Juozas Gruodis: Piano Music
The music and teaching of Juozas Gruodis (1884–1948) laid the foundations for a national school of composition in Lithuania in the first half of the twentieth century, with his style absorbing influences from both east and west – Rachmaninov, Skryabin, Chopin, Debussy, Reger, Strauss – and from Lithuanian folk-music. Though the piano works heard here were composed within a span of only eight years, they show considerable variety, from the poised to the passionate and powerful, all expressed with full-bodied late-Romantic virtuosity and verve.
Daumantas Kirilauskas, piano
Listen To This Recording:
Piano Sonata No. 1 in C sharp minor, Patetico (23:23)
- I. Allegro moderato (7:42)
- II. Adagio espressivo (7:19)
- III. Scherzo. Vivace, energico (3:39)
- IV. Finale. Allegro con fuoco (4:43)
- Morning Song (6:02)
Piano Sonata No. 2 in F minor (15:44)
- I. Allegro moderato (8:12)
- II. Adagio (4:53)
- III. Finale. Allegro (2:39)
- Bells (3:37)
Variations in B flat major* (19:34)
- Thema. Andante (0:57)
- Var. 1 Moderato (1:05)
- Var. 2 Allegro (0:43)
- Var. 3 Allegro agitato (0:39)
- Var. 4 Andante (1:08)
- Var. 5 Largo (1:55)
- Var. 6 Adagio (2:44)
- Var. 7 Tempo di Mazurka (0:54)
- Var. 8 Lento (1:24)
- Var. 9 Allegro moderato (0:52)
- Var. 10 Allegro (1:22)
- Var. 11 Vivace (0:51)
- Var. 12 Alla polacca (0:34)
- Var. 13 Allegro non troppo, energico (1:06)
- Fuga (3:20)
*First Recording
Scherzo :
‘Atractivo recital dedicado al legado pianístico —un capítulo muy importante de su catálogo— del llamado “padre de la música lituana”. Entre las piezas aquí reunidas sobresalen la densa y apasionada Sonata nº 1 (1919), el tiempo lento de la Segunda (1921), basado en una canción popular, y Campanas (1927). Sólo Birute Vainiunaite, en un registro de 2014 con tres obras comunes, puede hacerle competencia.’
—Juan Manuel Scherzo, March 2025
American Record Guide :
‘Performances sound accurate and confident. Toccata’s resonant sound enhances the music. Per normal with Toccata, good notes by Professor Edwardas Saumila. ‘
—Don O’Connor, American Record Guide, February 2025
MusicWeb International :
‘[The first sonata’s] distinctive character is established right from the start and its emotional aspect is obvious and deeply felt. […]
Bells is an extremely successful realisation of bells, as convincing an expression of them as any I have ever heard, the last note sustained long enough to suggest the tintinnabulation continues even after the piece has ended. […]
Juozas Gruodis is certainly a composer worth getting to know and the disc is a great place to start […] Pianist Daumantas Kirilauskas presents Gruodis’ music convincingly and the playing shows a clear conviction born of admiration.’
—Steve Arloff , MusicWeb International
Charlottesville Classical :
‘These sonatas require a great deal of technique. And Daumantas Kirilauskas is up to the task. He plays the cascades of thundering chords with authority. And he also plays with delicate tenderness when the music demands. […]
I would very much like to hear Gruodis’ orchestral music. But for now, this album is here to enjoy. And to enjoy with repeated listening. Another exceptional release of music worth discovery from Toccata Classics.’
—Ralph Graves, Charlottesville Classical