About this Release
“This year marks the 35th anniversary of the tragic departure of Vasilije Mokranjac, one of the most profound composers of this part of Europe. The fact that most people have never heard of his name, in the times when almost everybody is a kind of music, film, television, reality or whatever-star, says more about the time we live in, than his work. Time seems to stand still as eternity for his entire opus just like it does for a butterfly that has one day to live. A single day of this special species becomes timeless. I hope this album will bring attention to his music and life, and that silence for his oeuvre that lasts for far too long will find the balance with the blasts, screams, rises, falls and the final serenity that both Man and Artist Vasilije Mokranjac were bearing silently, within.” — Ratimir Martinović
MOKRANJAC, VASILIJE (1923–1984)
Complete Piano Works
- Ratimir Martinović, piano
Vasilije Mokranjac belonged to a prominent Serbian musical dynasty. His great musical gifts combine with an unassertive and introverted nature to create a unique catalogue of often incredibly virtuoso piano music, recorded here for the first time in its entirety. From the first elegant Menuetto to the last Prélude written at the time of his tragic death, pianist Ratimir Martinović finds Mokranjac’s music ‘exceptionally profound and spiritually uplifting’.
This recording was made on a modern instrument: Steinway, Model D
Tracklist
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1
Menuetto (1944) * (00:04:31)
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2
Theme and 8 Variations (1947) * (00:14:02)
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Sonata Romantica (1947) (00:22:00 )
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3
I. Allegro * (00:07:17)
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4
II. Marcia funebre: Lento * (00:05:36)
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5
III. Tempo giusto * (00:02:40)
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6
IV. Allegro con fuoco * (00:06:08)
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7
Prelude, Dance and March (1950) * (00:04:57)
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7 Études (1952) (00:16:00 )
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8
No. 1. Presto con indolenza * (00:02:52)
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9
No. 2. Andante * (00:03:15)
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10
No. 3. Staccato * (00:01:40)
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11
No. 4. Uguale * (00:01:48)
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12
No. 5. Presto * (00:01:32)
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13
No. 6. Quasi toccata: Presto possibile * (00:01:45)
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14
No. 7. Presto ritmico * (00:03:02)
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6 Dances (1957) (00:09:00 )
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1
No. 1. Moderato * (00:01:18)
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2
No. 2. Presto * (00:00:44)
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3
No. 3. Moderato * (00:01:47)
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4
No. 4. Allegro * (00:01:36)
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5
No. 5. Allegro giusto e molto ritmico * (00:01:44)
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6
No. 6. Prestissimo * (00:01:31)
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Piano Sonatina No. 1 in A Minor (1953) (00:10:00 )
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7
I. Allegro, molto agitato - II. Adagio * (00:07:01)
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8
III. Prestissimo - Allegro * (00:02:24)
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Piano Sonatina No. 2 in C Major (1954) (00:09:00 )
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9
I. Allegro risoluto * (00:02:48)
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10
II. Andante * (00:03:17)
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11
III. Presto * (00:01:21)
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12
IV. Allegro molto con brio * (00:01:17)
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Piano Suite, "Fragments" (1956) (00:09:00 )
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13
I. Allegro * (00:01:20)
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14
II. Andante ma non troppo * (00:01:04)
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15
III. Presto, molto ritmico e articolato * (00:01:16)
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16
IV. Lento quasi cantato * (00:01:53)
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17
V. Prestissimo possibile * (00:01:10)
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18
VI. Grave - Allegro robusto - Adagio * (00:02:24)
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19
Piano Suite, "Intimate Voices" (1973) * (00:13:08)
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20
Piano Suite, "Echoes" (1973) * (00:15:46)
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21
5 Préludes (1975) (1975) * (00:07:46)
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22
Prélude (1984) (1984) * (00:03:12)
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The Artist(s)
Critically acclaimed pianist Ratimir Martinović occupies a special status among artists of his generation. From his earliest days he has been uncompromisingly devoted to excellence in music performance, and has been formed into a mature artist of distinctive expression and profile. The Composer(s)
The younger generation of post-war composers were not encouraged to pursue the ‘unknown’, but Mokranjac, surrounded by ‘socialist realism’ and academic modern neo- Romanticism since his student days, conceived the content of his work based on his personal spiritual views and by constantly modernising his expressive means, guarding the unity of form but also radicalising the expressionist tension. His three creative periods could be viewed as a journey from neo-Romanticism to neoexpressionism: the first period until 1958, the second period, 1958–1973, when the piano was not his creative epicentre, and the third phase that marks his return to the piano, 1973–1984, rounding up his entire creative opus. Reviews
“One of the most important CDs of music in our country, also the winner of “Muzika Klasika” award for the best CD in 2019,” – Politika
“Precision and ardent abandon; no half measures.” – MusicWeb International
“Mokranjac’s Etudes are heard for the first time in a convincing, highly professional interpretation.” – Musicology
Also Available
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
