, Variations and Fugue on a Theme by Händel for piano, op. 24   GEGA NEW – GD308   Ivo Varbanov, piano   Pianist Ivo Varbanov has recorded again an interesting programme for Gega New with works by Brahms. In his previous releases for the label, he presented Mussorgsky (GD 117), Ildebrando Pizzetti, together with the cellist Seeli Toivio (GD 275), and 20th century music, which he recorded with the Voland Quartet (GD 310).

Read More

20th-21st Century Works for Two Pianos and Percussions

GEGA NEW – GD310   Béla Bartók – Sonata for Two Pianos and Percussion (1937) Ari Ben-Shabetai – Hora (1997) Gheroghi Arnaoudov – Variations on a Theme by S. Rachmaninov (2001) Alexander Arutunian – Festive (1962) Christo Yotsov – Musical Moments (2004) Jerzy Bauer – Divertimento (1965) Voland Quartet: Ivo Varbanov (piano), Michal Drewnowski (piano) Christo Yotzov (percussion), Radosvet (Eti) Kukudov (percussion)   Voland Quartet presents a very interesting program. The works included were created during the last 70 years and they show some trends in the development of 20th and 21st...

Read More

Ildebrando Pizzetti

Sonata in Fa for cello and piano (1921), Tre canti for cello and piano (1924)   GEGA NEW – GD275   Seeli Toivio, cello Ivo Varbanov, piano   The famous Italian composer, conductor, critic and pedagogue Ildebrando Pizzetti (1880-1968) is almost unknown in Bulgaria. He worked as a conductor in Parma, Florence and was Director of the Milan Conservatoire and teacher in composition at the St. Cecilia Academy in Rome. He was also a music critic for leading newspapers and wrote essays for various specialised books and magazines. Parallel to that he wrote a number of works in...

Read More

Modest Mussorgsky, Pictures at and Exhibition and piano works Ivo Varbanov

Modest Mussorgsky, Pictures at and Exhibition and piano works Ivo Varbanov   GEGA NEW – GD117   For his Bulgarian CD the pianist has chosen Mussorgsky’s masterpiece Pictures at an Exhibition. This work not only poses to the performer various difficulties with respect to technique and interpretation, but it requires a truthful rendition of the great Russian composer’s unique style, a thorough understanding of the work’s rich and vivid imagery, together with an ability to construct a monumental cycle serving as points of support to the overall structure. The...

Read More

23 July 2018, Abbazia di San Gallo, Friuli, Italy

Festival Carniarmonie Beethoven Piano Concerto No 1

Read More

13-17 July 2017, Poland – recording for ICSM Records

Recording of Milen Kirov, Jazz title for ICSM Records

Read More

Rivista Musica July/August 2017

Review by Rivista Musica   Rivista Musica July/Aug 2017

Read More

The Guardian 18 June 2017

Nenov review by The Guardian   The Guardian review 18 June 2017

Read More

BBC Music Magazine 17 June 2017

BBC Music Magazine 17 June 2017   BBC Music Magazine June 2017

Read More

Klassisk May 2017

Nenov Piano Concerto; Ballade Nr 2 Ivo Varbanov (klaver); Royal Scottish National Orchestra, dir. Emil Tabakov  Hyperion CDA68205 (65 minutter) 1 2 3 4 5 6 The life of the Bulgarian composer Dimitar Nenov (1901–53) might almost have been drawn up by a thriller-writer with an over-active imagination. Born (in Razgrad, in north-eastern Bulgaria) into a family with military links to the Imperial family in Russia, Nenov studied both piano (with the Busoni acolyte Egon Petri) and architecture, becoming a widely travelled piano virtuoso and the designer of some important public buildings in...

Read More

Gramophone July 2017

Review by Jeremy Nicholas for Gramophone magazine Gramophone June 2017 Nenov

Read More

Fanfare Magazine July/Aug 2017

Fanfare Magazine July/Aug 2017 by Jim Svejda   Fanfare Magazine July/Aug 2017

Read More

Review by Robert Matthew-Walker, June 2017

Review by Robert Matthew-Walker, June 2017   Dimitar Nenov – Piano Concerto & Ballade No.2 – Ivo Varbanov/Royal Scottish National Orchestra/Emil Tabakov [Hyperion]  

Read More