Carol Rosenberger, Bosendorfer Imperial Concert Grand Piano
“…for always…I hear lake water lapping with low sounds by the shore” – William Butler Yeats
(the inspiration for Griffes’ “The Lake at Evening,” heard on this disc)
From the program notes by Steven C. Smith: Carol Rosenberger’s “Perchance to Dream” presented a program of music intended, in part, to introduce young people to classical music…and to remind all listeners of music’s great power to heal. The response was extraordinary. We learned that the simple eloquence of its program not only enchanted young listeners; it aided doctors performing delicate surgeries and monitoring patients in intensive care, and provided peace for terminally ill loved ones. With this album Delos offers a sequel, in spirit, to that collection – Reverie, whose name suggests a similar dream state… A retreat, perhaps, but one that can lead to self-renewal. Not surprisingly, some of the works presented here were responses to times of great stress: the effortlessness of Ravel’s Menuet from “Le Tombeau de Couperin” belies its composer’s shattered nerves after the horrors of World War I; Chopin’s elegant miniatures give no hint of the physical pain their composer endured. Other works pay homage to nature, or recall the fragile pleasures of childhood. All, however, bear simple testament to a timeless desire for inner peace.
Press Commentary
On the Air Magazine: “Classical crossover… Dreamy piano music [which] would easily suit a New Age music collection… For romantic occasions, meditation, or even to ease the suffering of those seriously ill… Great works from the classical repertoire, played with a rare sensitivity and technical mastery.”
Daedelus Books: “I have never played a compact disc in my house that has gotten the reaction this one has. I find that I put this disc on constantly. ‘Perchance to Dream’ was a bestseller for us and for Delos. ‘Reverie’ offers a sequel in spirit.”
American Record Guide: “‘Reverie’ delivers just what its title suggests… Bask in the after glow of wistful keyboard selections impeccably played.”
Stereo Review: “Serene renditions of contemplative piano pieces… Perfect for late-night listening… Dreamy in every sense of the word.”
program
DEBUSSY: Arabesque (No. 1)
CHOPIN: Mazurka Op. 17, No. 4 in A Minor
LISZT: By the Lake at Wallenstadt (Au lac de Wallenstadt)
DEBUSSY: Heather (Bruyeres)
CHOPIN: Cradle Song (Berceuse, Op. 57)
FAURE: Nocturne No. 8 in D Flat, Op. 84, No. 8
LISZT: Sancta Dorothea (1877)
RAVEL: Pavane pour une Infante defunte
SCHUMANN: Romance in F sharp, Op. 28, No. 2
HAYDN: Andante (from Sonata in A, Hob1767)
BACH: Sarabande (from French Suite No. 5 in G)
RAVEL: Menuet (from Le Tombeau de Couperin)
SCHUMANN: Reverie (Traumerei from Scenes from Childhood, Op. 15)
GRIFFES: The Lake at Evening (Op. 5, No. 1)
LISZT: Consolation III in D Flat
