Anton Rubinstein - Piano Sonatas Nos. 3 & 4 (Han Chen)

Information

Composer: Anton Rubinstein

• Piano Sonata No. 3 in F Major, Op. 41
• Piano Sonata No. 4 in A Minor, Op. 100

Han Chen, piano

Date: 2026

Label: Naxos

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Anton Rubinstein was a central figure in 19th-century Russian musical life whose piano sonatas reflect his ambition to unite intellectual structure with Romantic expressiveness. His works for piano are conceived on a symphonic scale, balancing Germanic formal clarity with distinctly Russian emotional intensity. The Third Piano Sonata, admired by Rubinstein himself, is noted for its heroic character and noble thematic material. The Fourth Sonata, often regarded as the culmination of his cycle, compresses a wide emotional and artistic range into a single work, embodying tension between control and impulse. The sonatas also influenced later Russian composers, including Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky. Recordings of Sonatas Nos. 1 and 2 are performed by pianist Han Chen.

Han Chen is an award-winning pianist recognized for his versatility as a soloist, chamber musician, and recording artist. A Gold Medalist at the 2013 China International Piano Competition and prizewinner at the 2018 Honens International Piano Competition, he trained at The Juilliard School, the New England Conservatory, and the CUNY Graduate Center under distinguished mentors including Yoheved Kaplinsky and Ursula Oppens. Chen has appeared with leading orchestras such as the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra and the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra, and has performed at major venues including Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts. In addition to his performance career, he curates projects highlighting underrepresented composers and has released acclaimed recordings spanning Liszt, Ligeti, Adès, Rubinstein, and Florence Price.