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The name of Friedrich
Lips is well known in international musical circles and by
many he is regarded as "The Greatest Accordionist Alive". Lips's
artistry has certainly made a huge impact on the development of
the accordion in general.
I have had the opportunity to hear
Lips perform live many times, and the impression his performance
leaves is totally awesome. It is one of those performances where
you think about it and remember it for days after the concert
- that is how powerful his mastery is. His recordings make an
equally high impression.
Lips opens up his program with
Mozart's organ work Fantasie No. 1, F minor, Andante and Allegro.
This is a piece of rare beauty where Lips achieves the impressive
grandiosity of the pipe organ, at the same time putting filigree
work on the style. His knowledge and understanding of the classical
style is tremendous and so convincing that it leaves the listener
thinking "That is it! And it couldn't be any other way!" I felt
the same way after hearing the Scarlatti Sonates. His performance
is "just perfect" - tempo wise, touch wise, timing, just right
expression, and so different to many performances I have heard
so far. It is that "little bit" that makes all the difference.
As famous Russian pianist, Professor Neigauz wrote "A 'little
bit' too fast or slow, a 'little bit' too much or too little expression,
tiny little bit out of timing and - it is already not that!" In
Lips's case that 'little bit' (which is hardest to achieve) is
PERFECT.
This recording also includes two
very important works by Zolotaryov - Partita No1 and Sonata No2.
Initiated by Lips who played the premiere of the Sonata No. 2,
the finale showed for the first time in the history of the accordion
the bellows technique of "ricochet".
Awesome performance! A "must have"
in the phono-library of any classical accordionist.
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