Natalia Sokolovskaya – Janáček: Piano Works (2018) [Official Digital Download 24bit/88,2kHz]

The Sonáta ‘pro klavír’ „I. X. 1905, Z ulice“, JW 8/19 (Piano Sonata “1 October 1905, From the Street” in E minor, JW 8/19, 1905) was inspired by the tragic and violent death of a protester during a demonstration calling for the construction of a new Czech university. Janacek drew inspiration from this deeply traumatising event, resulting in his only piano sonata. Although not entirely pianistic, it contains strong elements of drama and originality.

Janácek’s piano cycle ‘V mlhách’, JW 8/22 (In the Mists, 1912) contains elements of the intimate, personal and emotionally immediate music from the borders of eastern and western Europe, coming from the fiddles and cimbalom (hammered dulcimer) of Moravian folk music, as well as its use of melodic fragments, reiterated and altered in various ways. In the composer’s use of harmonic colour, however, there is more than a hint of Debussy-like impressionism, but the context is purely Czech.

The first five pieces of the two sets ‘Po zarostlém chodnícku’, JW 8/17 (‘On an Overgrown Path’, 1901–1908) were composed around 1900, for harmonium. The first set of ten was completed in 1908. The pieces, as Janácek wrote, “contain distant reminiscences. Those reminiscences are so dear to me that I do not think they will ever vanish.” Some of these memories are clearly happy, others extremely sad.

Natalia Sokolovskaya is a very refined and elegant young Russian pianist, winner of several international competitions and active as a concertist pianist and organizer.

Tracklist:
1-01. Natalia Sokolovskaya – On the Overgrown Path, JW VIII/17: No. 1, Our Evenings (03:25)
1-02. Natalia Sokolovskaya – On the Overgrown Path, JW VIII/17: No. 2, A Blown-Away Leaf (02:18)
1-03. Natalia Sokolovskaya – On the Overgrown Path, JW VIII/17: No. 3, Come Along with Us! (01:12)
1-04. Natalia Sokolovskaya – On the Overgrown Path, JW VIII/17: No. 4, The Madonna of Frýdek (03:04)
1-05. Natalia Sokolovskaya – On the Overgrown Path, JW VIII/17: No. 5, They Chattered like Swallows (02:19)
1-06. Natalia Sokolovskaya – On the Overgrown Path, JW VIII/17: No. 6, Words Failed Me (01:55)
1-07. Natalia Sokolovskaya – On the Overgrown Path, JW VIII/17: No. 7, Good Night! (03:38)
1-08. Natalia Sokolovskaya – On the Overgrown Path, JW VIII/17: No. 8, So Unutterably Anxious (03:05)
1-09. Natalia Sokolovskaya – On the Overgrown Path, JW VIII/17: No. 9, In Tears (03:04)
1-10. Natalia Sokolovskaya – On the Overgrown Path, JW VIII/17: No. 10, The Little Owl Continues Screeching (03:59)
1-11. Natalia Sokolovskaya – On the Overgrown Path, JW VIII/17: No. 11, Andante (02:55)
1-12. Natalia Sokolovskaya – On the Overgrown Path, JW VIII/17: No. 12, Allegretto (02:25)
1-13. Natalia Sokolovskaya – On the Overgrown Path, JW VIII/17: No. 13, Più mosso (02:33)
1-14. Natalia Sokolovskaya – On the Overgrown Path, JW VIII/17: No. 14, Vivo (02:29)
1-15. Natalia Sokolovskaya – On the Overgrown Path, JW VIII/17: No. 15, Allegro (03:59)
1-16. Natalia Sokolovskaya – Piano Sonata 1.X.1905, JW VIII/19: I. Foreboding (05:52)
1-17. Natalia Sokolovskaya – Piano Sonata 1.X.1905, JW VIII/19: II. Death (07:43)
1-18. Natalia Sokolovskaya – In the Mists, JW VIII/22: I. Andante (03:55)
1-19. Natalia Sokolovskaya – In the Mists, JW VIII/22: II. Molto adagio (05:04)
1-20. Natalia Sokolovskaya – In the Mists, JW VIII/22: III. Andantino (02:48)
1-21. Natalia Sokolovskaya – In the Mists, JW VIII/22: IV. Presto (04:52)