Composer: Modest Mussorgsky, Sergey Prokofiev
Performer: Steven Osborne
Format: FLAC (tracks)
Label: Hyperion
Catalogue: CDA67896
Release: 2013
Size: 924 MB
Recovery: +3%
Scan: yes
Mussorgsky: Pictures at an Exhibition
01. Promenade 1
02. I. Gnomus
03. Promenade 2
04. II. Il castello vecchio “The Old Castle”
05. Promenade 3
06. III. Tuileries
07. IV. Bydlo “The Oxcart”
08. Promenade 4
09. V. Ballet of the Chickens in Their Shells
10. VI. Samuel Goldenberg and Schmuÿle
11. Promenade 5
12. VII. The Market at Limoges
13. VIIIa. Catacombae “Sepulcrum romanum”
14. VIIIb. Cum mortuis in lingua mortua
15. IX. The Hut on Fowl’s Legs “Baba-Yaga”
16. X. The Great Gates of Kyiv
Prokofiev: Sarcasms, Op. 17
17. I. Tempestoso
18. II. Allegro rubato
19. III. Allegro precipitato
20. IV. Smanioso
21. V. Precipitosissimo
Prokofiev: Visions fugitives, Op. 22
22. I. Lentamente
23. II. Andante
24. III. Allegretto
25. IV. Animato
26. V. Molto giocoso
27. VI. Con eleganza
28. VII. Pittoresco
29. VIII. Commodo
30. IX. Allegretto tranquillo
31. X. Ridicolosamente
32. XI. Con vivacità
33. XII. Assai moderato
34. XIII. Allegretto
35. XIV. Feroce
36. XV. Inquieto
37. XVI. Dolente
38. XVII. Poetico
39. XVIII. Con una dolce lentezza
40. XIX. Presto agitatissimo e molto accentuato
41. XX. Lento
Steven Osborne has become one of the most valuable pianists recording today. His recent complete Rachmaninov Preludes release was critically acclaimed as the greatest modern version since Ashkenazy. Now he turns to further cornerstones of the Russian repertoire in this recording of Musorgsky’s Pictures from an Exhibition (a work which has been in Osborne’s concert repertoire for many years), and two sets of Prokofiev’s miniatures.
Musorgsky’s masterpiece is one of the most popular programmatic works of the 19th century. Yet it is also a great pianistic challenge, with the spectacular textures of the climactic movement ‘The Great Gate of Kiev’ requiring the highest technical accomplishments.
David Fanning writes of Prokofiev’s Visions fugitives: ‘Prokofiev supplies snapshots of his most characteristic moods—sometimes grotesque, sometimes incantatory and mystical, sometimes simply poetic, sometimes aggressively assertive, sometimes so delicately poised as to allow the performer and the listener to make up their own minds.’ Osborne’s subtle, yet brilliant use of colour and characterization makes him the ideal performer of this set. Sarcasms—as befits the title—is an experimental, provocative work, performed by Osborne with biting humour.