Tales from Vienna

Menahem Pressler is a living legend of the piano. A founding member of the famed Beaux Arts Trio, Pressler's career was launched in 1946 when he won first prize at the Debussy International Piano Competition. After a working as a soloist for a decade, he then became one of the world's most famous chamber musicians, playing with the Beaux Arts Trio for 53 years. This solo album celebrates Pressler's 90th birthday with a collection of music from the Viennese Classical tradition. It pairs Schubert's Piano Sonata No.18 with Beethoven's Bagatelles and a remarkably poignant A minor Rondo by Mozart. The music here encompasses the full range of emotions. Pressler has honed his sonority to the point where it resembles a vocal timbre. His sound is infinitely warm, pure and tender, like a fine vintage wine. This disc is a true event, giving listeners the sensation of being transported back to a lost era.