Credits:

Christof Keymer

Description:

A rare collection featuring the complete piano works of Otto Nicolai, renowned as the founder of the Vienna Philharmonics predecessor ensemble and as the composer of works such as *The Merry Wives of Windsor*. After fleeing his fathers strict upbringing and leaving home at age 16, Nicolai honed his skills in Berlin and Rome. In the 1840s, he served as Kapellmeister to the Imperial Court in Vienna, and in 1842, he played a key role in founding the ensemble that would become the Vienna Philharmonic. He developed a unique style that fused the robust structure of German music with the lyrical spirit of Italian opera, but he died suddenly at the age of 38 due to illness.This album features his complete piano works, which embody classical balance and the free-spirited creativity characteristic of the Romantic era. The Sonata in D minor, with its majestic structure, features bel canto-style melodie