'It is still possible, to be completely bowled over by a CD.' Wrote music magazine Luister about Marietta Petkova's recording of Rachmaninov's preludes. 'Under the hands of the Bulgarian-Dutch pianist, each of them grows into testimonies of an eventful life, offering deep glimpses into the creator's soul.' The disc was honoured with a 10 out of 10. It suited the pianist, who had already baffled her audience in the year 2000 with a memorable Rachmaninov recital at the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam: 'Grandiose Petkova,' wrote the Telegraaf, and NRC Handelsblad: 'Pianist Petkova: ideal Rachmaninov.'
Not only the great Russian on the music stand to…
'It is still possible, to be completely bowled over by a CD.' Wrote music magazine Luister about Marietta Petkova's recording of Rachmaninov's preludes. 'Under the hands of the Bulgarian-Dutch pianist, each of them grows into testimonies of an eventful life, offering deep glimpses into the creator's soul.' The disc was honoured with a 10 out of 10. It suited the pianist, who had already baffled her audience in the year 2000 with a memorable Rachmaninov recital at the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam: 'Grandiose Petkova,' wrote the Telegraaf, and NRC Handelsblad: 'Pianist Petkova: ideal Rachmaninov.'
Not only the great Russian on the music stand today, but also some 'lighter' stuff. Did you know that Debussy was a humourist? Very delicate and subtle he is in Children's Corner, dedicated to his 3-year-old daughter: 'For my dear little Chouchou, with tender apologies from her father for what follows.' The amusing 'Doctor Gradus ad Parnassum' he advised pianists to play 'in the early morning', when they were still fresh enough to perform this little tour de force. Still quite light, too, is the young Beethoven. The youngest Beethoven, you might say: opus 2 no. 1 was his first piano sonata, written at 24. Tutor Haydn is clearly audible, but a few 'rougher' moments already reveal that a new genius is emerging here.
