César Cui - Complete Piano Music, Vol. 1 (Marco Rapetti)

Information

Composer: César Cui

• 3 Morceaux, Op. 8
• Scherzino (For the Magazine Semya I Shkola, 1879)
• 12 Miniatures, Op. 20 (1882)
• Piano Suite, Op. 21 («À François Liszt», 1883)
• 6 Miniatures, Op. 39 (1886)
• À Argenteau, Recueil De Neuf Pièces Caractéristiques, Op. 40 («Au Comte Et À La Comtesse De Mercy-Argenteau», 1887)
• 3 Mouvements De Valse, Op. 41 (1888)

Marco Rapetti, piano

Date: 2026

Label: Piano Classics

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This recording presents the first complete performances of Romantic-era piano miniatures by César Cui, an often-overlooked member of the ‘New Russian School’ known as The Mighty Handful. Though Cui played a pivotal role as a music critic and promoter of Russian nationalist music, his own compositions reflect a Central European style influenced by Chopin and Schumann. Pianist Marco Rapetti explores Cui’s works from 1877 to 1888, including Trois morceaux Op.8, Trois mouvements de valse Op.41, the Suite Op.21 dedicated to Liszt, and the nine pièces caractéristiques Op.40, dedicated to the Count and Countess de Mercy-Argenteau. The album highlights charming miniatures, mazurkas, and serenades that showcase Cui’s nuanced, poetic voice.

Marco Rapetti is an Italian pianist, musicologist, and educator renowned for his wide-ranging scholarship, performances, and recordings. A graduate of the Conservatory of Genoa, he pursued advanced studies at institutions including the Juilliard School, where he earned Master’s and Doctoral degrees, and later a second PhD in musicology from the University of Florence. Rapetti has performed globally, premiering forgotten works, championing rare repertoire, and collaborating with leading artists. His recordings include rediscovered French, Russian, and Busoni works, while his research spans cognitive psychology, musical memory, and musicological reconstruction. He teaches at the Conservatory of Florence, has published extensively, and has been recognized with numerous awards, including honorary membership in the Accademia delle Arti e del Disegno of Florence.