Oleg Komarnitsky: Chamber and Instrumental Music
In his short life the Moscow-born Oleg Komarnitsky (1946-98) produced music in a wide variety of genres — orchestral, choral, chamber, instrumental and more, not least works for children — but almost none of it has been recorded before; it wasn't even heard outside Russia before 1996. Komarnitsky's music is accessible and lyrical, with the Slavic melancholy which colours the string works here (apparently all that survives of his chamber music) balanced by the buoyant and innocent humour of his piano music, with its echoes of Prokofiev and Shostakovich.
London Piano Trio, piano trio
Robert Atchison, violin
David Jones, cello
Olga Dudnik, piano
Listen To This Recording:
- Sonata for Violin and Piano, Alyonushka (1970)
- No. 1 Autumn
- No. 2 Humoresque
- No. 3 Mischief
- I Andante espressivo e poco rubato
- II Allegro ma non troppo
- No. 1 Joke
- No. 2 March of the Chess Pieces
- Andante amoroso for violin and piano (1996)
- No. 1 The Flowers Have Gone to Sleep
- No. 2 Winter in the Forest
- Monologue for solo violin (1995)
- Canon: ‘In a Smithy’ (Old Clavecinists’ Style) for piano (1980)
- ‘Mockery’ (from Ironic Humoresques) for piano (1981)
- Slavonic Capriccio for violin and piano (1969, transcr. 1987)
Suite for Piano (1968,75)
Sonata for Solo Cello in C minor (1973)
Two Pieces for Piano (1974)
Two Pieces on Swiss Folksongs for Piano (1976)
MusicWeb International :
‘I was bowled over by the music on this record and sincerely hope that there is more to be discovered of this composer’s works… I wait with bated breath and great hopes that more from him will emerge.’
—Steve Arloff, MusicWeb International
Bob Lagaaij :
What a surprising music! How could it be neglected for so long?