About this Release
“The piano music of Semyon Barmotin will seem wonderfully familiar to fans of his contemporary, Sergey Rachmaninov, with its richly layered textures and expansive harmonies, coupled with flowing, romantic melodies. Like Chopin’s Op. 28 Preludes, each piece has its own world and character. With its slowly spread chords, Prelude No. 1 feels like turning the pages of a book, as if the opening chapter to a great novel; the second has a texture like running water which twists and turns around the melodies; and the last prelude could be the opening theme for the next science fiction blockbuster. Listen closely and you’ll hear a conspicuous balalaika in the coda of the fifth variation, whilst the sixth wouldn’t seem out of place accompanying a scene in a Charlie Chaplin film. The vastly ranging styles and emotions make this music instantly accessible, and like all great music, repeated listening offers new insights and enjoyment.” — Christopher Williams
BARMOTIN, SEMYON (b. 1877)
Piano Music • 1
- Christopher Williams, piano
Semyon Alexeyevich Barmotin (1877–1939) was a student of Balakirev and Rimsky-Korsakov, and his fate under the Soviet regime in the 1930s remains a mystery, but what survives of his music is impressive in both scale and content. These world première recordings are filled with colour and contrast: the Tema con variazioni transforms its material into a multitude of moods to conclude in a symphonic march, while the 20 Preludes are striking in their sophisticated harmonies and heightened emotional impact.
This recording was made on a modern instrument: Steinway, Model D
Tracklist
|
20 Preludes, Op. 12 () (00:51:00 )
|
|
1
Book 1: No. 1. Adagietto con dolore (00:02:48)
|
|
2
Book 1: No. 2. Allegretto con dolce maniera (00:02:52)
|
|
3
Book 1: No. 3. Moderato con morbidezza (00:02:13)
|
|
4
Book 1: No. 4. Andantino (00:04:10)
|
|
5
Book 1: No. 5. Moderato con spirito (00:02:54)
|
|
6
Book 2: No. 6. Allegro ma non tanto (00:01:44)
|
|
7
Book 2: No. 7. Andante affettuoso (00:01:57)
|
|
8
Book 2: No. 8. Allegro con grazia (00:03:47)
|
|
9
Book 2: No. 9. Andantino cantabile (00:02:13)
|
|
10
Book 2: No. 10. Allegro moderato con spirito (00:03:45)
|
|
11
Book 3: No. 11. Adagietto con anima (00:02:02)
|
|
12
Book 3: No. 12. Vivace con impeto (00:01:51)
|
|
13
Book 3: No. 13. Andante religioso (00:04:05)
|
|
14
Book 3: No. 14. Allegro con agilita (00:01:57)
|
|
15
Book 3: No. 15. Andante con molto espressione (00:01:49)
|
|
16
Book 4: No. 16. Allegro assai (00:02:14)
|
|
17
Book 4: No. 17. Andante cantabile (00:02:16)
|
|
18
Book 4: No. 18. Moderato - Allegro moderato (00:01:26)
|
|
19
Book 4: No. 19. Larghetto con tristezza (00:02:06)
|
|
20
Book 4: No. 20. Tempo di Marcia (00:01:31)
|
|
Theme and Variations, Op. 1 () (00:27:00 )
|
|
21
Theme: Andantino cantabile (00:01:42)
|
|
22
Variation 1: Allegro (00:01:17)
|
|
23
Variation 2: Andantino (00:01:30)
|
|
24
Variation 3: Presto assai (00:00:24)
|
|
25
Variation 4: Andantino con anima (00:02:45)
|
|
26
Variation 5: Moderato (00:02:49)
|
|
27
Variation 6: Andantino (00:02:27)
|
|
28
Variation 7: Allegro ma non troppo (00:01:22)
|
|
29
Variation 8: Valse: Tempo di Valse (00:01:47)
|
|
30
Variation 9: Mazurka: Andantino (00:02:41)
|
|
31
Variation 10: Andante maestoso (00:03:00)
|
|
32
Variation 11: Andante (00:01:52)
|
|
33
Variation 12: Finale: Tempo di Marcia (00:03:13)
|
The Artist(s)
Christopher Williams is a music graduate of Cardiff University and now leads a busy and varied professional life as a pianist, composer, conductor, teacher and arranger. He is currently assistant director of the BBC National Chorus of Wales and is a pianist for the BBC National Orchestra of Wales, with whom he has performed at the BBC Proms and recorded for the Chandos and Hyperion labels. In addition to his work as a soloist, Williams is in great demand as an accompanist and chamber musician, and has partnered many of the prominent instrumentalists of his generation including Philippe Schartz, Tim Thorpe, David Childs, David Pyatt and Tine Thing Helseth. He has also appeared on BBC TV and been broadcast on BBC Radio and Radio Luxembourg. His recording of Brahms transcriptions for Grand Piano was featured as album of the week on NDR Kultur. The Composer(s)
Particularly notable among Semyon Alexeyevich Barmotin’s later works is the Poème symphonique, Op. 30, written in 1930 and dedicated to the memory of his teacher Balakirev, who had died 20 years earlier. Barmotin’s other surviving works include several occasional pieces that reflect the tumultuous period through which he lived, such as the Hymn to Comrade Stalin (1936) and October Victory, a march-cantata to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the October Revolution (1937). Reviews
“This music requires advocacy such as it finds in Christopher Williams, probing its personality as surely as its technical mastery, his Steinway D accorded sound of realism and perspective…These premiere recordings of Barmotin are certainly worth investigating.” – Gramophone
“What stands out is how well-crafted and delightful these little works are. …how on earth it is that they only now have their world premiere recording?” – Corymbus
“Christopher Williams performs this engrossing score with relish and a wide colouristic range. His playing is nothing short of enthralling.” – MusicWeb International
Grand Piano has gained a reputation for producing high quality recordings of rare keyboard gems. Dedicated to the exploration of undiscovered piano repertoire, the label specialises in complete cycles of piano works by many lesser-known composers, whose output might otherwise have remained unknown and unrecorded.
- info@grandpianorecords.com
