MARE AURORA QUARTETT Two Pianos — Four Pianists 2L37SACD This hybrid SACD will also plays on all standard players and computers. These recordings continue a great tradition: beginning in the music circles of the aristocracy and in the concert life of the 19th century, music for 4 pianists has been highly popular.   It is well known that Chopin and Liszt used to perform together with colleagues music for eight hands, as they did, for example, in 1838 in Rouen playing such a transcription of Beethoven's 8th symphony.   Since that time, numerous ambitious and brilliant original compositions for four pianists have been created of which the Norwegian works by Bjørn Kruse, Trygve Madsen and Wolfgang Plagge are among the most outstanding.   The Aurora Quartett is a renowned international ensemble of pianists that is dedicated especially to the performance of music for four pianists. The Aurora Quartett Apostolos Palios ~ Julia Severus ~ Alexander Vitlin ~ Alina Luschtschizkaja The Aurora Quartett is an international ensemble of pianists that takes up a great tradition: in the music circles of the aristocracy and in the concert life of the 19th century, music for four pianists was highly popular. Many ambitious and brilliant compositions and transcriptions were being created.   Many virtuosos were enthusiastic about performing music for eight hands: It is well known that Chopin and Liszt used to perform together with colleagues music for eight hands, as they did, for example, in 1838 in Rouen playing such a transcription of Beethoven's 8th symphony. The repertoire of the Aurora Quartett consists of both original compositions from the 19th to the 21st century - with a special focus on contemporary composers - and transcriptions of works for orchestra. The Aurora Quartett was founded by Julia Severus in 2002.   It has performed frequently since, including premières and world premières of “Mare” and “Concerto Grosso III” by Wolfgang Plagge, “Boogie Retention” by Bjørn Kruse, “Grotesques and Arabesques” by Trygve Madsen and “Nocturne” by Ulf Grahn.   The quartet has made its successful debuts at the Bayreuth Easter Festival, the Musikfestspiele Potsdam-Sanssouci, the Konzerthaus Berlin, the Lindemann Hall Oslo and the Festival East-West at the Philharmony Zielona Gora. Meanwhile the Aurora Quartett cooperates with internationally recognized composers and in 2005 is awarded a prize by the Norwegian Composers Association.   Rodion Shtchedrin offers his new composition Hommage à Chopin (2005) for four pianos to the Aurora Quartett for the world première taking place as opening concert of the season 2006/07 at Oslo Konserthus. … Trygve Madsen Grotesques and Arabesques (1987)     10:57 01. Dmitri     1:35 02. Maurice     1:59 03. Richard and Arnold     1:39 04. Claude     2:25 05. Sergej     3:19 Wolfgang Plagge Mare op.93 (1997)     16:45 06. I Tranquillo     3:25 07. II Un poco più inquieto     3:48 08. III Nocturne - Lento     2:41 09. IV Tempestoso     6:52 Concerto Grosso III op.108 (2005)     15:12 10. I Molto lento, tranquillo e maestoso     7:54 11. II Vivo, energico - meno mosso, lugubre     7:18 Bjørn Kruse 12. Boogie Retention (1992)     10:22 Playing time     53:22 2L Records distributed in Australia by Rockian Trading SACD, DSD & and their logos are trademarks of Sony Corporation