Denis Kozhukhin

New recording: Johannes Brahms Ballades & Fantasies

Denis Kozhukhin releases his second recording on Pentatone on 3 February, Brahms’ Ballades and Fantasies.

This is his first solo recording for the label, and follows a disc of Grieg and Tchaikovsky concertos released in 2016. His Pentatone debut was selected Gramophone Editor’s Choice and Disc of the month in both Fono Forum and Stereophone, with Gramophone commenting: “listening to Kozhukhin, you’re left with one thing: the music – incontestable, complete.”

Writing about the Ballades and Fantasies in the CD booklet, Kozhukhin says:

“These works by Brahms reflect the many aspects of the life of a great man; the intellect of an exceptional mind and the emotions of a profoundly sensitive human being.

From the Ballades with their resonance of a young man wondering about an uncertain future, to the Phantasies, with their sickening contrasts, which move from the despair of a man who suffered great loss to the powerful resilient strength of a human being who refuses to accept the approaching end.”

Visit Pentatone’s Soundcloud to hear a preview of the recording. The recording is available to buy from Pentatone directly, or on Amazon and iTunes from 3 February 2017.