Congratulations to Maria Stratigou on becoming the first pianist to record and release the complete Études of Louise Farrenc.
Released today (14 October) by Grand Piano Records and distributed by NAXOS, this collection is the first in a new series focussing on the piano music of the lesser-known French composer.
It was produced and engineered at the RNCM by Maria, who completed her PhD in 2021 and is currently studying as a CPD student with Adam Swayne. She writes in the liner notes:
‘When I read Bea Friedland’s book on Louise Farrenc’s life and music I was astonished by the seriousness and depth of her musical studies, her continuous work and research on music, and the number of similarities with artists nowadays regarding the struggles and challenges of establishing themselves in the music profession. What is so special about these works is the plethora of musical styles and the optimum balance of technique and musicality. As a pianist and researcher my job was to make my performance decisions through a detailed analysis of the scores, and choose what I thought would be the most accurate representation of the pieces. I hope my recordings will make Louise Farrenc’s music better known among music lovers and help give this remarkable composer the recognition that she deserves.’
