"This recording represents the culmination of my research and promotion of the 48 keyboard sonatas of Daniel Gottlob Türk (1750-1813). Until now, these sonatas have remained as buried treasure, virtually unknown to the musical community at large. I strongly believe that pianists, early keyboard performers, teachers, and musicologists will discover untapped riches in these expressive and elegant works. The sonatas' correlation to central stylistic and aesthetic concepts discussed in the composer's own influential musical treatise Klavierschule (1789) make their reincorporation into the standard repertoire desirable and perhaps even crucial." – Michael Tsalka

"Tsalka is an intellectual philosopher, who has much to say about keyboard literature, a highly intelligent performer, with great musical knowledge." –Ober Badische Zeitung, Juergen Scharf, September 23, 2009

Daniel Gottlob Türk is best known for his influential pedagogical treatise Klavierschule (1789). His 48 inventive and varied keyboard sonatas were influenced by Sonatas of other North German composers such as C. P. E. Bach and J. W. Hässler. The five historical keyboards employed in this recording reflect the diversity of the instruments available in Türk's day. The twelve sonatas encompassed in his first and second collections show how the composer's sensitive, at times dramatic, oratorical style relates beautifully to the nuanced expressive capabilities of these instruments.

CD1 6 KEYBOARD SONATAS: COLLECTION I (1776)

SONATA NO. 1 IN C MAJOR, HedT.97.1.1 (12:19)
1  Allegretto (05:10)
2  Un poco adagio (02:43)
3  Allegro (04:26)
SONATA NO. 2 IN B FLAT MAJOR, HedT.97.1.2 (12:46)
4  Allegro grazioso (07:13)
5  Largo (01:27)
6  Tempo di minuetto (04:06)
SONATA NO. 1 3 IN D MAJOR, HedT.97.1.3 (14:10)
7  Allegro di molto (07:40)
8  Largo e tenero (02:52)
9  Un poco allegro (03:38)
SONATA NO. 1 4 IN G MINOR, HedT.97.1.4 (12:01)
10  Allegro con spirito (04:51)
11  Andantino. Un poco adagio (02:27)
12  Presto (04:43)
SONATA NO. 1 5 IN A MINOR, HedT.97.1.5 (13:09)
13  Allegro (05:08)
14  Affectuoso (03:24)
15 Allegro spirituoso (04:37)
SONATA NO. 1 6 IN F MAJOR, HedT.97.1.6 (13:30)
16  Moderato (06:14)
17  Adagio (02:44)
18  Rondeau: Moderato (04:32)

TOTAL TIME: 77:55

CD2 6 KEYBOARD SONATAS: COLLECTION II (1777)

SONATA NO. 1 IN D MINOR, HedT.98.2.1 (14:38)
1  Allegretto (06:34)
2  Adagio (03:05)
3  Allegro assai (04:59)
SONATA NO. 2 IN E FLAT MAJOR, HedT.98.2.2 (14:13)
4  Allegro con spirito (06:14)
5  Adagio assai (02:48)
6  Tempo di minuetto (05:11)
SONATA NO. 3 IN A MAJOR, HedT.98.2.3 (09:51)
7  Presto (04:43)
8  Andante (02:38)
9  Prestissimo (02:30)
SONATA NO. 4 IN B FLAT MAJOR, HedT.98.2.4 (14:04)
10   Allegretto grazioso (06:59)
11   Largo molto e tenero (02:40)
12   Allegro assai e scherzando (04:25)
SONATA NO. 5 IN C MINOR, HedT.98.2.5 (13:39)
13   Allegro moderato (05:57)
14   Larghetto (01:41)
15 Allegro spirituoso (06:01)
SONATA NO. 6 IN G MAJOR, HedT.98.2.6 (12:40)
16  Allegro di molto (04:17)
17  Grave (03:24)
18  Poco allegro (04:59)

TOTAL TIME: 79:06

Michael Tsalka has won numerous prizes and awards throughout his career. A versatile musician, he performs solo and chamber music repertoire from the Early Baroque to Contemporary on the modern piano, harpsichord, fortepiano, clavichord, square piano and chamber organ. Michael Tsalka performs throughout Europe, the Americas and Asia, having appeared at the Boston Early Music Festival, the Forbidden City in Beijing, the Mozart Fest in Austin, the Osaka Festival in Japan, the Hermitage Festival in St Petersburg, the Early Keyboard Series in Buenos Aires, amongst others. Tsalka holds a master's degree in chamber music/accompanying, a master's degree in harpsichord performance and a doctorate in piano performance.

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 Watch Michael Tsalka playing a Fazioli Grand Piano F308