Misha Namirovsky, Piano

A Prologue - A Studio Recital - Works by Schubert, Chopin, Rachmaninoff and Scriabin

“To those who are accustomed to seeing a more cohesive collection of pieces on an album, this program might seem strange or even perplexing. For example: the combination of two large Schubert sonatas, or the complete collection of Rachmaninoff preludes would seem more logical. After all, the pieces on this CD are standard repertoire that have been recorded before by a many great artists. The explanation to the choices made here is simple: this album is a representation of how I personally like to build my live recitals, and that is why it is subtitled as a Studio Recital. In my considerations for a recital program, I am guided by two artistic principles. The first one is juxtaposition: juxtapositions of forms, of structural breadth, of musical character; the profound vs mystical and reflective, virtuosity vs lyricism. At the same time I enjoy building small scale works into something larger, be it via key relationships, or the overall flow of pieces to create effective design and musical climax.

There are two basic artistic considerations in my choice for programs. The aspect of juxtaposition was touched upon above. The other is even more elemental and specific to the repertoire on this CD. I tried to pick repertoire where I feel such strong personal connection to the music, that it allows me a strong feeling of conviction about my own interpretation. In other words, I feel that I can say something in these interpretations that hasn’t been said in quite the same way before by other artists. As such, this program is not a portrait of a composer or style, and it is not a some sort of complete set of works; it is more a piano recital recorded in the studio.”

--- Misha Namirovsky

[extract of the booklet text]

CD Programme / Tracklist: