SearchsearchUseruser

Masarnau: Piano Works - Sevilla, Colom

Masarnau: Piano Works - Sevilla, Colom

Eudora Records  EUD-SACD-2603 (3 discs)

Stereo/Multichannel Hybrid

Classical - Instrumental


Santiago de Masarnau: Piano Works

Claudia Dafne Sevilla, Josep Colom (piano)


This album is dedicated to the piano music of Santiago de Masarnau (1805–1882), a little-known yet significant figure in nineteenth-century Spanish music, whose work reflects the transmission of European Romanticism to Spain. All the works recorded here are presented in their first-ever recordings, offering a rare opportunity to rediscover a neglected repertoire of notable expressive refinement.

Performed by Claudia Dafne Sevilla and Josep Colom, this recording brings Masarnau’s music back to modern listeners, revealing the artistic personality of a composer who remains largely unknown today.

Support this site by purchasing from these vendors using the paid links below.
As an Amazon Associate HRAudio.net earns from qualifying purchases.

amazon.de
amazon.fr
 
 
jpc
 

Also available for streaming and/or download in Hi-Res from these services:

Listen on Presto Music Listen/buy on Qobuz

Add to your wish list | library

 

0 of 0 recommend this, would you recommend it?  yes | no

All
show
Recording
show
hide
DSD recording
Reviews (1)
show
hide

Review by Adrian Quanjer - April 19, 2026

It is not the first time that Eudora Classics has released music by a Spanish composer about whom I knew nothing. With this triple SACD, Santiago de Masarnau surprised me with a complete (?) set of his piano works, played by no one less than the nestor of Spanish pianists, Josep Colom, assisted, or should I say, complemented by his talented female compatriot, Claudia Dafne Sevilla. It’s a real treat, in the sense that it won’t blow you away, but it will give you three hours of pleasingly varied and animated solo and duets drawn from the European piano romantics of the era.

As for the composer: Being an accomplished and well-educated pianist himself, Masarnau knew very well how to conceive, with refined taste, his ballads, the variations and his fantasies. All done in three Volumes of world premiere recordings. For brevity, I refer to Claudia’s liner notes, which will reveal everything there is to know about the composer. Suffice it to say that he played an important role in Spanish musical life in the mid-19th century.

In previous Eudora releases featuring Colom, I have extensively commented on his technical skills, versatility, and mastery of Beethoven, Liszt, and Chopin, and each of them performed equally well, like a chameleon. Not simply as a ‘Jack of all Trades’, but of a mature pianist covering a lifetime of experience. Teaming up with Claudia gives this release extra weight. Her instinctive playing matches Josep’s insight in this delightful recital. Taking turns or playing quatre mains, I found it difficult to hear which of them was at the keyboard.

This is not Beethoven, Liszt or Chopin, but this is what we sometimes need more of: well-structured, life-inspiring piano music to counterbalance the daily hustle and bustle we are endlessly exposed to. Recharging the soul and helping to regain peace of mind. At least that’s what it did to me.
This is a gift to cherish, packaged with Eudora's expert sound engineering, making many commercially produced SACDs blush.

Blangy-le-Château, Normandy, France

Copyright © 2026 Adrian Quanjer and HRAudio.net

Performance:

Sonics (Multichannel):

stars stars