Frédéric Chopin - Impromptus; Waltzes; Mazurkas (Pavel Kolesnikov)

Information

Composer: Frédéric Chopin

1. Fantasy Impromptu in C sharp minor, Op. 66 
2. Waltz in A flat major, Op. 69 No. 1 
3. Waltz in D flat major, Op. 70 No. 3 
4. Waltz in A flat major, KKIVa/13 
5. Sostenuto in E flat major 'Waltz', KKIVb/10 
6. Impromptu No. 1 in A flat major, Op. 29 
7. Mazurka in C minor, Op. 30 No. 1 
8. Mazurka in C sharp minor, Op. 30 No. 4 
9. Mazurka in A minor, Op. 7 No. 2a 
10. Mazurka in E major, Op. 6 No. 3 
11. Mazurka in C sharp minor, Op. 41 No. 4 
12. Impromptu No. 2 in F sharp major, Op. 36 
13. Mazurka in B major, Op. 56 No. 1 
14. Mazurka in B major, Op. 63 No. 1 
15. Mazurka in F minor, Op. 63 No. 2 
16. Mazurka in A flat major, Op. 41 No. 3 
17. Fantasy in F minor, Op. 49 
18. Impromptu No. 3 in G flat major, Op. 51 

Pavel Kolesnikov, piano

Date: 2019

Label: Hyperion

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Review

In 2016, the London-based Russian pianist Pavel Kolesnikov released a CD of 24 mazurkas by Chopin and I ended my review by lauding it as "one of the most appealing Chopin discs I’ve ever come across". For me, the recording established the pianist's credentials as a top-notch Chopin player, so I approached this latest offering with keen anticipation. Kolesnikov's rise to popularity since his spectacular win in Canada’s Honens International Piano Competition in 2012 has landed him a prestigious contract with Hyperion, and by my reckoning this is his fifth album for the label. Meanwhile, he has been described as a storyteller and poet of the keyboard and a pianist of unique individuality.

Carefully considered and well-managed, this intelligently planned programme mirrors the sort of thing Kolesnikov does in his recitals. I witnessed this for my myself at the International Ribble Valley Piano Week back in 2018. The sequencing of the Chopin pieces appears reasoned. The four impromptus provide a stabilizing structure around which groups of pieces, waltzes and mazurkas coalesce.

The romantically-themed middle section of the Fantasy Impromptu, Op. 66 is seasoned with one or two very attractive improvised embellishments of which, I am sure Chopin would have approved, while the recording of the Impromptu No. 2 in F sharp major, Op. 36 is the finest I have ever heard and a high point on the disc. The hymn-like opening looks forward to the Berceuse. The radiant voicing of chords at bar 30 and the diaphanous filigree in the preceding bar are magical, and the demisemiquavers at bar 82 are pearl-like.

The selection of waltzes begins with Op. 69, No. 1, often referred to as "The Farewell Waltz" or "Valse de l'adieu". Adopting a slower tempo than most in the first section, Kolesnikov gives a real feel of regret and nostalgia to this performance, with a ray of hope in the cheerful second part. Op. 70, No. 3 is one of my favorites and I love the way Kolesnikov eloquently shapes that gorgeous left-hand melody from bar 33. Two contrasting rarities follow without a break, the sprightly posthumous A flat waltz, and the doleful Sostenuto in the E flat waltz. Listening to these four waltzes makes me hope that the pianist will set down a full cycle sometime in the future.

There's a group of nine mazurkas which complement Kolesnikov’s release alluded to in the beginning of my review. Rhythmic elasticity, metric freedom, myriad colour and subtle, tastefully applied rubato add up to a winning combination. Op. 30, No. 4 is one of the lengthiest and most substantial the composer ever penned. It is also one of the most, if not the most, technically demanding of the mazurkas. Stylized and audacious, its florid gestures and rhythmic variety give it a narrative quality. Kolesnikov has the work at his fingertips. The arpeggiated chords at the start are cleanly and crispy articulated, mimicking a guitar's fandango rhythms. Op. 41, No. 1 demonstrates the pianist’s gift for creating an overarching structure. From simple beginnings, the work opens out into grandiose octave chords, only to die away as it began. Melancholy and deep sadness imbue the forlorn F minor Mazurka Op. 63, No. 2.

The large-scaled Fantasy in F minor is given a dramatically assured reading, imaginatively structured and dispatched with virtuosic brilliance.

For this recording Kolesnikov chose a Yamaha CFX piano, a well-regulated instrument with a striking range of sonority and colour, ideal for this composer's music. The Concert Hall, Wyastone Estate provides the perfect ambiance of intimacy and warmth. All in all, Chopin playing doesn't get much better than this.

— Stephen Greenbank

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Frédéric Chopin (1 March 1810 – 17 October 1849) was a Polish Romantic composer and virtuoso pianist. A prodigy from Warsaw, he moved to Paris at 21, where he spent the rest of his short life. Although often in poor health, he produced a remarkable body of piano-centered works, including nocturnes, mazurkas, waltzes, polonaises, études and two piano concertos. His music, which is known for technical brilliance and innovative harmony, helped shape musical nationalism and late-Romantic style. Chopin's iconic status, dramatic life, and early death made him one of the enduring symbols of the Romantic era.

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Pavel Kolesnikov (born 25 February 1989) is a Russian pianist. After studying both piano and violin from childhood, he focused on piano and trained at leading institutions in Russia, the United Kingdom and Belgium under renowned teachers. A winner of many international competitions, he has received prestigious honors, including the Milstein Medal, and was a BBC Radio 3 New Generation Artist. Kolesnikov has performed with major orchestras and at renowned venues and festivals worldwide. His recordings, particularly of Tchaikovsky and Chopin, have earned widespread critical acclaim and distinguished awards.

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