KAZHLAEV Piano Music
CHISATO KUSUNOKI, Piano
Grand Piano 688 / ****1/2
Murad
Kazhlaev (born 1931) is the grand old man of music in the Russian republic of
Dagestan, located in the Caucasus. His multi-faceted talents involved
composing, conducting, teaching and leading a jazz band during a period of
Soviet history when West-leaning activities were frowned upon.
He was a friend
of composer Shostakovich and pianist Sviatoslav Richter besides also being an
excellent pianist. The late Lazar Berman recorded some of his Preludes
for piano, but London-based Japanese pianist Chisato Kusunoki's 70-minute
anthology represents the most comprehensive survey of his music to date.
Kazhlaev's nationalism is on show in the Dagestan Album
(1973), a suite of ten short pieces based on ethnic folk songs and dances. His Preludes
(1956 & 1961) are closer in style to Rachmaninov, Medtner and the
nationalist Khachaturian, rather than the dissonance of Prokofiev or
Shostakovich.
The very likeable Romantic Sonatina (1952), in
three movements, is tinged with subtle blues harmonies without being overtly
subversive. The collection closes with Picture Pieces (1953-71),
nine brief character studies that traverses a myriad of influences including
neoclassicism, jazz and film music.
With the composer's guidance, Kusunoki's
very sympathetic and virtuosic performances present this unfamiliar but very
accessible music in the best possible light.
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