Roslavets: Piano Music

CDA66926

Recording details: August 1996
St George's, Brandon Hill, United Kingdom
Produced by Andrew Keener
Engineered by Tony Faulkner
Release date: June 1997
Total duration: 73 minutes 35 seconds

PREIS DER DEUTSCHEN SCHALLPLATTENKRITIK

'Hamelin's playing remarkably demonstrates a phenomenal set of fingers and a hyper-accurate ear. Variable but exotic and intriguing music, immaculately played' (Classic CD)

'Roslavets is ideally served by Hamelin who relishes the elaboration and sorts it out with his customary acuteness of ear for quality and balance of sound' (BBC Record Review)

'This finely recorded recital confirms Hamelin's place as one of the most enterprising and virtuosic performers of our day' (Gramophone)

'Canadian super-pianist Marc-André Hamelin captures their individuality and multilayered complexity with superb aplomb' (The Irish Times)

'Marc-André Hamelin, the thinkers' virtuoso, has restored a major composer to history. Wonderful music ... [the] performances are a miracle of dexterity and understatement' (Soundscapes, Australia)

'Roslavets is a most compelling musical presence. For those interested in digging beneath the surface of 20th-century Russian culture, musical and social, grab this disc' (American Record Guide)

Nikolay Roslavets (1881-1944)

Piano Music

Marc-André Hamelin (piano)

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LISTEN TO ALL EXTRACTS

		Three Compositions
1		Adagio: Nobilissimo [1'04]
2		Agitato con passione [0'41]
3		Allegretto grazioso [1'04]
		Three Etudes
4		Affetamente [4'47]
5		Pianissimo: Con dolce maniera [3'18]
6		Burlando [5'07]
7		Piano Sonata No 1 [10'58]
		Prelude
8		: Largo [3'49]
		Two Compositions
9		Quasi Prélude: Très modéré [2'16]
10		Quasi Poème: Lent [3'44]
11		Piano Sonata No 2 [11'34]
		Two Poems
12		Allegretto – Fervido [2'10]
13		Moderato – Sempre poco rubato [2'19]
		Five Preludes
14		Andante affettuoso [1'50]
15		Allegretto con moto [1'59]
16		Lento [2'28]
17		Lento [1'38]
18		Lento – Rubato [2'05]
19		Piano Sonata No 5 [10'44]

Roslavets was the most radical of all Russian musical innovators in the early decades of the twentieth century. His so-called 'new system of tone organization' involves highly original manipulation of 'synthetic chords' and transposition throughout the twelve degrees of the chromatic scale. As for so many composers, the genre of the piano miniature became Roslavets' chosen vehicle for much of this experimentation.

The pieces on this recording span much of the composer's mature career, from the Three Compositions of 1914 to the Sonata No 5 of 1923 (the three Sonatas presented here are numbered 1, 2 and 5—Nos 3 and 4 are lost). The Three Études are among the most daunting of piano music around, using as many four staves at moments of emotional climax.

(As a point of reference, Roslavets' piano music may best be compared to the later works of his compatriot Scriabin—Hamelin goes so far as to say 'Scriabin on acid'!)

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