Gramophone wrote that “Primakov’s empathy with Chopin’s spirit could hardly be more complete,” and the American Record Guide stated: “Since Gilels, how many pianists have the right touch? In Chopin, no one currently playing sounds as good as this! This is a great Chopin pianist.”

We hope that you will celebrate this newest release with us and that we will also see you at Vassily’s Carnegie Hall Concert on April 19th, 2013.  The program will be … you guessed it – ALL CHOPIN!!!

Meanwhile, enjoy reading the notes that Vassily wrote for the album and feel free to drop us a line if you have any questions. 

CHOPIN. A Life long Journey…

It is hard to explain my life long attraction to this composer.
It began back in Moscow, Russia. I was ten. The first “big piece” that I tackled with my teacher at the time, Vera Gornostaeva, was the Waltz in E flat Major, Op.18. It was an immense challenge for me. I remember struggling to comprehend what Ms. Gornostaeva was explaining to me – all the nuances of the different sections and the ever so illusive mystery of Chopin’s rubato, his rhythmical gracefulness and so on.
I believe this is when I firmly decided to continue the ongoing search/struggle/affair with this composer.
Since then, I have frequently performed Chopin’s works. Even when my recital programs do not include any of his pieces, I end up playing at least a couple of Mazurkas as encores. There is an emotional and a physical need to have this composer present in my life at all times. That need is driven not just by the love for Chopin’s music, which is apparent, but also by his music’s ability to constantly remind me of my own journey and a desire to continuously grow. I guess in many ways, it is about the “unobtainable” – the constant journey, constant wandering, constant trying, failing, at times succeeding and then again, continuing the never ending SEARCH! This search is something I have always cherished as an artist, and I sincerely hope that I will always continue this journey – as both, a musician and a human being, no matter what!
In many ways, this present Album (2 Disc Set) represents a stepping-stone. By all means, it is not an album of achievements. It is an album of search! Pieces that have long been dear to me, assembled together for the first time. Therefore, when I recorded these works, I had a very clear vision: which was not to make just a very good studio album where all is clean and tidy, NO!!! Instead, I wanted this to represent my current vision, TODAY’s vision, of these pieces. My current interpretations – performed not for a studio setting, but the way I would play them on stage! Slightly exaggerated, maybe sometimes faster in speed and with the adrenalin rush that is usually present on stage, but NOT always in a studio, and emotionally truthful and raw.
While listening to these tracks, I asked myself whether I am satisfied? The answer is, of course, NO – but am I happy with how it turned out at this stage of my journey? Absolutely YES.
I know there will be a time when I will look back and possibly criticize my interpretations, but not today. Today, I want to share with my audience and listeners how this music has affected me up to now, and how I have lived through it thus far.

3 Sonatas
(No. 1 in C Minor, Opus 4; No. 2 in B flat Minor, Opus 35; and No. 3 in B Minor, Opus 58)

It needs to be pointed out that out of three Sonatas, the Second and the Third are much loved, often performed and, to this day, present in almost every pianist’s repertoire worldwide. The First Sonata has its own unfortunate fate of being constantly overlooked and largely neglected.
I must say, my eternal gratitude goes to Vera Gornostaeva, who was not only the teacher, but also the person, who inspired me to learn this piece in the first place. She performed all 3 Sonatas of Chopin, and recorded the First Sonata back in 1958 for Melodiya (possibly the first person to ever record it). Her passion for this work was contagious. When I first started reading it, I immediately realized how absolutely precious this work is. Yes – It is not yet a flower; it is a flower bud. The genius of Chopin is not yet fully blossoming, but it is there, and just about to go on a fascinating journey of self-discovery.
The work was composed in 1828, under the tutelage of Józef Elsner, to whom it is dedicated. Despite having an opus number, the sonata was not published until 1851.
Later in life, Chopin considered revisiting this early work and revising it, however, whether due to his poor health or mere disinterest – it never came to fruition.
First movement – Allegro Maestoso.
Second – a lovely Minuetto, that seems to be inspired by Schubert’s Dances.
Third – Larghetto – is set in 5/ 4 time, which is unusual for that era. Here, one certainly hears Chopin’s voice developing and reminds us of his mesmerizing 2nd movement of his 2nd Piano Concerto, Op.21. It is even in the same key – A Flat Major.
Last Movement, Finale – Presto. This is not the most inspired music he ever composed, but it is quite worthy nonetheless, filled with drama and virtuosity. I do want to mention that I purposely do a cut in this movement (the cut that was also given to me by Vera Gornostaeva). This cut enables a performer to skip some of the repetitive material and condense this movement into a tighter form.

Sonata No. 2 in B flat Minor, Opus 35
Grave – Doppio movimento
Scherzo
Marche funèbre: Lento
Finale: Presto

Composed a decade later, in 1839, though the 3rd Movement, “Marche funèbre” was composed prior to that, in 1837.
The battle of life and death.
The opening 4 bars sum it up. I often think of Leo Tolstoy’s epigraph to Anna Karenina “Vengeance is mine, I will repay”. To me, these first 4 measures have the same affect. It tells us right from the start how it will end.
The inevitable thing about this sonata is that one ends up applying his/her own battles to this music. I guess, to understand this music better, one needs to experience loss.
I learned this piece first when I was 13, and it seemed almost unimaginable to try to grasp the concept of this giant. Then, when I was 25, and I lost my mother, performing this piece took a different turn. It became more meaningful, more personal.

Sonata No. 3 in B Minor, Opus 58 (composed in 1844)
Allegro maestoso
Scherzo: Molto vivace
Largo
Finale: Presto non tanto; Agitato

It is interesting to look at the Three Sonatas as though they are The Three Stages of Life.
The First is searching and wondering; the Second is facing the battle and coming to terms with mortality; and the Third is the ode to life!
Everything about the Third sonata is life affirming, from its powerful and fearless opening, to the exaltation and ecstasy of the Finale.
This is the final stage of life and it is filled with joy, love and, the ever so present, reassurance.

4 Ballades
(Composed between 1835-1842)
NO. 1 in G minor, Op.23; No. 2 in F Major, Op.38: No. 3 in A Flat Major, Op.47: No. 4 in F Minor, Op.52

Many believe that the Four Ballades were inspired by the poet Adam Mickiewicz.
Truth or not, I feel that these pieces were, indeed, inspired by literature. Somehow, the combination of literature, or better yet, poetry and music is always a magical combination.
Each Ballade starts with its own little epigraph. One can almost hear something along the lines of, “ Once upon a time, there was…., “ – and then the story starts.
I have always felt that the Four Ballades really tell only one story, in four different ways.
The 1st, though dramatic, is full of youthfulness, hopes and dreams.
In the 2nd , Chopin is juxtaposing two matters: light vs. dark; good vs. evil; beauty trapped in the abyss, which consumes this ballade in the form of the agonizing A Minor key.
The 3rd is the only Ballade that ends in a MAJOR key and I have always thought this to be most revelatory in this work. Although the story is just as dramatic as in other ballades, here, the ending celebrates all that is so essential in life, despite the inevitable drama that lurks all around.
And the 4th is the ultimate verdict. This work is an incredible journey for any pianist that performs it. It is as though the entire life unfolds before our eyes in this Ballade and words become useless in trying to describe Chopin’s monumental achievement.

4 Scherzos
(Composed between 1831 -1842)
No. 1 in B minor, Op.20; No.2 in B flat Minor, Op.31: No. 3 in C sharp Minor, Op.39; No. 4 in E Major, Op. 54

Although these pieces are called Scherzos, “Scherzo” meaning “joke” in Italian, they are indeed far from being a joke. With the exception of the last Scherzo, No. 4 in E Major, Op.54, these pieces are filled with turmoil, angst, and most importantly, as in the 2nd Ballade, there is always a clash of two forces. In the First and Third Scherzos, look at the demonic main themes, and then compare them to calmness and idyllic beauty of the middle section in the First Scherzo, or the choral like divine frescos of the middle section in the Third. Even in the Second Scherzo, the clash is very much present. Right from the beginning, we hear outbursts of something almost beastly. But then, as we get into the middle section, we are suddenly surrounded by an intimacy that only Chopin was able to provide us with. Then comes the 4th and last Scherzo and suddenly something changes. Finally, this work is closer to the meaning of the word Scherzo, more joke like, humorous. All the clashes are mostly behind us. The world looks different. It still has a touch of sadness, but ultimately, it provides us with … pure joy. It is a special world – A Wonderland that Chopin created in the last years of his life!

Vassily Primakov

The humble notes to this album are not of a scholar, nor a professional writer.  These are rather little scribbles of a pianist that has performed these pieces for some time and now decided to release them on an album that is entitled “Live in Concert.”

I have to admit that I do enjoy releasing live performances.  There is something raw and imperfect about them.  Mind you, I am well aware of the many so-called live performances that appear in stores and online nowadays – all fixed up and pitch perfect.  I do not like this new trend of manipulating live performances.  If it is live, then so be it – imperfections and all.  There is a certain magic that happens on stage when one performs that is almost impossible to recreate in a studio.

I am thrilled that when I worked with Bridge Records, they started a series called “Primakov In Concert” and released two volumes that included works by Bach, Schubert, Mendelssohn, Brahms, Tchaikovsky, Rachmaninoff, Debussy and Glass.  To this day, I think those are my favorite records.  Yes, they are far from perfect, but they somehow reflect my personality and ideas as a performer, in a way that no studio record has ever had.

So, instead of writing the usual notes to an album, I decided to reflect on my journeys with these works thus far, and grade my performances as a critic might do.  And since I am my worst critic, let’s see how that goes…

Variations and Fugue on a Theme by Handel, Op. 24 was written by Johannes Brahms in 1861.  It is a set of twenty-five variations and a grand fugue that concludes the cycle.  The theme itself is by Handel – an aria in the third movement of his Harpsichord Suite No. 1 in B-flat Major, HWV 434.  The beauty and simplicity of this theme is undeniable.  Its range is one octave; the harmonies are plain, yet what Brahms does with it is quite a journey, one that is unique and multifaceted.

This was one of the first works I learned when I left Russia in 1997 and came to study at The Juilliard School.  It was sort of a breakthrough.  Musically, I was kept on a very strict diet in Russia: plenty of Chopin and Rachmaninoff, all the while, longing to explore German Music.  Finally, I was able to spread my wings and start exploring the monumentalism of Brahms, the peculiarities of Schumann etc.  To this day, Brahms’s Handel is my most performed piece.  I traveled with it extensively and every time I played it, I could not help but notice new things, new aspects of it.

This performance is from 2011, not so long ago.  I like the energy underneath it, lots of fire and structurally I did pretty well. Of course, I would wish for more nuances in my sound, the palette in this performance is not outstanding.  The tempos are on a fast side and some might say that this is playing of a young man.  In fact, if I were listening to a student playing it like this for me, I might say something similar to him.  Overall, I am glad that I did not record this in a studio.  It could have been very beautiful but … most likely, safe playing.  This performance might not be thoroughly beautiful, but the one thing it is not is “ safe.”  Grade: B+

Schumann: Bunte Blätter Op. 99 (1838-1849)

This is a collection of short pieces that Schumann gathered over the years (overall, there are 14 in this opus).  I purposely haven’t played the last four.  To be completely honest, I never really cared for them.  But the first ten enchanted me very early on.  There are some, like Albumblätter III in A flat Major that is almost a trifle – and originally was supposed to be part of Schumann’s Carnaval, but later abandoned; or the very first one in A Major – a little love letter to Clara.  These pieces are like little gems, little precious stones collected in a jar.  I finally tackled them for the first time in 1999, when I was deeply in love, maybe for the first time and felt that the A major piece was my whole world.  Simple and true.  This performance again, is not quite what I would want it to be, ideally (not to mention that it was not well recorded), but I feel that it, more or less, represents how I feel about these pieces.  Grade: B

Medtner: Sonata-Reminiscenza, Op. 38 No. 1 (1920)

There is such lyricism and poetry in this wonderfully ethereal one-movement sonata.  Although Medtner has been gaining some momentum in the last decade, he is still a vastly underestimated composer.  Most pianists, when ready to tackle Russian Repertoire turn to Mussorgsky, Rachmaninoff and Prokofiev.  Medtner is sadly always last on the list.

Fortunately for me, it was the first Russian work I ever played.  So including it on this album is very special to me.   Considering that I was 14 when I first played it, it is to this day a very important chapter of my life.  I know that the sound of this recording could be better, but I can honestly say that even now I do not think that I can personally play this better (and by that I am talking about my own capabilities).  Maybe some day I will, but for now this one gets an A- from me.

Finally, La valse, un poème choréographique pour orchestre (a choreographic poem), is a work written by Maurice Ravel from February 1919 until 1920.

What fun it is to play this piece! It is always an exhilarating ride and we are lucky to have so many different versions of it – for orchestra, piano solo and two pianos.  As much as I have always adored the orchestral version, I never attempted to imitate and sound like an orchestra.  Instead, I tried to always find a way to make it sound good on the piano.  Did I succeed?? Well, not to sound arrogant or anything, but I do tend to think so.  At the end of the day, you, the listener, be the judge!

V.

BUY VASSILY PRIMAKOV LIVE IN CONCERT NOW!

On that note – Hello then, and welcome to the LP Classics Blog!  If you have come to our blog, we hope that means you already know a little about who we are and what LP Classics strives to accomplish, but if not – please feel free to read our About Us page.  We wanted to start this blog just in time for our next upcoming recording project (which is happening this week!) and hopefully, take you with us on a little journey of what we will be doing and share the process of how it all happens.  We hope that you will actively participate in our blog through your comments and suggestions.  We would love to hear your questions, thoughts and ideas for what interests you and what we should share through our blog.  We hope to update you on how our current projects our going and what they entail as well as who we hope to record next.  You will get a chance to see what the critics are saying, what our successes have been and we will also be sharing not just our accomplishments, but our learning curves, our fears, our failures, our dreams and most importantly – we want to share with you our passion and love – beautiful music!  We are incredibly grateful and excited to have begun this journey and hope that you will join us for the ride!

The Academy of Arts and Letters is an INCREDIBLY beautiful space with great acoustics.  One can’t really describe the grandeur of the space, but this photo is the best we can do.

A closer look of us engulfed in work

Our fantastic piano technician, Terry Flynn of Flynn Pianos working his magic.  Terry is the God of pianos and a joy to work with!!!

Our great sound engineer and producer, Charlie Post.  Charlie was a great voice of support, reason and comic relief throughout the whole process.  He is a wonderfully talented guy, who also became a great friend in the process.  We were so lucky to have an irreplaceable team! Creative, enthusiastic and fully involved.

Here are a few more shots of us working away…

To find out more and to purchase the Arensky Two -Piano Suites CD, please visit the Catalog page or contact us anytime.

Thanks again so much for stopping by and we hope you will continue to follow our blog and keep up with our projects.

Warmly,  Natalia & Vassily