"The relative unfamiliarity of Daniel Gottlob Türk (1750–1813) in contemporary dialogue stands in marked contrast with the popularity of his forty–eight keyboard sonatas at the end of the eighteenth century. Türk’s six kenner sonatas – published the same year as his famous musical treatise, Klavierschule (1789) – provide the performer with excellent opportunities to display virtuosity in conjunction with expressiveness and stylistic sophistication. It was particularly exhilarating to record these works on four historical keyboards from the Collection of Instruments of the Metropolitan Museum of Art."

– Michael Tsalka

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Daniel Gottlob Türk was a North German composer, performer, theorist and pedagogue whose Klavierschule remains a vital source for late 18th century keyboard practice. Türk saw the keyboard sonata as the perfect medium for expressing the boldest and most experimental of ideas, and the Klaviersonaten Grössentheils für Kenner was his only collection dedicated to professional players. Symphonic novelties, exquisite polyphony and extreme contrasts of character and register are vividly brought to life on four historical keyboards from from the Department of Musical Instruments at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York.

sonaTa no. 1 in a MinoR, heDT.104.8.1 (10:27)
1 I. Allegro assai e con spirito (03:33)
2 II. Poco adagio, patetico e sostenuto (03:12)
3 III. Allegro di molto e con fuoco (03:42)

sonaTa no. 2 in e flaT MajoR, heDT.104.8.2 (05:42)
4 I. Poco allegro e grazios (02:42)
5 II. Adagio cantabile e sempre piano (01:40)
6 III. Allegro poco vivo (01:20)

sonaTa no. 3 in b MinoR, heDT.104.8.3 (12:04)
7 I. Allegro con espressione (06:09)
8 II. Adagio cantabile e sempre piano (02:16)
9 III. Allegro poco vivo (03:39)

sonaTa no. 4 in G MajoR, heDT.104.8.4 (11:05)
10 I. (Allegro) (04:39)
11 II. Grave e pomposo (02:25)
12 III. Allegro assai (04:01)

sonaTa no. 5 in b flaT MajoR, heDT.104.8.5 (10:42)
13 I. Moderato assai e grazioso (05:42)
14 II. Largo (01:57)
15 III. Allegro scherzando (03:03)

sinfonia no. 6 in c MajoR, heDT.104.8.6 (09:35)
16 I. Presto (04:41)
17 II. Andante più tosto – Allegretto (02:30)
18 III. Finale: Allegro Assai (02:24)

TOTAL TIME: 59:43

Keyboard performer 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 U.S.A., Canada, Asia, and Latin America. Recent engagements include performances for the Boston Early Music Festival, the Forbidden City Concert Hall in Beijing, the Bellas Artes Theater in Mexico City, the Hermitage Festival in St. Petersburg, and interviews and live performances for radio stations in Hong Kong, Chicago, Buenos Aires and Jerusalem. Tsalka often presents master–classes and lectures around the world. Tsalka was a faculty member at the Esther Boyer College of Music (Temple University) and the Escuela Superior de Musica, National Center for the Arts in Mexico City. Currently, he teaches early keyboards at Lilla Akademien in Stockholm and is a visiting professor at Celaya Conservatory in Guanajuato, Mexico.

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