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TCHEREPNIN, ALEXANDER (1899–1977)

Complete Piano Music • 5


  • Giorgio Koukl, piano

Volume 5 of Alexander Tcherepnin’s complete piano music focuses on miniatures written at both ends of his career. The Eight Preludes, nicknamed the “little fleas” on account of their frequent leaps, and the exotic Arabesques were among the pieces the young composer brought to Paris from Tiblisi in his suitcase. Written during the last decade of the composer’s life, the mostly unknown and unpublished Twelve Pieces contain evocative scenes of childhood, while Opivochki or “Little Leftovers” are among his last works.

This recording was made on a modern instrument: Steinway, Model D

Tracklist

 
8 Preludes, Op. 9 (1920) (00:08:32 )
1
No. 1. Moderato (00:01:22)
2
No. 2. Lent (00:01:43)
3
No. 3. Rubato (00:00:40)
4
No. 4. Sostenuto (00:00:57)
5
No. 5. Lento (00:01:07)
6
No. 6. Agitato (00:00:51)
7
No. 7. Rubato (00:00:45)
8
No. 8. Sostenuto tranquillo (00:01:03)
 
Arabesques, Op. 11 (1921) (00:05:23 )
9
No. 1. Andantino (00:01:38)
10
No. 2. Allegro vivo (00:01:27)
11
No. 3. Allegretto (00:00:57)
12
No. 4. Presto (00:01:20)
 
12 Pieces (1969) (00:09:57 )
13
No. 1. Moderato * (00:00:55)
14
No. 2. Lento * (00:00:38)
15
No. 3. Animato * (00:00:41)
16
No. 4. Agitato - No. 5. — * (00:01:10)
17
No. 6. Molto animato * (00:00:46)
18
No. 7. Lento * (00:01:15)
19
No. 8. En allant * (00:01:23)
20
No. 9. — * (00:00:32)
21
No. 10. Lento * (00:01:10)
22
No. 11. Ascension * (00:00:53)
23
No. 12. Jeu de cubes * (00:00:31)
 
Opivochki, Op. 109 (1977) (00:30:55 )
24
No. 1. Lento * (00:00:49)
25
No. 2. Moderato * (00:00:29)
26
No. 3. Slowly * (00:01:19)
27
No. 4. Very slowly * (00:01:09)
28
No. 5. — * (00:00:46)
29
No. 6. For the beginning of a merry Pickwick overture * (00:00:21)
30
No. 7. — * (00:00:26)
31
No. 8. So sad at heart * (00:00:54)
32
No. 9. Animato * (00:00:21)
33
No. 10. — * (00:00:53)
34
No. 11. — * (00:00:42)
35
No. 12. — * (00:00:23)
36
No. 13. — * (00:00:37)
37
No. 14. — * (00:00:42)
38
No. 15. — * (00:00:47)
39
No. 16. — * (00:00:48)
40
No. 17. Animato * (00:00:54)
41
No. 18. Recitando * (00:00:53)
42
No. 19. — * (00:00:25)
43
No. 20. — * (00:01:02)
44
No. 21. — * (00:00:52)
45
No. 22. Lento * (00:01:14)
46
No. 23. Mesto * (00:00:47)
47
No. 24. — * (00:01:04)
48
No. 25. Lento * (00:01:30)
49
No. 26. Lento * (00:00:43)
50
No. 27. Andantino * (00:00:22)
51
No. 28. — * (00:00:20)
52
No. 29. En allant * (00:00:39)
53
No. 30. Animato * (00:00:27)
54
No. 31. Moderato * (00:00:31)
55
No. 32. Left hand * (00:00:54)
56
No. 33. Lento * (00:00:20)
57
No. 34. — * (00:00:41)
58
No. 35. — * (00:01:12)
59
No. 36. Grave * (00:01:58)
60
No. 37. Lento * (00:00:41)
61
No. 38. Lento * (00:00:27)
62
No. 39. — * (00:01:17)
* World Première Recording
Total Time: 00:54:23

The Artist(s)

Giorgio Koukl Giorgio Koukl is a Czech pianist/harpsichordist and composer. He studied at both the Conservatories of Zürich and Milan, where he took part in the masterclasses of Nikita Magaloff, Jacques Février and Stanislas Neuhaus, and with Rudolf Firkušný, friend and advocate of Czech composer Bohuslav Martinů. It was through Firkušný that Koukl first encountered Martinů’s music, prompting him to search out his compatriot’s solo piano works. Since then he has developed these into an important part of his concert repertoire and is now considered one of the world’s leading interpreters of Martinů’s piano music. As a logical continuation of this work, Koukl has recorded the complete solo piano works of Paul Le Flem, Alexander Tcherepnin, Arthur Lourié, Vítězslava Kaprálová, Witold Lutosławski, and more recently, Alexandre Tansman, Vittorio Rieti and Tibor Harsányi.

The Composer(s)

Alexander began playing piano and composing at an early age. By his late teens he had composed several hundred pieces, thirteen piano sonatas among them. For a more extensive biography of Alexander Tcherepnin, and information about his works and compositional techniques, visit the Tcherepnin Society website at www.tcherepnin.com.

Reviews

“If anyone who doesn’t know Tcherepnin’s music hears this disc they will find themselves completely captivated and will want to own the entire set.” – MusicWeb International