Saint-Saëns was both a high romantic and a classicist, and these pieces beautifully combine the best of both of these worlds. I've been compelled by his music ever since performing his Allegro Appassionato as a teenager, which is on this volume. His final large work for piano, the Op. 161 Six Fugues, are a sublime set of virtuoso character pieces, so deeply gratifying to perform. – Geoffrey Burleson

"Burleson plays with enormous flair and style... superb!"
–Fanfare on Naxos (8.559664)

"a top-notch pianist. Burleson's piquancy and poetry blended beautifully." –The Washington Post

Not only was Camille Saint-Saëns a piano virtuoso, eulogised by Liszt amongst many others, but he was one of the most exciting and imaginative of composers for the instrument. He enjoyed taking baroque and classical forms and translating them into his own brand of romantic language, qualities that Geoffrey Burleson explores so adroitly in this second volume of the complete piano music.

His Six Fugues, Op. 161 are masterly and complex character studies, devoid of academic leanings, whilst his famous Allegro Appassionato, Op. 70 possessesbrilliance and lyrical depth. The Thême Varié, Op. 97 is witty and explosive, the Suite, Op. 90 full of charm, and the Allegro, Op. 29 possessed of dazzling breadth.

Suite pour le Piano, Op. 90 (11:10)
2 I . Prélude et Fugue (03:08)
3 II . Menuet (03:40)
4 III . Gavotte (02:13)
5 IV. Gigue (02:09)

6 Allegro appassionato, Op. 70 (05:44)

7 Thème Varié, Op. 97 (06:56)

Six Fugues pour le Piano, Op. 161 (19:51)
8 I . A llegro moderato (04:05)
9 II . Poco allegro – grazioso (02:59)
10 III . A llegretto (02:39)
11 IV. A llegro moderato (02:51)
12 V. A ndantino quasi allegretto (02:28)
13 VI. Maestoso, poco allegro (04:49)

TOTAL TIME: 53:38

Geoffrey Burleson has performed to wide acclaim throughout Europe and North America, and is equally active as a recitalist, concerto soloist, chamber musician and jazz performer. His numerous solo appearances include prominent venues in Paris, New York, Rome, Athens, Mexico City, Rotterdam, Chicago, Boston, Washington, Switzerland, England, Spain, and elsewhere. His appearances as concerto soloist include the Boston Musica Viva, Arlington Philharmonic, New England Philharmonic, and the Holland Symfonia in The Netherlands. A laureate of the International Piano Recording Competition (Silver Medal), and the Vienna Modern Masters International Performers' Competition, he was also the recipient of a DAAD Grant from the German government to support a residency at the Academy of Arts in Berlin. His recordings include the complete piano music of Roy Harris for Naxos.

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"A top-notch pianist. Burleson's piquancy and poetry blended beautifully."
– The Washington Post