Contrasts - Sonata for Two Pianos & Percussion

Alpha is launching a collaboration with the Ensemble Intercontemporain and its new artistic director, composer-conductor Matthais Pintscher. Noted for his interpretations of contemporary music, Pintscher developed an affinity for repertoire of the late 19th and 20th centuries. This album features two works by Bela Bartok, a leading composer of the early 20th-century, and three concertos by Romanian composer Gyorgy Ligeti, one of the most important composers of the late 20th-century. Founded in 1976, Ensemble Intercontemporain is a Paris-based contemporary music ensemble of 31 soloists who are dedicated to music from the 20th and 21st centuries. Hideki Nagano (piano), Pierre Strauch (cello), and Jeann e-Marie Conquer (violin) are all featured on this album.