György Kurtág's recording of his Complete Works for Ensemble And Choir, on which Tamara Stefanovich is playing Kurtág's Piano Concerto ...quasi una fantasia... as well as his Double Concerto has been nominated for a Grammy in the category Best Classical Compendium!
Natalia Zagorinskaya soprano; Gerrie de Vries mezzo-soprano; Yves Saelenstenor; Harry van der Kamp bass; Jean-Guiten Queyras violoncello; Elliott Simpson: guitar; Tamara Stefanovich piano; Csaba Király pianino, spoken word;
Asko/Schoenberg Ensemble / Netherlands Radio Choir
Reinbert de Leeuw conductor
This 3-CD set is a milestone in the documentation of Hungarian composer György Kurtág’s work and also a labor of love. It brings together all of Kurtág’s works for ensemble and for ensemble and choir, presented in chronological order of composition (1959 -2011). The insightful and precise performances bear witness to extensive preparation by the dedicated Asko/Schoenberg Ensemble. Conductor Reinbert de Leeuw speaks of “learning Kurtág’s oeuvre step by step, and performing these pieces repeatedly over a period of twenty years.”, and he consulted extensively with György and Márta Kurtág before and after each session. The extensive CD booklet includes all song texts with translations, an interview with Reinbert de Leeuw, liner notes by Wolfgang Sandner and Paul Griffith, and a statement by György Kurtág.