Características
Alicia De Larrocha had small, angular hands. She was only 1.52 m tall and as a child she hit her head on the floor to be allowed to play the piano. The world-famous Catalan was considered one of the best artists in Spain, alongside Victoria de Los Angeles. And she had a mission: to spread the Spanish repertoire. When she died in 2009 at the age of 89, Nelson Freire wrote: “I really loved her. She was a modest woman and her playing shone like the sun.” Her performances on “The Unreleased Berlin Studio Recordings 1968-1970” pay tribute to Spain's musical heritage.
Larrocha's journey began when she sat at a piano at the age of three. At four, she studied with Frank Marshall, a student of Granados. By the age of six, she was already performing in public, and by the age of 11, she stunned audiences by playing Mozart's “Coronation Concerto” with the Madrid Symphony Orchestra. Despite her small hands, she developed an airy, precise touch and even dared to record Rachmaninov's Third Concerto. But beyond technical mastery, her playing conveyed a deep sense of life and imagination. Although she was trained in Bach, Mozart and Chopin, Larrocha fought to bring Spanish composers to a worldwide audience. Albéniz and Granados owe much of their fame to her. Her international breakthrough came in the 1950s when an American impresario heard her Spanish recordings and invited her to the United States, where she was a triumphant success. Frédéric D'Oria-Nicolas, one of TLR's musical treasure seekers, recalls the excitement he felt while viewing the original tapes in the archives of the Bremen Radio: “During my studies at the Gnessin Academy of Music in Moscow, I often heard about Alicia de Larrocha, who gave masterclasses there. These moments had a profound influence on all the pianists at the academy, who were still talking about them decades later. So I was particularly emotional when I discovered these unreleased tapes in the Berlin Radio Archive. I begin with the “Goyescas,” which are true masterpieces for me and still underappreciated. I was absolutely captivated by the poetry of her playing and the depth of her sound... A truly fascinating album.” From Soler's sonatas to Granados' ‘Goyescas,’ she imbued every note with nuance. She brought Goya's paintings to life in “El Pelele” and mastered the dark contrasts of Surinach's “Canción Y Danza”. Albéniz's “Iberia” demanded both power and delicacy – qualities she effortlessly mastered. Her final tribute was to her friend Francis Poulenc, whose “Toccata” she played – a floating farewell.
The Lost Recordings is proud to present the full version of this wonderful recording for the first time. The lavishly restored recording is available as a brilliant-sounding UHQ double CD with a 24-page booklet for the first time – produced by Simon Garcia in Marciac, France. The famous Kevin Gray is responsible for the lacquer cut of the vinyl version. “The Lost Recordings” is celebrated worldwide for preserving invaluable musical heritage and for the unsurpassed quality of its Phoenix-Mastering™ restorations. “Alicia De Larrocha – The Unreleased Berlin Studio Recordings 1968-1970” is nothing less than an audiophile revelation!
UHQCD 1
1. Antonio Soler (1729 – 1783): Sonata In D Minor, R. 24
2. Antonio Soler: Sonata In F Major, R. 89
3. Enrique Granados (1867 – 1916): El Pelele, IEG. 22
4. Carlos Suriñach (1915 – 1997): Canciones Y Danzas, No. 3
5. Enrique Granados: El Fandango De Candil, "Goyescas" Op. 11, No. 3
6. Enrique Granados: Quejas O La Maja Y El Ruiseñor, "Goyescas" Op. 11, No. 4
7. Enrique Granados: Los Requiebros, "Goyescas" Op. 11, No. 1
UHQCD 2
8. Federico Mompou (1893 – 1987): Canciones Y Danzas No. 4
9. Federico Mompou: Canciones Y Danzas No. 5
10. Federico Mompou: Canciones Y Danzas No. 6
11. Isaac Albéniz (1860 – 1909): Corpus Christi En Sevilla, "Iberia", Book I, No. 3
12. Isaac Albéniz: Triana, "Iberia", Book II, No. 3
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