Born in Kiev in 1925, Igor Shamo studied with the elder statesman of modern Ukrainian art music, Boris Lyatoshinsky. Schumann, Mussorgsky and Rachmaninov were the giants of the past who seized the young Shamo's attention, and traces of their impassioned, lyrically centered idioms may be discerned throughout the early works on the first portion of this new recording such as the Ukrainian Suite, Classical Suite and Shamo's own take on Pictures at an Exhibition in his suite of Pictures by Russian Painters. The second portion is occupied by two more substantial cycles, of 12 Preludes from 1962 and six impressionistic Aquarelles from a decade later - both the appreciation and execution of painting was important to Shamo throughout his life. The final portion gathers up piano pieces throughout Shamo's career, from the Marche fantastique, which so impressed the professors of the Kiev Conservatoire when the composer elected at the last minute to play it for his entrance exam, to three dances composed in 1972 and inspired by the folk culture of nearby Soviet republics, Armenia, Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan. A counterpoint to their uncomplicated charms may be found in the three Songs of Friendship from 1954, in which Shamo treats melodies from Poland, Romania and what was then Czechoslovakia. Though jazz and minimalist techniques periodically surface in Shamo's music, it bears the stamp of it's Soviet times in it's generally sunny character and clearly laid-out forms - though the serenity of the Ninth Prelude is answered by the machine-gun-fire Tenth, and BartÃ³k casts a shadow over this music almost as often as Prokofiev. Dmitri Tchesnokov is, like Shamo, a native of Kiev, born in 1982 and long resident in France, where he pursues a career as both composer and pianist, as well as founding a directing a well-established festival of contemporary piano music in Paris.

Tracklist:

Ukrainian Suite: I. Duma
Ukrainian Suite: II. Vesnyanka
Ukrainian Suite: III. Melody
Ukrainian Suite: IV. Dance
Pictures By Russian Painters: I. Troika
Pictures By Russian Painters: II. Summer Evening
Pictures By Russian Painters: III. Morning In The Woods
Pictures By Russian Painters: IV. Volodymyrka
Pictures By Russian Painters: V. Little Birch Tree
Pictures By Russian Painters: VI. Country Dance
Pictures By Russian Painters: VII. Vesnyanka
Classical Suite: I. Prelude
Classical Suite: II. Menuet
Classical Suite: III. Aria
Classical Suite: IV. Courante
Classical Suite: V. Gavotte
Classical Suite: VI. Gigue
Hutsul Aquarelles: I. Sunrise In The Mountains
Hutsul Aquarelles: II. Musicians Ascend A Mountain
Hutsul Aquarelles: III. Little Shepherd
Hutsul Aquarelles: IV. Spring Rain
Hutsul Aquarelles: V. Haivka
Hutsul Aquarelles: VI. Shepherd's Dance
12 Preludes: I. Prelude In C-Dur
12 Preludes: II. Prelude In A-Moll
12 Preludes: III. Prelude In G-Dur
12 Preludes: IV. Prelude In E-Moll
12 Preludes: V. Prelude In D-Dur
12 Preludes: VI. Prelude In H-Moll
12 Preludes: VII. Prelude In A-Dur
12 Preludes: VIII. Prelude In Fis-Moll
12 Preludes: IX. Prelude In E-Dur
12 Preludes: X. Prelude In Cis-Moll
12 Preludes: XI. Prelude In H-Dur
12 Preludes: XII. Prelude In Gis-Moll
Tarasovi Dumy: I. My Thoughts, My Thoughts...
Tarasovi Dumy: II. Nothing Sweeter Than A Young Mother...
Tarasovi Dumy: III. Ukraine Was Worried...
Tarasovi Dumy: IV. My Heart Takes Me To A Quiet Garden, In Ukraine
Tarasovi Dumy: V. Break The Chains!
Tarasovi Dumy: VI. In The Steppe
Songs Of Friendship: I. Czech Song
Songs Of Friendship: II. Polish Song
Songs Of Friendship: III. Romanian Song
Toccata
Horovodna
Humoresque
Three Dances: I. Uzbek Dance
Three Dances: II. Azerbaidjani Dance
Three Dances: III. Armenian Dance
Scherzo
Fantastic March

UPC: 5029365101523
Label: Piano Classics
Release Date: 2.1.19
Format: CD

Dimitri Tchesnokov - Complete Piano Music (CD)