Sonata No. 2 / Complete 24 Preludes

Rachmaninov+%28Russia%2C+1873+-+Los+Angeles%2C+US%2C+1943%29+wrote+almost+all+of+his+major+works+between+1901+and+1917.+In+the+same+period%2C+Sch%26ouml%3Bnberg%2C+Stravinsky%2C+Bart%26oacute%3Bk+and+Hindemith+were+paving+the+way+for+entirely+new+musical+goals.+Rachmaninov+was+one+of+the+last+romantics%2C+a+stranger+in+his+time.+But+for+piano+music+and+playing%2C+Rachmaninov+was+an+innovator+and+a+revolutionary.+One+of+the+greatest+pianists+of+his+time%2C+he+created+a+new+way+of+playing+the+piano.+An+entirely+new+%26%2339%3Bsymphonic%26%2339%3B+concept+of+piano+music+was+born.+He+was%2C+perhaps%2C+the+first+to+exploit+the+fabulous+percussion+possibilities+of+the+instrument+to+the+full%2C+to+create+intense+effects+of+expression+and+colour.+%3Cbr+%2F%3EWith+his+Second+Sonata+opus+36%2C+Rachmaninov+wrote+a+masterpiece+that+is+still+relatively+unknown+among+the+general+public.+At+the+time%2C+the+composer+was+obsessed+with+the+carillons+of+Russian+Orthodox+churches%2C+which+he+incorporated+impressively+into+the+sonata.+In+1931%2C+Rachmaninov+modified+the+sonata.+The+Preludes+opus+3+%281892%29%2C+opus+23+%281901-04%29+and+opus+32+%281910%29+all+contain+characteristics+of+Rachmaninov%26%2339%3Bs+more+popular+style%2C+with+an+abundance+of+memorable+melodies+and+a+unique+combination+of+endearing%2C+deceptively+simple+harmonies+and+complex+chromaticism.++Marietta+Petkova+%28b.+1968%2C+Bulgaria%29+won+the+Grand+Prix+of+the+1978+National+Piano+Competition.+She+graduated+from+the+local+conservatory+in+1986+with+the+school%26%2339%3Bs+Gold+Medal%2C+spent+a+year+at+the+Music+Academy+Sofia%2C+studying+with+Lili+Atanassova+and+Gina+Tabakova%2C+and+two+years+at+the+Hochschule+f%26uuml%3Br+Musik+und+Darstellende+Kunst+in+Vienna%2C+under+Paul+Badura-Skoda.+In+1989%2F90+she+was+Resident+Artist+at+The+Banff+Centre+for+the+Arts+in+Canada.+In+1990+she+decided+to+live+in+Amsterdam%2C+The+Netherlands%2C+where+she+studied+with+Jan+Wijn+at+the+Sweelinck+Conservatorium%2C+graduating+in+1994+with+the+highest+possible+distinction.+Since+1989%2C+she+took+lessons+with+Gy%26ouml%3Brgy+Seb%26ouml%3Bk+%281922-1999%29%2C+who+turned+out+to+be+an+invaluable+source+of+inspiration+for+her.+She+won+prizes+in+prizes+in+Italy%2C+Czechoslovakia+%2C+Bulgaria%2C+Portugal%2C+Austria%2C+Switzerland+and+The+Netherlands.+In+1993+she+was+awarded+the+prestigious+title+Laur%26eacute%3Bate+Juventus+in+France.+She+is+Steinway+Artist.+For+her+CD%26%2339%3Bs%2C+she+prefers+the+authenticity+of+live+recordings+to+studio+work.+%3Cbr+%2F%3ESpiritual+profoundness%2C+virtuosity+and+versatility+seem+to+have+melted+together+into+veritable+artistry%2C+received+with+open+arms+by+press+and+public.+She+performs+all+over+Europe%2C+in+Northern+America%2C+and+in+Japan%2C+mostly+with+solorecitals+and+as+a+soloist+with+renowned+orchestras%2C+but+also+as+a+beloved+chamber+musician.