Composer: Sergey Prokofiev
Performer: Alina Ibragimova, Steven Osborne
Format: FLAC (tracks)
Label: Hyperion
Catalogue: CDA67514
Release: 2014
Size: 972 MB
Recovery: +3%
Scan: yes
Violin Sonata No. 1 in F minor, Op. 80
01. I. Andante assai
02. II. Allegro brusco
03. III. Andante
04. IV. Allegrissimo
Five Melodies for Violin and Piano, Op. 35b
05. I. Andante
06. II. Lento, ma non troppo
07. III. Animato, ma non allegro
08. IV. Allegretto leggero e scherzando
09. V. Andante non troppo
Violin Sonata No. 2 in D major, Op. 94a
10. I. Moderato
11. II. Scherzo: Presto
12. III. Andante
13. IV. Allegro con brio
Sergey Prokofiev’s output for violin and piano was quite small, and it would have been limited to the Violin Sonata No. 1 in F minor had he not also arranged his Five Songs Without Words and the Flute Sonata in D major, the latter at the request of David Oistrakh. One experiences a degree of discomfort in the Violin Sonata No. 1, which is one of Prokofiev’s more unsettling pieces, due in part to its sinister tone and harsh dissonances, but also to its conflicting expressions. Even so, the lyrical third movement is the work’s most appealing section, and the work as a whole has a rugged integrity that compels listening. Much lighter are the Five Melodies, which are comparatively quiet and sweetly poignant in expression, with little of the previous work’s edginess. The Violin Sonata No. 2 in D major is a highly active piece, with many opportunities for the players to show off their skills, yet its overall feeling is conversational and witty. The performances by violinist Alina Ibragimova and pianist Steven Osborne on this Hyperion album are lively and technically secure, though the violin’s tone is a bit scratchy when the music is fast, and the booming bass of the piano sometimes threatens to throw the balance off.