Mougeot points out in the excellent bookletnotes, this large work is more ofa symphonicpoem than a traditional sonata, with the instrumentalwriting tending to be more orchestralthan virtuosic in nature. It is a passionate workwith an abundance of typical Rachmaninovmelodies, and Capui;;on and Montero give acommitted and deeply satisfying performance.Prokofiev, by coincidence, was also emergingfrom a period of depression in 1949, a yearafter suffering several setbacks in his personallife and being attacked for the "formalism" ofhis music by the Communist Party. His Op.119sonata was written for the 22-year-old Rostropovich,and premiered by him in March of1950. Again, Capui;:on and Montero get to theheart of this outstanding work.Two very effective short transcriptions bythe performers - Rachmaninov 's famousVocalise and the Variation No.18 from hisRhapsody on a Theme of Paganini completean excellent disc.MODERN ANDCONTEMPORARYShostakovich - 24 Preludes and FuguesDavid JalbertATMA ACD22555Shostakovich's set of24 Preludes and Fugues,like Bach's, is monumental - this recordinglasts over 147 minutes. Not surprisingly, it isusually excerpted. Shostakovich, who was anactive concert pianist, never performed thecomplete cycle, even though he intended it asa whole. It has been recorded complete, butperformances are still rare. So it's especiallygood to have Canadian pianist David Jalbertdemonstrate once more just how much is gainedwhen the work is heard as a whole.In Jalbert's hands, lyricism wins out overbravado - to the music's benefit. It's not thathe doesn't handle the virtuosic movementswith aplomb. But he takes every opportunityto reveal the soul of these works. Moods oftenderness, nostalgia and yearning make theseamong Shostakovich's most personalstatements.Jalbert's judicious tempos allow for clearvo icings and transparent textures. Prelude no.8is full of personality, with its sardonic anddeceptively light-hearted edge. In Preludeno.14 Jalbert provides stormy drama, with theasymmetrical meter suggesting an operaticrecitative. The frequent time changes in Fugueno.16 make for a wonderfully off-balancesense of improvisatory dreaminess.It's unfortunate that so much recordedspace has been left between each prelude andits fugue, especially when Shostakovich marksattacca after each prelude. But fortunately thepiano has been recorded closely for clarity, andspaciously for ambience. The naturalness ofthe sound serves to enhance the beauty ofJalbert's playing.Pamela MarglesViva! RodrigoKaori Muraji; Orquestra Sinfonica deGalicia; Victor Pablo PerezDecca 478 0076Already a superstar in her native Japan, KaoriMuraj i signed an exclusive contract withDecca in 2004 and, if this disc is anything to goby, her international reputation will soon matchher domestic one.Muraji has a special affinity for the music ofGautier is joined by his brother Renaud intwo ofmy favourite Brahms works, the DoubleConcerto for Violin & Cello and the ClarinetQuintet. I must admit to being slightlydisappointed with the Concerto, although thisCD has received rave reviews in Europe; it's afine and passionate performance with somewonderful moments, but the Gustav MahlerJugendorchester, made up of Europe's leadingyoung musicians, is a bit brass-heavy in theopening movement with the strings soundingsomewhat muddy. The concerto wasapparently recorded on three consecutive daysin three different cities - Salzburg, Graz andVienna - during the orchestra's 2007 Eastertour, which may possibly have createdproblems with the consistency of balance.The Clarinet Quintet fares much better. Ihave Jong cherished the 1964 recording of thiswork by Gervase de Peyer and the MetosEnsemble ofLondon, but I' ll be playing thisversion a great deal in the future as we ll. PaulMeyer gives a simply beautiful reading of thismost autumnal and nostalgic of works withoutever lapsing into sentimentality, and the playingof the Capui;:on Quartet is equally warm andsympathetic throughout. An outstandingrecording.Terry RobbinsAPRIL 1 - MAY 7 2008WWW. TH EWHOLENOTE.COM65
