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Kornauth: Piano Music Vol. 1 / Powell
Toccata

Kornauth: Piano Music Vol. 1 / Powell

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Details

Composer
KORNAUTH, EGON
Artist
Jonathan Powell
Format
CD
Label
Toccata
Released
Mar 26, 2013
Catalog #
TOCC0159
UPC
5060113441591

About

The music of the Czech-born Viennese composer Kornauth (1891-1959) was once a staple of Austrian concert-halls. It has been largely forgotten in the half-century since his death. In this pioneering recording, British pianist Jonathan owell uncovers the many strands that fed into Kornauth’s rich and full-bodied compositions.

REVIEW:

This is the first full disc of piano music by Egon Kornauth, a composer born in what is now Olomouc in the Czech Republic (and was then Olmütz) who studied with Robert Fuchs in Vienna and then later with Schreker and Franz Schmidt.

Jonathan Powell is one of the most eloquent commentators on the music he plays I have come across, whether that be Sorabji or Kornauth, and his booklet note is a source of great interest. The angular, active Fantasy (1915) contains distinctly Richard Straussian turns of harmony and phrase in the sweet contrasting themes (that influence is less obvious in the more Schwung sections); the overt lush Straussian gestures sound more like a reduction of an orchestral tone poem. The op. 25 Klavierstücke (1920) are more modernist, probably because of his experiences of Schreker. The first is decidedly Bergian (think the op. 1 Piano Sonata), while the central Improvisation sounds exactly like that. Most fascinating is the final “Walzer,” a very sprightly evocation of Viennese dance, a bit like an Austro-Germanic Ravel La Valse in places.

The Kleine Suite (1923) has fewer ambitions than the other works on the disc and receives another fantastic performance from Powell. The Barcarolle (third movement) sums the suite up in essence, reflecting the less demanding demeanor of the piece, while the penultimate “Walzer” elicits a phenomenally light touch from Powell before the cheekily scampering Finale rounds things off with a smile.

The Präludium und Passacaglia offers maximal contrast, the B♭-Minor twilight of Bachian rigor and severity of the Prelude meeting the storm clouds of Chopin’s finest turbulence; the Passacaglia continues the gloominess. Powell paces it superbly: The close is truly crushing before the final surprise major-key end. The op. 44 Klavierstücke of 1940 is also sometimes known as the Second Suite. It is shot through with sweet nostalgia. The five pieces (“Präludium”; “Intermezzo”; “Capriccio”; “Mährische Ballade”; “Walzer”) speak of sweet nostalgia. Powell lavishes them with an attention to detail that almost makes them sparkle (in a retrospective sort of way). The “Mährische Ballade” (Moravian Ballad) is the highlight. Its almost folkish mode of discourse hides a strong compositional rudder steering the work perfectly; the final “Walzer” is the suite’s longest movement, and drips with charm.

This is a fascinating disc (as we are beginning to expect from Toccata Classics). The recording (made at Durham University, U.K.) is excellent.

-- Fanfare

Tracklist 18 tracks

  1. 1 Fantasy in E-Flat Major, Op. 10 13:04
    Track
    1
    Title
    Fantasy in E-Flat Major, Op. 10
    Duration
    13:04
    Composer
    Egon Kornauth
    Performer
    Jonathan Powell
  2. 2 No. 1. Praeludium 04:19
    Track
    2
    Title
    No. 1. Praeludium
    Duration
    04:19
    Composer
    Egon Kornauth
    Performer
    Jonathan Powell
  3. 3 No. 2. Improvisation 05:16
    Track
    3
    Title
    No. 2. Improvisation
    Duration
    05:16
    Composer
    Egon Kornauth
    Performer
    Jonathan Powell
  4. 4 No. 3. Walzer 03:58
    Track
    4
    Title
    No. 3. Walzer
    Duration
    03:58
    Composer
    Egon Kornauth
    Performer
    Jonathan Powell
  5. 5 I. Praludium 01:46
    Track
    5
    Title
    I. Praludium
    Duration
    01:46
    Composer
    Egon Kornauth
    Performer
    Jonathan Powell
  6. 6 II. Intermezzo 01:56
    Track
    6
    Title
    II. Intermezzo
    Duration
    01:56
    Composer
    Egon Kornauth
    Performer
    Jonathan Powell
  7. 7 III. Barcarole 01:32
    Track
    7
    Title
    III. Barcarole
    Duration
    01:32
    Composer
    Egon Kornauth
    Performer
    Jonathan Powell
  8. 8 IV. Ländler 02:00
    Track
    8
    Title
    IV. Ländler
    Duration
    02:00
    Composer
    Egon Kornauth
    Performer
    Jonathan Powell
  9. 9 V. Notturno 03:00
    Track
    9
    Title
    V. Notturno
    Duration
    03:00
    Composer
    Egon Kornauth
    Performer
    Jonathan Powell
  10. 10 VI. Walzer 02:15
    Track
    10
    Title
    VI. Walzer
    Duration
    02:15
    Composer
    Egon Kornauth
    Performer
    Jonathan Powell
  11. 11 VII. Finale 01:36
    Track
    11
    Title
    VII. Finale
    Duration
    01:36
    Composer
    Egon Kornauth
    Performer
    Jonathan Powell
  12. 12 Praludium 03:01
    Track
    12
    Title
    Praludium
    Duration
    03:01
    Composer
    Egon Kornauth
    Performer
    Jonathan Powell
  13. 13 Passacaglia 10:15
    Track
    13
    Title
    Passacaglia
    Duration
    10:15
    Composer
    Egon Kornauth
    Performer
    Jonathan Powell
  14. 14 I. Praludium 02:11
    Track
    14
    Title
    I. Praludium
    Duration
    02:11
    Composer
    Egon Kornauth
    Performer
    Jonathan Powell
  15. 15 II. Intermezzo 01:55
    Track
    15
    Title
    II. Intermezzo
    Duration
    01:55
    Composer
    Egon Kornauth
    Performer
    Jonathan Powell
  16. 16 III. Capriccio 03:16
    Track
    16
    Title
    III. Capriccio
    Duration
    03:16
    Composer
    Egon Kornauth
    Performer
    Jonathan Powell
  17. 17 IV. Mahrische Ballade 03:04
    Track
    17
    Title
    IV. Mahrische Ballade
    Duration
    03:04
    Composer
    Egon Kornauth
    Performer
    Jonathan Powell
  18. 18 V. Walzer 04:32
    Track
    18
    Title
    V. Walzer
    Duration
    04:32
    Composer
    Egon Kornauth
    Performer
    Jonathan Powell