Regina Chernychko - Anton Rubinstein: Fantasia in E minor; Five Pieces ; Trot de cavalerie

Anton Rubinstein always regretted that his status as an elite pianist eclipsed his reputation as a composer. Recent recordings have shown that his music is melodically distinguished and attractive, as these two major works from the mid-1860s show. Cast on a wide canvas, the Fantasia in E minor conforms to Romantic grandeur in its gestures, which also include Beethovenian echoes in the finale. The Five Pieces are condensed character studies, evoking Chopin and Schumann, and ending with a brilliant Toccata. The Trot de cavalerie, a march for mounted troops, was a popular genre in the 19th century.