Æternum Eliane Rodrigues

• Johann Sebastian Bach (1685 - 1750): Prelude & Fugue in G Major, BWV 541 (Arr. for Piano):
• 1 Prelude & Fugue in G Major, BWV 541 (Arr. for Piano): Prelude 02:40
• 2 Prelude & Fugue in G Major, BWV 541 (Arr. for Piano): Fugue 04:41
• 3 Fantasia & Fugue in G minor, BWV 542 (Arr. for Piano): Fantasia 06:48
• 4 Fantasia & Fugue in G minor, BWV 542 (Arr. for Piano): Fugue 05:10
• Ludwig van Beethoven (1770 - 1827): Symphony No. 5 in C Minor, Op. 67 (Arr. for Piano):
• 5 Symphony No. 5 in C Minor, Op. 67 (Arr. for Piano): I. Allegro con brio 07:44
• 6 Symphony No. 5 in C Minor, Op. 67 (Arr. for Piano): II. Andante con moto 10:28
• 7 Symphony No. 5 in C Minor, Op. 67 (Arr. for Piano): III. Scherzo. Allegro 05:29
• 8 Symphony No. 5 in C Minor, Op. 67 (Arr. for Piano): IV. Allegro 10:32
• Johann Sebastian Bach: Prelude & Fugue in A Minor, BWV 543 (Arr. for Piano):
• 9 Prelude & Fugue in A Minor, BWV 543 (Arr. for Piano): Prelude 04:24
• 10 Prelude & Fugue in A Minor, BWV 543 (Arr. for Piano): Fugue 06:27
• 11 Toccata & Fugue in D Minor, BWV 565 (Arr. for Piano): Toccata 03:05
• 12 Toccata & Fugue in D Minor, BWV 565 (Arr. for Piano): Fugue 06:31
• Total Runtime 01:13:59

Info for Æternum

ÆTERNUM is a tribute to music's infallible steadfastness against the mundane adversity of human existence. Brazilian-born pianist Eliane Rodrigues convinces with her forceful, furious interpretations of keyboard works by Johann Sebastian Bach and Ludwig van Beethoven – among them the latter's Fifth Symphony, grippingly arranged by Rodrigues herself.

Rodrigues, who currently teaches piano at the Antwerp Conservatoire, is well-known for her prolific output of recordings. ÆTERNUM stands out not only for its celebration of Beethoven and his respected predecessor J. S. Bach, but also for the pianist's ability to uncover the hidden layers of well-known repertoire pieces. The listener encounters a Beethoven of unparalleled vehemence, but also, hauntingly, sees the veil lifted from Bach's sublimity, usually hidden in plain sight. When it comes to the struggle of the limits of individual existence with its desire for the eternal, this is the clearest example one could imagine.

The secret star of the album, however, is Rodrigues' Brahmsian arrangement of Beethoven's Symphony No. 5. The pianistic interpretation of her own arrangement is strikingly Romantic, not Classical: there is no trace of the straight, light-fingered piano technique of the era, but instead a truly Late-Romantic force which is quite appropriate for the subject. Beethoven, who himself was known for his powerful playing style, might very well have approved. But Rodrigues goes even further and infuses her rendition with an abundance of late 19th-century rubato, driving the music to an awe-inspiring frenzy. It's a truly futuristic approach, and possibly how the composer might have imagined his works to be played, had he lived half a century later.

ÆTERNUM, Latin for "everlasting," pays appropriate tribute to this years' jubilarian Beethoven and his great proto-colleague J. S. Bach: the works on this album have stood the test of time, and it's not unlikely that Rodrigues' interpretation thereof will as well.

Eliane Rodrigues, piano

Eliane Rodrigues
was born in Rio de Janeiro. The fact that she was a child prodigy was noticeable at a very early age: she started composing at three, played her first recital at five, and performed with an orchestra at the ages of six and seven. From that moment on, she won prizes at numerous regional and national competitions, going on to win the special prize at the Van Cliburn Competition in the USA when she was just 18. She came in fifth place at the 1983 Queen Elisabeth Competition.

Since then, she has performed in major cities, including: Antwerp, Brussels, The Hague, Moscow, New York, Rio de Janeiro, St. Petersburg, Volgograd and Zurich. For over 20 years, she has been invited to De Doelen in Rotterdam to perform a Chopin recital on Boxing Day.

1998 was a critical year for Rodrigues: she was the key figure in the Swiss Música Romântica festival, at which she not only performed solo, but conducted at and composed for as well.

In addition to this, she has been a lecturer at the Royal Conservatoire of Antwerp for over 20 years.

Plus, she's produced over 25 CDs of both live concerts and studio albums. In 2002, she recorded five Sergey Prokofiev concertos on CD, among other accomplishments.

She most recently recorded all eight of Beethoven's piano concertos in St. Petersburg.

This album contains no booklet.