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Russian Viola Sonatas / Nelson, Inanga
Sono Luminus

Russian Viola Sonatas / Nelson, Inanga

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Details

Composer
GAIGEROVA WINKLER JUON
Artist
Nelson, Inanga
Format
CD
Label
Sono Luminus
Released
Jul 26, 2011
Catalog #
DSL-92136
UPC
053479213624

About

GAIGEROVA Suite for Viola and Piano. WINKLER 2 Pieces, op. 31. Viola Sonata in c. JUON Viola Sonata in D • Eliesha Nelson (va); Glen Inanga (pn) • SONO LUMINUS DSL-92136 (71:02)

Varvara Adrianovna Gaigerova studied with Heinrich Neuhaus, Georgy Catoire, and Nikolai Miaskovsky at the Moscow Conservatory. The same professors taught Dmitri Kabalevsky, Sviatoslav Richter, and Emil Gilels. Gaigerova eventually became one of the Bolshoi Theatre’s hard-working pianists. In her spare time, she composed works for piano and viola as well as a symphony on Kalmyk themes and songs setting texts by Pushkin. She lived in terribly troubled times. For reasons unknown to us, she stayed in Russia when everyone who could left for greener pastures in Europe and the Americas. We do not know what happened to her during World War II, only that she died in 1944, when she was a mere 40 years old.

Eliesha Nelson’s viola has a warm, cream-laden tone. When you hear her play Gaigerova’s sensuous, heartstoppingly beautiful music, you wonder why we have not heard these works before. The Suite for Viola and Piano has sonorities that remind one a little of Scriabin, although Gaigerova’s composition is not in the least derivative. It begins with a propulsive Allegro agitato that gradually transitions to a slower movement. It finishes with a fast-paced section and a plaintive finale. Nelson brings out the luminous textures of this music with her engaging artistry. Her pianist, Glen Inanga, who plays a Steinway concert grand, is a most skillful partner. His contributions add greatly to the value of this disc. So does the clear and immediate sound of Sono Luminus engineers Daniel Shores and Dan Merceruio.

Alexander Winkler’s Elegiac Meditation is a slow and deliberate piece that begins with harmonious double-stopping. The pace shows off the ability of this violist, whose legato is as smooth as an old-fashioned butterscotch sundae. The next track offers a complete change of mood. La Toupie (The Top) describes the spinning of that once common toy. The viola imitates the rhythmic revolutions of a spinning top or wheel and you can see it whirl in your mind’s eye. To some degree, it is reminiscent of earlier composers’ spinning wheels, but here it is much happier and it injects a needed bit of comic relief into the program. The C-Minor Sonata brings us back to earth with compelling and significant music that touches the inner recesses of the soul. In the concluding variations on a tune from Brittany, the composer takes a beautiful folk tune and displays it in various guises: fast, slow, light, heavy, etc. It’s fun to listen to and you will notice that this finely crafted work is played with accuracy and precision.

Paul Juon is sometimes called the Russian Brahms and is thought to be a link between Tchaikovsky and Stravinsky. His D-Major Sonata brings us a glimpse of rare Northern European sunshine. Nelson and Inanga bring out its uplifting melody with a forward motion that keeps the tension tight. Svetlana Stepchenko and Zoya Abolitz recorded this piece on a Russian disc in 1998, but it is no longer easy to find. In any case, there is no need to look for a better rendition than the one by Nelson and Inanga.

FANFARE: Maria Nockin

Tracklist 21 tracks

  1. 1 I. Allegro agitato 02:36
    Track
    1
    Title
    I. Allegro agitato
    Duration
    02:36
    Composer
    Varvara Andrianovna Gaigerova
    Performer
    Eliesha Nelson, Glen Inanga
  2. 2 II. Andantino 03:06
    Track
    2
    Title
    II. Andantino
    Duration
    03:06
    Composer
    Varvara Andrianovna Gaigerova
    Performer
    Eliesha Nelson, Glen Inanga
  3. 3 III. Scherzo: Presto 04:25
    Track
    3
    Title
    III. Scherzo: Presto
    Duration
    04:25
    Composer
    Varvara Andrianovna Gaigerova
    Performer
    Eliesha Nelson, Glen Inanga
  4. 4 IV. Moderato 04:47
    Track
    4
    Title
    IV. Moderato
    Duration
    04:47
    Composer
    Varvara Andrianovna Gaigerova
    Performer
    Eliesha Nelson, Glen Inanga
  5. 5 No. 1. Elegicka meditacia 04:22
    Track
    5
    Title
    No. 1. Elegicka meditacia
    Duration
    04:22
    Composer
    Alexander Winkler
    Performer
    Eliesha Nelson, Glen Inanga
  6. 6 No. 2. Vl' cik 02:44
    Track
    6
    Title
    No. 2. Vl' cik
    Duration
    02:44
    Composer
    Alexander Winkler
    Performer
    Eliesha Nelson, Glen Inanga
  7. 7 I. Moderato 07:09
    Track
    7
    Title
    I. Moderato
    Duration
    07:09
    Composer
    Paul Juon
    Performer
    Eliesha Nelson, Glen Inanga
  8. 8 II. Adagio assai e molto cantabile 06:13
    Track
    8
    Title
    II. Adagio assai e molto cantabile
    Duration
    06:13
    Composer
    Paul Juon
    Performer
    Eliesha Nelson, Glen Inanga
  9. 9 III. Allegro moderato 06:50
    Track
    9
    Title
    III. Allegro moderato
    Duration
    06:50
    Composer
    Paul Juon
    Performer
    Eliesha Nelson, Glen Inanga
  10. 10 I. Moderato 09:59
    Track
    10
    Title
    I. Moderato
    Duration
    09:59
    Composer
    Alexander Winkler
    Performer
    Eliesha Nelson, Glen Inanga
  11. 11 II. Allegro agitato 06:28
    Track
    11
    Title
    II. Allegro agitato
    Duration
    06:28
    Composer
    Alexander Winkler
    Performer
    Eliesha Nelson, Glen Inanga
  12. 12 II. L'istesso tempo ma poco rubato 04:24
    Track
    12
    Title
    II. L'istesso tempo ma poco rubato
    Duration
    04:24
    Composer
    Alexander Winkler
    Performer
    Eliesha Nelson, Glen Inanga
  13. 13 III. Variations sur un air Breton: Theme: Andante 01:06
    Track
    13
    Title
    III. Variations sur un air Breton: Theme: Andante
    Duration
    01:06
    Composer
    Alexander Winkler
    Performer
    Eliesha Nelson, Glen Inanga
  14. 14 III. Variations sur un air Breton: Variation 1: L'istesso tempo poco rubato 01:39
    Track
    14
    Title
    III. Variations sur un air Breton: Variation 1: L'istesso tempo poco rubato
    Duration
    01:39
    Composer
    Alexander Winkler
    Performer
    Eliesha Nelson, Glen Inanga
  15. 15 III. Variations sur un air Breton: Variation 2: Allegretto 01:06
    Track
    15
    Title
    III. Variations sur un air Breton: Variation 2: Allegretto
    Duration
    01:06
    Composer
    Alexander Winkler
    Performer
    Eliesha Nelson, Glen Inanga
  16. 16 III. Variations sur un air Breton: Variation 3: Allegreo patetico 01:10
    Track
    16
    Title
    III. Variations sur un air Breton: Variation 3: Allegreo patetico
    Duration
    01:10
    Composer
    Alexander Winkler
    Performer
    Eliesha Nelson, Glen Inanga
  17. 17 III. Variations sur un air Breton: Variation 4: Andante molto espressivo 01:23
    Track
    17
    Title
    III. Variations sur un air Breton: Variation 4: Andante molto espressivo
    Duration
    01:23
    Composer
    Alexander Winkler
    Performer
    Eliesha Nelson, Glen Inanga
  18. 18 III. Variations sur un air Breton: Variation 5: Allegro con fuoco 01:18
    Track
    18
    Title
    III. Variations sur un air Breton: Variation 5: Allegro con fuoco
    Duration
    01:18
    Composer
    Alexander Winkler
    Performer
    Eliesha Nelson, Glen Inanga
  19. 19 III. Variations sur un air Breton: Variation 6: Andante sostenuto 01:47
    Track
    19
    Title
    III. Variations sur un air Breton: Variation 6: Andante sostenuto
    Duration
    01:47
    Composer
    Alexander Winkler
    Performer
    Eliesha Nelson, Glen Inanga
  20. 20 III. Variations sur un air Breton: Variation 7: Fuga: Allegro moderato 01:50
    Track
    20
    Title
    III. Variations sur un air Breton: Variation 7: Fuga: Allegro moderato
    Duration
    01:50
    Composer
    Alexander Winkler
    Performer
    Eliesha Nelson, Glen Inanga
  21. 21 III. Variations sur un air Breton: Coda: Poco più animato - Maestoso pesante 01:05
    Track
    21
    Title
    III. Variations sur un air Breton: Coda: Poco più animato - Maestoso pesante
    Duration
    01:05
    Composer
    Alexander Winkler
    Performer
    Eliesha Nelson, Glen Inanga