Piano Recital: Lipatti, Dinu - BACH, J.S. / ENESCU, G. / BRAHMS, J. / SCARLATTI, D. (100th Anniversary Edition)

Dinu Lipatti is one of those almost mythical figures of the piano cosmos. His star shone briefly, but with incredible intensity- and its lingering aura threatened at times to obscure the view of playing. Conductor Herbert von Karajan (1908-1989) was repeatedly quoted: “It was no longer piano playing, it was music, released from all earthly weight, music in its purest form, in a harmony that can be imparted only by one who was no longer of this world.” Karajan is Lipatti’s partner in the 1948 recording of Robert Schumann’s A minor Concerto, widely hailed as the “everlasting” benchmark recording, which is correspondingly included in this release. The year 2017 marks the centenary of Lipatti’s birth, and at the same time the 67th anniversary of his death- and the fascination of Lipatti is appreciated more than ever. One should however keep the necessary distance in approaching his achievement, modest in size but of immeasurable wealth, in order to prepare oneself for closeness to its creator.