TRACKLISTING

CD 1

MOZART
Piano Concerto no.9 in E flat major, K271
1. I Allegro (10.42)
2. II Andantino (13.17)
3. III Rondeau: Presto – Menuetto: Cantabile – Tempo I (10.45)
(Cadenzas: Mozart, “B” set)

HAYDN
4. Variations in F minor, Hob.XVII/6 (11.38)

MOZART
Piano Sonata in F major, K533/494
5. I Allegro (7.55)
6. II Andante (9.38)
7. III Rondo: Allegretto (7.23)

CD 2

BEETHOVEN
Piano Sonata no.13 in E flat major, op.27 no.1
1. I Andante – Allegro – Tempo I (4.47)
2. II Allegro molto e vivace (2.00)
3. III Adagio con espressione (3.05)
4. IV Allegro vivace – Tempo I – Presto (6.30)

SCHUBERT
Piano Sonata in B flat major, D960
5. I Molto moderato (15.17)
6. II Andante sostenuto (9.10)
7. III Scherzo: Allegro vivace con delicatezza (4.05)
8. IV Allegro, ma non troppo (9.19)

BEETHOVEN
9. Bagatelle, op.33 no.4 (3.33)

SCHUBERT
10. Impromptu in G flat major, op.90 no.3, D899 (6.16)

BACH, arr. BUSONI
11. Chorale Prelude ‘Nun komm’ der Heiden Heiland’
(from BWV 651-668) (5.44)

ALFRED BRENDEL Piano

Wiener Philharmoniker
Sir Charles Mackerras

14 December 2008, Grosser Sendesaal, Landesfunkaus
Niedersachsen, Hannover (solo recital)
18 December 2008, Musikverein, Vienna (concerto)

RECORDING INFORMATION

Alfred Brendel has for many years been among the world's greatest pianists; in concert, recital and on many best-selling recordings. Here, in his last CD release, recorded in the year of his retirement (2008), he gives his final public performances in solo recital and in concert - revealing a master musician in total command of his art

This 2CD digipak souvenir set captures these two memorable occasions;

Recorded live in Hanover, Brendel's farewell recital featured composers with whom he is most closely associated throughout his career - with a set of variations by Haydn, and sonatas by Mozart, Beethoven and Schubert.

It is fitting that Alfred Brendel's final public performance should be in Vienna's beautiful Musikverein, with the Wiener Philharmoniker - an orchestra with whom he has enjoyed a long and fruitful collaboration. The concert was conducted by Sir Charles Mackerras, marking the end of an exceptional partnership between pianist and conductor.

The booklet includes Brendel's own notes on the recital repertoire, and tributes from Sir Charles Mackerras and Prof. Dr. Clemens Hellberg of the Vienna Philharmonic - as well as a farewell statement from Alfred Brendel himself.

"Exquisite thrills as a titan bids farewell"
Daily Telegraph, London

"The end of my concert career in December 2008, after sixty years on stage, was planned well in advance. I enjoyed looking forward to challenges of a different kind, and calmly anticipated my final performances."
Alfred Brendel

"After so many years with Alfred at the top of his profession it is hard to imagine musical life without his unique presence." Sir Charles Mackerras