Distinguished Hungarian composer Sándor Balassa’s philosophy on his music is that it ‘has to be whole, beautiful, interesting and appealing; as natural as if it were this way since the beginning of time, and so that anyone can pick it up with a feeling of joy.’ Balassa’s uniquely sophisticated textures, timbres and lyrical style can be heard here in pieces for young pianists, remarkable works originally written for cimbalom, and in the Baroque references and sweeping momentum of the Sonatina No. 1.
“I was introduced to the music of Sándor Balassa when I was 12 years old. Years later, the 81-year-old composer kindly put his trust in me and asked me to record all of his piano works. I found a surprising and pleasant diversity in them, more than I had expected, which made me want to play the music even more. Balassa’s lyrical compositional style and his sophisticated application of tone and timbre lends a unique style to all his works. I heartily recommend these works for everyone to listen to or play, as I am certain that everyone will find in them as much pleasure as I did when I was learning them!” (István Kassai)
© Grand Piano