Rachmaninoff Complete Solo Piano Works

Dr. Wael Farouk will be performing the complete solo piano works of Rachmaninoff in five recitals between October 2013 and May 2014 at Ganz Hall. This is the first cycle of Rachmaninoff’s solo works to be offered in Chicago. The concert series are dedicated Solomon Mikowsky.

Program 1. October 26: The Complete Preludes Op. 23 & 32, and the Corelli Variations.

Program 2. November 15: The complete Etudes Tableaux Op. 33 & 39, and the Variations on a Theme by Chopin.

Program. 3. February 22: Three Nocturnes, Five Fantasy Pieces Op. 5, Piano Sonata No.1, Op. 28.

Program 4. March 7: Seven Pieces Op. 10, Six Moments Musicaux Op. 16.

Program 5. May 3: Complete Transcriptions, Piano Sonata No. 2, Op.36, miscellaneous pieces.

Wael Farouk imposed from the first chords of Bach’s Partita in C Minor a gravity of tone, a height of view that belongs only to the greatest. – La Tribune Le Progrès

Here is piano playing that brings chills to the flesh, performed with a rare virtuoso technique. – David Dubal

A virtuosity and an expression without equal. – La Tribune Le Progrès

Absolute virtuosic mastery. – Westfalen-Blatt Bielefelder Zeitung

One of the best renditions of the Rachmaninoff Third Concerto I’d ever heard. – New York Concert Review

Wael Farouk is, without a doubt, a formidable and magnificent pianist . . . Of the most interesting and individualistic I have heard in a long time. – New York Concert Review

Mr. Farouk simply lived and breathed the music with the poetry of a born artist. – New York Concert Review

Breathtakingly poetic – New York Concert Review

Here was . . . absolutely masterful playing. – New York Concert Review

With his history-making concert, pianist Wael Farouk speaks to social inequities and is ready to reach higher. – Chicago Tribune

A very special musical genius. – Al Ahram Weekly

Wael Farouk is a completionist… a marathon man in music world -Chicago Tribune

Completely the virtuoso. – Wilhemshavener Zeitung

An audacious and inventive pianist. – La Tribune Le Progrès

The way Mr. Farouk sailed through the piece, as if daydreaming out loud, made masses of notes seem merely incidental. That is how it should be, but only when one hears it does one realize how rare it is. – New York Concert Review

Mr. Farouk daringly showed his mastery and discipline over all sorts of technical hurdles and was even more impressive in making a breathtakingly poetic, singing tone. – New York Concert Review

Absolute pianistic brilliance. Technically, one can hardly imagine more pearly runs and differentiated articulation and arpeggios. – Westfalen-Blatt Bielefelder Zeitung

Pianist Wael Farouk is a ‘super-virtuoso.’ – New Jersey Star-Ledger

Wael Farouk played the highly virtuoso, technically challenging solo part with absolute mastery. – Nordwest Zeitung

Tremendous music making, the kind that defies and transcends any and all challenges. – New York Concert Review