NEW YORK, Jan. 3, 2013 /PRNewswire/ – Sony Classical is proud to announce a new recording by pianist Emanuel Ax of four significant sets of Variations by four titanic composers: Haydn, Beethoven, Schumann, and Copland.  Variations is available on Tuesday, January 22, 2013.

One of the best known classical musicians of our time and winner of multiple Grammy awards for both solo and chamber performances, Ax believes that the Variations format is the great composer’s way of showing consummate artistry. “I think people like Beethoven, Haydn, and Schumann show what great compositional virtuosos they are in these pieces.”

The pianist points out that each of these sets of Variations is unusual, “each revolutionary in its own way.” He has also discovered that they go very well together in a concert program. Now, surely to the worldwide delight of fans of virtuoso classical piano performance, he presents them together on a recording as well.

The album features Beethoven’s Variations and Fugue for Piano in E-flat major, Op. 35, commonly known as the Eroica Variations because it’s built partly on the famous theme of the Eroica Symphony. It also includes Haydn’s Andante with Variations in F minor (Hob. XVII:6), also known as the Keyboard Sonata “Un piccolo divertimento.”

The Symphonic Etudes Op. 13 by Robert Schumann, a very difficult piece and a recent addition to the pianist’s repertoire, round out the CD version of the release. However, a bonus track of the great American composer Aaron Copland’s Piano Variations is also included with purchase of a digital download only. Mr. Ax describes this less well known piece as “very ‘in your face’ – there are beautiful things in it and it’s a very powerful piece, and [in the opening] it’s a real expression of the piano as a percussion instrument.”

In the pianist’s life, says Mr. Ax, “we’re so centered on the sonata style. What’s nice sometimes is to look at other ways to deal with structure, other ways to deal with expression, other ways to deal with forming your thoughts.” As a great and longtime admirer of the Variations idea, he is perhaps the ideal interpreter to bring this love to life in the recording studio. These pieces also represent the planned repertoire of some of his upcoming solo performances. (In addition, Mr. Ax is an Artist in Residence with the New York Philharmonic at Lincoln Center for much of its 2012-2013 season.)

SOURCE Sony Classical

Web Site: http://www.sonymusic.com

NASHVILLE, Tenn., April 16, 2012 /PRNewswire/ — Tommy Emmanuel will embark on a 31-date U.S. and Canadian tour beginning May 14th at the Ryerson Theatre in Toronto. Tickets can be found at www.tommyemmanuel.com.

Twice GRAMMY nominated guitar virtuoso, Tommy Emmanuel is considered a master of many genres including jazz, rock, blues, and country music.  He has been described as the most charismatic, soulful and technically brilliant “fingerstyle” guitarist today.  Emmanuel’s approach to fingerstyle playing was inspired by the great, Chet Atkins.  The bass line is played with the thumb while the melody is played with the first two or three fingers.   Emmanuel’s extraordinary musicianship and influence has not gone unnoticed. He has been honored with numerous awards throughout the world including most recently, The Emblem of Rome , 2011′s CMA Global Artist Award, and in 2010 he received the Queen’s Member of the Order of Australia as well as Guitar Player Magazine’s Guitar Legend award.

The Emblem of Rome medal was presented to Australian guitarist, Tommy Emmanuel for his contribution to the arts in Rome by Mayor Gianni Alemanno during the inauguration ceremony of the newly refurbished Piazza San Silvestro.  Emmanuel is the first musician ever to receive the award. The prestigious award was also awarded to the legendary James Taylor later that day.

This tour will blanket the U.S. and Canada. To support these appearances, local PBS stations will be airing his TV special, Tommy Emmanuel and Friends: Live From The Balboa Theatre which features artists from his recent Little by Little CD including Anthony Snape, Pam Rose, Frank Vignola and Vinny Raniolo. The show was filmed in HD for PBS Television, and has been airing on PBS stations in the U.S. since last June.

Tour Dates:

For more information, please go to www.tommyemmanuel.com

SOURCE Tommy Emmanuel

Web Site: http://www.tommyemmanuel.com

Purchase Tommy Emmanuel’s Little By Little CD on Amazon.