When did you first get to know Dvoráks Piano Concerto in G minor?
I’ve known about this Piano Concerto since I was very little. And honestly from the beginning to the end it’s a great piece. For Russians the best-known recording was Richter’s – he championed the piece and played the original version. And I’ve always liked it – it’s a very beautiful piece, and neglected. About a year ago the producer of Bridge Records, David Starobin, and I started talking about doing a project, something a bit offbeat. And that’s when I thought of the Dvorák Piano Concerto, and then it seemed like I should do some solo pieces too. Dvorák has written an amazing amount of solo piano music – I admit I didn’t know much about it so I got scores to read through, and chose some pieces from the Poetic Tone Pictures. I fell in love with them. It’s really a project full of love and passion. But this isn’t a particularly well-known piano concerto… Pianists in general are spoilt as we have such an immense repertory. Some concertos are less interesting musically than, say, Dvor
