Piano Works Vol 2

Anu Vehviläinen · Karol Szymanowski

2012 · ABCD 337

Credits

Performers: Anu Vehviläinen — Piano
Composers: Karol Szymanowski

About this release

Karol Szymanowski (1882-1937)
Piano Works Vol 2
Fantasia for piano in C major, Op. 14
Masks op. 34
Two mazurkas for piano op. 62
parts op. from 50 Twenty mazurkas for piano
Anu Vehviläinen, piano
The new album Karol Szymanowski - Piano Works Vol 2 features the composer's three piano pieces, Fantasia for piano in C major, Op. 14, Masks op. 34, Two mazurkas for piano, op. 62 as well as four pieces from the work Dokkinta mazurka for piano op. 50. Anu Vehviläinen, who is deeply familiar with Szymanowski's violin and piano production, will be heard as the interpreter of the works.
• Fantasia, composed in 1905, represents musically extravagantly abundant late romanticism
• The background stories of the Masks composed in the period 1915-1916 are seemingly unrelated, but Szymanowski connects these separate legends by giving them a common title: Sheherazade is inspired by the Persian-Arabic story collection One Thousand and One Nights, Narri-Tantris is based on the Celtic myth of Tristan and Isolde, while the last part confronts the Spanish female hero Don Juan.
• Born in 1924-1925, the series Twenty mazurkas op. 50 forms a "universal Polish" synthesis, which combines the special features of Tatra music and the dance trot of the traditional mazurka. Opus 50 is divided into five booklets of four masurkas, the first of which is heard on this disc.
• Szymanowski's last published works were Two Mazurkkas from 1934 op. 62.
The album is a continuation of Szymanowski's Piano Works Vol 1 CD Alba ABCD 296

Tracks

Fantasia in C for Piano Op. 14 (1905)
1.Gravecomp. Karol Szymanowski (1882-1937)ISRC FIABA12000013:44
2.Non troppo allegro, ma molto passionato e affettuosocomp. Karol Szymanowski (1882-1937)ISRC FIABA12000025:53
3.Allegro molto, deciso, energicocomp. Karol Szymanowski (1882-1937)ISRC FIABA12000035:29
Masques – Three Pieces for Piano Op. 34 (1915-1916)
4.No. 1 Shéhérazadecomp. Karol SzymanowskiISRC FIABA120000411:34
5.No. 2 Tantris der Narrcomp. Karol SzymanowskiISRC FIABA12000056:49
6.No. 3 Sérénade de Don Juancomp. Karol SzymanowskiISRC FIABA12000066:51
from Twenty Mazurkas for Piano Op. 50 (1924-1925)
7.No. 1 Sostenuto – Molto rubatocomp. Karol SzymanowskiISRC FIABA12000072:33
8.No. 2 Allegramente – Poco vivacecomp. Karol SzymanowskiISRC FIABA12000082:26
9.No. 3 Moderatocomp. Karol SzymanowskiISRC FIABA12000092:51
10.No. 4 Allegramente, risolutocomp. Karol SzymanowskiISRC FIABA12000103:20
Two Mazurkas for Piano Op. 62 (1933-1934)
11.No. 1 Allegretto graziosocomp. Karol SzymanowskiISRC FIABA12000112:49
12.No. 2 Moderatocomp. Karol SzymanowskiISRC FIABA12000123:16

Reviews

Its quirky rhythms and modality align this assertive piece with the Scriabin mazurkas and their own elusive mixture of musical styles.
Audiophile Audition · Gary Lemco · January 30, 2013
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”Anu Vehviläisen verkkaisesti etenevässä Karol Szymanowskin (1882-1937) pianomusiikin levysarjassa on kaikki laadun merkit. […] C-duuri-fantasia op. 14, pääteoksiin lukeutuva Maskit op. 34 sekä masurkat opuksista 50 ja 62 huumaavat Vehviläisen säihkyvästi ja määrätietoisesti tulkitsemina.”
Jukka
Humalluttavaa Szymanowskia
Kirkastettua myöhäisromantiikkaa
”Musiikin tohtori Anu Vehviläinen on ennättänyt Karol Szymanowskin pianoteosten kokonaislevytyksessä toiseen levyyn. […] Vehviläisen tulkitsemana Szymanowskin musiikissa on kiven painokkuutta, mutta yksityiskohdat ja ääriviivat erottuvat keveinä ja kirkkaina.
Vehviläinen helpottaa myöhäisromantiikan paksuutta erottelemalla tekstuurista olennaiset linjat, ja pitämällä loput luomassa runollista tunnelmaa. Hän malttaa myös viipyillä suvantokohdissa, joten…
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