Han Chen - Rubinstein: Piano Sonatas Nos. 3 & 4 (2026)

Anton Rubinstein stood at the heart of Russian musical life for nearly half a century and had a profound influence on generations of Russian musicians, including Tchaikovsky. His piano sonatas reveal a composer intent on uniting intellect and passion within a symphonic conception of the keyboard. With its heroic, noble themes, the Third Piano Sonata was Rubinstein’s own favourite of the set. The final Piano Sonata No. 4 represents the composer at the height of his creative command, pouring a lifetime of emotions into a single piece and distilling the paradoxical tensions between intellect and impulse, Germanic structure and Russian ardour. Sonatas Nos. 1 and 2, played by Han Chen, can be heard on 8.573989.

Tracklist
01. Piano Sonata No. 3 in F Major, Op. 41: I. Allegro risoluto e con fuoco
02. Piano Sonata No. 3 in F Major, Op. 41: II. Allegretto con moto
03. Piano Sonata No. 3 in F Major, Op. 41: III. Andante
04. Piano Sonata No. 3 in F Major, Op. 41: IV. Allegro vivace
05. Piano Sonata No. 4 in A Minor, Op. 100: I. Moderato con moto
06. Piano Sonata No. 4 in A Minor, Op. 100: II. Allegro vivace
07. Piano Sonata No. 4 in A Minor, Op. 100: III. Andante
08. Piano Sonata No. 4 in A Minor, Op. 100: IV. Allegro assai