Grenzgänge: Frescobaldi To Pärt

Playing a fine-sounding Steinway, German pianist Alexandra Sostmann invites us to cross borders and centuries with a thoughtful programme that takes us from Pärt to Frescobaldi, but Frescobaldi refracted through the early 20th-century prism of Respighi. United by the sonority of the modern piano, Sostmann’s journey collects pieces also written for the harpsichord and organ and presents them in a way that seems to collapse time. Having Ligeti and Pärt sandwiched between composers from centuries earlier makes for a fascinating dialogue. Sostmann, a compelling guide throughout, has a powerful technique, and her authority in the great Bach “Chaconne”—arranged for left hand by Brahms—is masterly.