Alexander Karpeyev debut disc

Russian Emigré Composers

Prokofiev Visions fugitives Op.22 Nos. 1,4,8,9,11,14,15,18,19
Medtner Sonata-Ballade Op. 27
Grechaninov Op. 78/1-2, Op. 61/2,5,6
Rachmaninov Nyne otpushchayeshi from the All-Night Vigil Op. 37
Fragments (1917)
Etude-Tableaux Op. 39/7
Stravinsky Three Movements from Petroushka


Students of this blog will recognize this as the disc of the recital that Alexander Karpeyev toured internationally during 2017, the anniversary of the 1917 Russian revolution.  This original and excellent programme features the composers who left Russia immmediately before or after 1917: Prokofiev, Medtner, Grechaninov, Rachmaninov and Stravinsky.

All the music is chosen to illustrate the ‘final flowering’ of these composers between 1910 and 1919.  After leaving Russia, maintaining a distinctive voice was not easy for any of them.  Each of the émigrés developed their own relationship to Russia after leaving.  Prokofiev returned home permenantly after 15 years living in France and the US.  Medtner settled in London while Grechaninov, Rachmaninov and Stravinsky ended up in the US.  All struggled to maintain their creativity after 1917.

Karpeyev is a Medtner specialist and the Sonate-Ballade Op. 27 grows with each listening.  The Finale is particularly winning with its rich melodic inspiration and glittering ornamentation.  The Grechaninov character pieces are all very well characterized, and the recital reaches the apex of its nostalgia for old Russia with a marvelous rendition of the "Nyne otpushchayeshi" from Rachmaninov’s All-Night Vigil and the Etude-Tableaux Op. 39/7 with – what could be more Russian – its climax of pealing bells.

The piano is in very good shape and the recording in St Bartholomew's Church in Brighton sets the piano at a slight distance in a resonant acoustic.  The airy sound does least favours to the Prokofiev Visions Fugitives.  Coupled with a romantic performance, the result is slightly unfocused.

The famous Stravinsky showpiece from Petroushka is given a dazzling performance, awash with colour and very strongly characterized.  There were many details I’d never heard before and the expressiveness was a welcome contrast to the famous speed-fest version from Maurizio Pollini.  Not that Karpeyev is exactly slow, just that the story-telling which is inherent in this score is given more space to weave its magic.

This recording beautifully captures Karpeyev’s qualities and sound world: virtuosity led by musicality of great poetry and refinement.  A very fine debut with no doubt more to come.  

Alexander Karpeyev in full bloom

Recital: "1917 The Final Flowering"

PROKOFIEV Vision Fugitives, Op. 22 Nos. 1, 3, 8-11, 14-15, 18-20
MEDTNER Sonate-Ballade, Op. 27
GRECHANINOV Prelude Op. 78 No. 1
Lullaby Op. 78 No. 2
Waltz Op. 61 No. 5
Reproche Op. 61 No. 6
Caprice Op. 61 No. 2
RACHMANINOV ‘Nïne otpuschayeshi’ from All-Night Vigil, Op. 37 (arr. Rachmaninov)
Fragments
Etude-Tableux, Op. 39 No. 7
STRAVINSKY Three movements from Petrouchka (arr. Stravinsky)

Alexander Karpeyev, piano

Savile Club, London, 22 June 2017

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2017 is of course the 100 year anniversary of the Russian Revolution.  A seismic event in so many ways, Russian music was forever changed also. 

Alexander Karpeyev

Russian pianist Alexander Karpeyev here gave a fascinating and satisfying programme built around works from around 1917 by Russian emigres.  All left Russia before or straight after the revolution, and had greatly varying relationships with their homeland afterwards.  

Some like Rachmaninov never returned.  Others like Prokofiev and Medtner did, not that they got along once back in their homeland.  "His playing was good, if a bit boring", the prickly Prokofiev wrote in his diary after a Medtner recital.

No such problems on this night.  Karpeyev has a burgeoning reputation as an interpreter of the period and at a sweltering Savile Club it was not hard to hear why.  Karpeyev's magnificent technique combined with a powerful artistic vision of each piece.  Medtner's Sonate-Ballade benefited greatly from this kind of advocacy and reached an engulfing conclusion.  Karpeyev, amongst other things, is the Artistic Director of the International Medtner Festival.

Rachmaninov, and - a composer new to me - Grechaninov were broadly aligned in their lush late-romantic sound worlds.  Karpeyev strongly characterised each miniature.  A particularly magical moment was a rarely heard piano arrangement of Nyne otpuschayeshi from Rachmaninov's All Night Vigil.  In the original the conclusion requires "octavists", especially low bases customarily found in Russian choirs who sing one octave lower than the normal bass voice.  The piano also concluded deep in its lower registers.

After the pealing bells of Rachmaninov's Opus 39/7 Etude-Tableux, we were left with that most thrilling of 20th century piano showpieces - the Three Movements from Petrouchka.  Stravinsky never thought much of the piano, considering it essentially a percussion instrument.  But what an exercise in rhythm it is, with a stupefying set of technical hurdles for the performer to jump.  Karpeyev's performance was technically spectacular but also brought out its musicality, with transitions particularly beautifully handled.  It was an overwhelming musical experience and brought the audience most deservedly to their feet.