Einar Englund: Complete Music for Solo Piano
Einar Englund (1916–99) was not only one of Finland’s major symphonists; he was also one of his country’s most important pianists and was destined for a career as a virtuoso until, as a soldier, he damaged a finger in a battle against the invading Russians. He wrote surprisingly little for his own instrument, but the works he did produce glitter with a Prokofievan steely strength and textural clarity, animated with the ironic humour that was typical of the composer himself.
Laura Mikkola, piano
Listen To This Recording:
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Prelude and Fughetta:
- Hommage a Bach: Prelude
- Hommage a Bach: Fughetta
- I Allegro con brio
- II Andante
- III Vivace
- Prelude
- Pavane: Adagio
- Toccata: Allegro marcato
- Humoresque
- Little Toccata
- Sicilienne
- What the Hens Tell
- The Goblin
- Scherzino
- Prelude I (Notturno)
- I Allegro con brio
- II Sicilienne
- III Scherzo-Finale
- No. 1 Dance of Sinuhe
- No. 2 Dance of Nefer
- No. 3 Sinuhe and Nefer-Nefer
- No. 4 Dance of Kaptah and the Girls
- No. 5 The War Dance of Horemheb
- Introduzione
- Toccata
- I Introduzione ed allegro
- II Notturno
- III Scherzo-Finale
- The Lauttasaari Rotary Club Festive March
Sonatina No. 2, The Parisian:
Pavane e Toccata:
Sonatina No. 1 in D minor:
Sinuhe:
Introduzione e Toccata:
Piano Sonata No. 1:
MusicWeb International :
‘The Piano Sonata is a quite imposing and taxing piece of music, and clearly the work of a master who managed to say much in the most economical way. […]
It is always a real pleasure to hear any new disc of Laura Mikkola who was a brilliant and well-loved finalist of the Queen Elisabeth International Piano Competition in 1995 when she was awarded the second prize and the public prize which says much of the impact she exerted on the audiences. She plays superbly throughout and the recording is excellent. Full marks too to Christian Holmqvist’s excellent and well-informed notes from which I have unashamedly quote.’
—Hubert Culot, MusicWeb International