BACH + FORTH
SACRED & SECULAR KEYBOARD TRANSCRIPTIONS
BRAHMS • BUSONI • KEMPFF • MELIKYAN • SILOTI
Hayk Melikyan
Acclaimed pianist Hayk Melikyan presents a delightful yet substantialprogramme of J.S. Bach’s works transcribed for the piano. The Clavier-Übung III contains some of Bach’s most technically demanding compositions for the organ and Melikyan brings to life the beauty of these sacred works showcasing Bach’s unparalleled mastery of counterpoint and emotional depth. Contrasting secular compositions include the beloved Air on the G String, transcribed by the pianist and Brahms’ powerful Chaconne for Left Hand. Melikyan’s interpretations are a celebration of Bach’s enduring legacy, offering a rich tapestry of sound that continues to inspire and elevate the spirit.
11 CHORALE PRELUDES FROM CLAVIER-ÜBUNG III | ||
1 | Kyrie, Gott Vater in Ewigkeit (Prelude) BWV 672 | 1:31 |
2 | Christe, aller Welt Trost (Prelude) BWV 673 | 1:31 |
3 | Kyrie, Gott heiliger Geist (Prelude) BWV 674 | 1:30 |
4 | Allein Gott in der Höh'sei Her' (Prelude) BWV 675 | 4:49 |
5 | Allein Gott in der Höh'sei Her' (Fughetta) BWV 677 | 0:53 |
6 | Dies sind die heil'gen zehn Gebot' (Fughetta) BWV 679 | 1:52 |
7 | Wir glauben all' an einen Gott (Fughetta) BWV 681 | 1:54 |
8 | Vater unser im Himmelreich (Prelude) BWV 683 | 1:43 |
9 | Christ, unser Herr, zum Jordan kam (Prelude) BWV 685 | 1:47 |
10 | Aus tiefer Not schrei' ich zu dir (Prelude) BWV 687 | 4:05 |
11 | Jesus Christus, unser Heiland (Fugue) BWV 689 | 5:56 |
BACH | WILHELM KEMPFF (1895-1991) | ||
12 | Siciliana from the Flute Sonata nr.2 | BWV 1031 | 4:12 |
BACH | ALEXANDER SILOTI (1863-1945) | ||
13 | Prelude in B minor | BWV 855a | 4:21 |
BACH | FERRUCIO BUSONI (1866-1924) | ||
14 | Ich ruf' zu dir, Herr | BWV 639 | 4:31 |
BACH | HAYK MELIKYAN (b. 1980) | ||
15 | Air on the G String | BWV 1068 | 5:32 |
BACH | JOHANNES BRAHMS (1833-1897) | ||
16 | Chaconne for Left Hand | BWV 1004 | 17:18 |
ABOUT THE ARTIST
HAYK MELIKYAN is celebrated as a most versatile and imaginative performer. Equally at home in 20th Century and Contemporary music as in the classical and baroque repertoire, he is recognised by classical music audiences and critics as one of today’s most engaging, virtuoso pianists. Melikyan started playing the piano with Irina Grishinskaya and later continued his professional studies with Professor Alexander Gourgenov at the Yerevan Komitas Conservatory. He leads an active concert life, playing throughout Europe, Asia, and the Americas on prestigious stages such as Amsterdam’s Concertgebouw, Geneva’s Victoria Hall, Tokyo’s Suntory Hall, Lisbon’s Gulbenkian Grand Auditorium, and Teatro Solis in Montevideo, Uruguay. He is a frequent performer at international music festivals. Melikyan is a laureate of many International Piano Competitions. The Armenian Musical Assembly awarded him the esteemed Komitas Medal in 2008, and Moscow Composers Union bestowed him their Golden Medal in 2012. In 2013, he received the Title of Honorary Artist of Armenia.
A champion of contemporary music, in 2009 Melikyan launched 1900+; a series on 20thcentury piano music; and in 2020, 2000+ to promote music from the current century. He received the Armenian Ministry’s Golden Medal for 1900+ in 2024. BBC Music Magazine named him “a Musical Hero for his promotion of contemporary music.”
Hayk Melikyan has collaborated with many renowned performers, composers and conductors, including Kristof Barati, Francesco Dillon, Valery Gergiev, Gyorgy Kurtag, Tigran Mansurian, Gianluca Marciano, Diego Martin-Etxebarria, Edgar Moreau, Krzysztof Penderecki, Hugo Ticciati, and Pēteris Vasks.