Vladimir Ashkenazy – Walking In The Air: The Music of Howard Blake (2014) [Official Digital Download 24bit/96kHz]

Vladimir Ashkenazy – Walking In The Air: The Music of Howard Blake (2014)
FLAC (tracks) 24 bit/96 kHz | Time – 01:20:48 minutes | 1,24 GB | Genre: Classical
Studio Masters, Official Digital Download | Front Cover | © Decca Music Group Ltd.

Vladimir Ashkenazy returns with an unexpected album of compositions by his long-standing friend Howard Blake, best known for the Christmas favourite Walking In The Air.

Walking in the Air, which Ashkenazy has chosen as the title track of the disc is arranged here for solo piano (and available as an e-single). The song was composed by Blake as the centrepiece of his score for the children’s classic animated film The Snowman, and exemplifies the composer’s warmly accessible style.

Ashkenazy performs no fewer than nine world premiere recordings from Blake’s repertoire and the album features music from Blake’s other film scores, including Ridley Scott’s ‘The Duellists’ and horror classic ‘The Changeling’ and the Prelude for Vova Op.640, written after Ashkenazy asked Blake to “make a piece out of my initials A.S.H. – like Liszt did with B.A.C.H.”

Howard Blake’s illustrious career has spanned over 50 years in which he has composed more than 650 works, both classical and popular. He has written scores for numerous films, beginning in the 1970s, but it was in 1982, with his orchestral score for The Snowman that Blake achieved widespread acclaim. While he is best known for the Christmas classic, he has written a wide range of music, including a piano concerto for the 30th birthday of Princess Diana.

“His piano music is extremely well written and pianistic, due, of course, to the fact that he is a very good pianist himself,” explains Ashkenazy, “and so it is truly a joy to play.”

On this unique and maybe unexpected album, there are no fewer than nine world premiere recordings including . . . a prelude written especially for Ashkenazy, made out of his initials . . . “Walking in the Air” is a stand-out track on this generous 80-minute collection. Blake’s compositions are attractive and accessible and Ashkenazy’s joy at playing his friend’s music is evident on this album. –Classic FM

[“Walking in the air”]: Ashkenazy’s phrasing raises it to the level of a minor masterpiece . . . [“Music box” / “Laura”]: given with much refinement by Ashkenazy, as does the succeeding item, “Prelude for Vova” . . . [“Impromptu”]: a truly fine example of Blake’s idiomatic writing, as well as being superbly expressive . . . [“Eight character pieces”]: a perfectly satisfying and coherent composition . . . [Sonata for two pianos]: considerable virtuosity from both players . . . [“Fantasy”] declares his natural compositional gifts in no uncertain manner . . . [“Four easy pieces”]: delightful miniatures. Vladimir Ashkenazy reveals all there is to be found in these early pieces, and this excellently recorded recital continues with “Romanza” . . . another extremely beautiful piece . . . a recital of eminently worthwhile music . . . –Robert Matthew-Walker, Classicalsource

Tracklist:
01. Vladimir Ashkenazy – Walking In The Air (Excerpt ‘Lifecycle’), Op.310 (03:06)
02. Vladimir Ashkenazy – Music Box Theme (from ‘The Changeling’), Op.274 (03:53)
03. Vladimir Ashkenazy – Lara’s Theme (from ‘The Duellists’), Op.247 (02:01)
04. Vladimir Ashkenazy – Prelude For Vova, Op.640 (03:02)
05. Vladimir Ashkenazy – Speech After Long Silence, Op.610 (07:56)
06. Vladimir Ashkenazy – Twelve Piano Pieces, Op.177 – 1. Prelude (02:23)
07. Vladimir Ashkenazy – Twelve Piano Pieces, Op.177 – 2. Nocturne (03:13)
08. Vladimir Ashkenazy – Twelve Piano Pieces, Op.177 – 3. Impromptu (04:40)
09. Vladimir Ashkenazy – Twelve Piano Pieces, Op.177 – 4. Toccatina (01:26)
10. Vladimir Ashkenazy – Twelve Piano Pieces, Op.177 – 5. Mazurka (01:32)
11. Vladimir Ashkenazy – Twelve Piano Pieces, Op.177 – 6. Walking Song (01:53)
12. Vladimir Ashkenazy – Twelve Piano Pieces, Op.177 – 7. Chaconne In D Minor (03:38)
13. Vladimir Ashkenazy – Twelve Piano Pieces, Op.177 – 8. Scherzo In D Major (03:09)
14. Vladimir Ashkenazy, Vovka Ashkenazy – Dances For 2 Pianos, Op.217a – 1. Parade (00:48)
15. Vladimir Ashkenazy, Vovka Ashkenazy – Dances For 2 Pianos, Op.217a – 2. Slow Ragtime (01:08)
16. Vladimir Ashkenazy, Vovka Ashkenazy – Dances For 2 Pianos, Op.217a – 3. Jump (00:45)
17. Vladimir Ashkenazy, Vovka Ashkenazy – Dances For 2 Pianos, Op.217a – 4. Medium Rock (01:45)
18. Vladimir Ashkenazy, Vovka Ashkenazy – Dances For 2 Pianos, Op.217a – 5. Folk Ballad (02:06)
19. Vladimir Ashkenazy, Vovka Ashkenazy – Dances For 2 Pianos, Op.217a – 6. Boogie (00:59)
20. Vladimir Ashkenazy, Vovka Ashkenazy – Dances For 2 Pianos, Op.217a – 7. Jazz Waltz (01:56)
21. Vladimir Ashkenazy, Vovka Ashkenazy – Dances For 2 Pianos, Op.217a – 8. Cha-Cha (01:23)
22. Vladimir Ashkenazy, Vovka Ashkenazy – Dances For 2 Pianos, Op.217a – 9. Galop (00:47)
23. Vladimir Ashkenazy, Vovka Ashkenazy – Sonata For Two Pianos, Op.130 – 1. Allegro (04:55)
24. Vladimir Ashkenazy, Vovka Ashkenazy – Sonata For Two Pianos, Op.130 – 2. Lento (03:33)
25. Vladimir Ashkenazy, Vovka Ashkenazy – Sonata For Two Pianos, Op.130 – 3. Scherzando (02:15)
26. Vladimir Ashkenazy, Vovka Ashkenazy – Sonata For Two Pianos, Op.130 – 4. Presto (03:28)
27. Vladimir Ashkenazy – Piano Fantasy, Op.1 (04:20)
28. Vladimir Ashkenazy – Four Easy Pieces, Op.1b (03:40)
29. Vladimir Ashkenazy – Romanza, Op.5f (02:25)
30. Vladimir Ashkenazy – Haiku For Yu-Chee (01:11)
31. Vladimir Ashkenazy – Parting, Op.650a (01:18)

Personnel:
Vladimir Ashkenazy, Piano
Vovka Ashkenazy, Piano (#14-26)

Download: