But following Godowsky's death in 1938, his compositions were largely ignored until the year 2000, when super-virtuoso pianists such as Marc-André Hamelin and Boris Berezovsky began to record and perform his works in concert.

Ivan Ilić is the latest pianist to rise to the formidable challenge. His album focuses on the 22 Studies for the left hand alone, considered among the most difficult pieces ever written for the instrument.

But there is a poetry in Ilić's interpretations which makes one forget the difficulty, and allows the listener to bask in Godowsky's rich, dark re-working of Chopin's masterpieces.

This album is a tour de force of virtuosity and musicianship.

- Daily Telegraph Classical CD of the Week
- Classique News Top 5 CD of the Month

"A major achievement"
BBC Radio 3

1. Study no5 in D flat major Tristesse (L Godowsky)
2. Study no2 in D flat major Triumphant (L Godowsky)
3. Study no22 in C sharp minor Revolutionary (L Godowsky)
4. Study no35 in B flat minor Cantabile (L Godowsky)
5. Study no13 in E flat minor Appassionata (L Godowsky)
6. Study no40 in G flat major Butterfly (L Godowsky)
7. Study no12 in G flat major Black Key (L Godowsky)
8. Study no18a in F sharp minor Patience (L Godowsky)
9. Study no21 in A major Spring Rain (L Godowsky)
10. Study no3 in A minor Ants (L Godowsky)
11. Study no31 in A minor Grasshopper (L Godowsky)
12. Study no20 in A flat major Rambler (L Godowsky)
13. Study no41 in B minor Winter (L Godowsky)
14. Study no28a in F sharp minor Autumn (L Godowsky)
15. Study no30 in F major Pastoral (L Godowsky)
16. Study no44 in F minor Yearning (L Godowsky)
17. Study no15a in E flat major Miller's Wheel (L Godowsky)
18. Study no23 in A flat major Aeolian Harp (L Godowsky)
19. Study no16a in G flat major Luminous (L Godowsky)
20. Study no6 in C sharp minor Battle (L Godowsky)
21. Study no45a in D flat major Andantino (L Godowsky)
22. Study no43 in C sharp minor Tempest (L Godowsky)

Listen to: the entire album.

Release date: 3/24/2012
Ivan Ilic lives in Paris France

Tagged as: Classical, Romantic Era, Instrumental Classical, Classical Piano, Composer: Leopold Godowsky

1. Music of Fernando Sor by Daniel Estrem: colorful classical guitar
2. A Celebration of Robert Burns by Shira Kammen: early folk and celtic music.
3. The Castle of the Holly King by Shira Kammen: early folk and celtic music.
4. Magnificent Obsession vol 3 - Beethoven Sonatas by Sebastian Forster: exquisitely performed Beethoven piano sonatas
5. JS Bach - Book 1 CD1 Well-Tempered Clavier by Daniel Ben Pienaar: virtuoso pianist playing Bach's 48
6. Chopin Recital by Janine Johnson: Harpsichord and fortepiano classics
7. JS Bach French Suites by Katherine Roberts Perl: Bach on the harpsichord - poetic and expressive
8. Zirkus - Step Inside - Piano Music of Robert Schumann by Cary Chow: virtuoso piano
9. Ladislav Jelinek plays Liszt by Ladislav Jelinek: classical works from a World renowned pianist
10. The Chopin Variations (on solo piano) by Chad Lawson: Multi-award winning pianist and composer who is not afraid to put his hat in anything
11. Magnificent Obsession vol 9 - Beethoven Sonatas by Sebastian Forster: exquisitely performed Beethoven piano sonatas
12. Ici et Maintenant CD2 - Live Archive Vol 1 by Robert Rich: groundbreaking ambient and dark-ambient
13. Cowell Theater CD2 - Live Archive Vol 5 by Robert Rich: groundbreaking ambient and dark-ambient
14. Mistral by Shira Kammen: early folk and celtic music.
15. Magnificent Obsession vol 4 - Beethoven Sonatas by Sebastian Forster: exquisitely performed Beethoven piano sonatas
16. JS Bach - Book 1 CD2 Well-Tempered Clavier by Daniel Ben Pienaar: virtuoso pianist playing Bach's 48
17. Bach Goldberg Variations by Janine Johnson: Harpsichord and fortepiano classics
18. Mozart in the Age of Enlightenment by Seth Carlin: fortepiano music from the early 1800s
19. Clementi, Dussek, Kuhlau - Sonatinas For Piano by Marko Nouwens: classical piano sonatinas for students
20. Chopin Preludes for Piano by Eric Zivian: virtuoso fortepianist plays Chopin

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