Yul S. Pariah | Baltimore, Maryland USA | 06/23/2000
(5 out of 5 stars)
"The name Nikolai Kapustin will probably leave all but a very few people scratching their heads. Born in 1937, Kapustin is very much alive, a wonderfully prolific and active composer, and a virtuoso pianist of the highest caliber. He studied piano at the Moscow Conservatory with Alexander Goldenweiser, and is in possession of a world-class technique (I have been extremely fortunate to hear recordings of Kapustin performing his own music). Since his earliest student days as a composer/pianist, he has embraced the jazz idiom, with remarkable freshness and seemingly endless inspiration. Make no mistake though, this is not classical/jazz "cross-over", nor classical music with a whiff of jazz, but more the other way around. It is much closer to true jazz improvisation, meticulously written out, and in the right hands, capable of sounding incredibly free and spontaneous. And yet, Kapustin writes his style of music within established classical forms, like sonatas for example, of which he has written ten thus far, with hopefully more to come. I haven't heard anything quite like it. In that sense, his music is original in its own way, while at the same time clearly descended from two very established musical styles. The few people I know, all classical musicians, who have encountered Kapustin's music have had immediate and overwhelmingly favorable responses to it, myself included. I would think only the most staunchly conservative guardians of old-world western classical music traditions, or hardened jazz-haters would not love this man's music. There are very few pianists performing Kapustin's piano music in the world today, mostly because of extremely hard to find scores, and thus a general ignorance of his existence. My introduction to Kapustin's music was the pianist Marc-Andre Hamelin, who has been programming Kapustin's Piano Sonata #2 on many of his recitals world-wide in recent times. Anyone who has heard Hamelin play Kapustin will not soon forget it, and I had sincerely hoped the he would make the first all-Kapustin CD. Nevertheless, as I listen to Steven Osbourne's playing on this disc, I find it nearly impossible to find fault with his playing in any way. At age 29, he is brimming with youthful vigor, and is totally at home in the jazz idiom. He has technique to burn, and exactly the right balance of rhythmic snap, clarity, and spontaneity to make these works jump off the page and out of your speakers. In the gentler moments, of which there are many, he conjures up a wonderful velvety, smoky, nocturnal mood that feels exactly right, not the least bit overdone or contrived. I wouldn't be a bit surprised if Osbourne was a skilled improviser when not playing other people's music. In the Piano Sonata #2, Osbourne does not quite match Hamelin's fire, intensity, or overwhelming virtuosity in the "live" performances of this work I have heard, but he is quite rewarding in other ways. His slightly slower tempi in the fast movements and mellower approach allow the listener to be truly seduced by the music rather than being blown away by it, though frankly, I can be happy with either approach. If any of this sounds even halfway interesting to you, don't hesitate on this one. Buy it now, and thank me later. You'll be begging for more Kapustin before long."
I agree-A Fantastic Disc!!!
Darin Tysdal | Bloomington, MN 55420 | 07/22/2000
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Like one Mr. Yarish, I plus an internet friend heard Marc-Andre Hamelin play a couple of Kapustin's pieces as encores on a piano recital and the audience was floored by Kapustin's music. Therefore,this CD is very welcome for us who want to hear more of his music. I would go as far to say that Kapustin mostly reminds me of the piano music of Gershwin, and since he died in 1937, this composer gives us an idea about how Gershwin would have continued had he lived on. We hardly get to hear jazz through a Russian composer's eyes (although Shchedrin's Piano Concerto No.2 has such moments) and I have to admit that he can swing, although this music is mostly written down. Apparently there is improv involved, but we do not know what is written or improvised unless we can see scores, which are hard to come by. If you need a pick-me up or like the piano music of Billy Mayerl, George Gershwin, Elie Siegmeister, Morton Gould or William Bolcom you will enjoy this one!! Sourpusses should stay away!!!"
It Doesn't Matter What You Call It
J Scott Morrison | Middlebury VT, USA | 09/19/2003
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Boy, where to start? I wonder how the recording label, Hyperion, decided to put this in the 'classical' category. Probably they did so because Kapustin himself called these pieces 'Sonata' or 'Prelude.' But, truth to tell, I'm hard pressed to find very much in the way of easily identifiable classical music procedures here (aside from grouping four pieces together and labeling them a sonata) unless one considers an eleven-minute piece [the first movement of the Second Sonata] 'classical' on the basis of length alone; of course, that would require us to include some of the improvisations of people like Keith Jarrett or Cecil Taylor in that category, too, and I suppose some would do so. Of course, a composer can call his music whatever he likes (look at Satie!) and if Nikolai Kapustin (b. 1937) wants to give these pieces 'classical' titles, that's his privilege. Maybe one of our best Amazon classical CD reviewers, 'weirdears' [Chris Forbes], who is himself a jazz pianist and composer, should be reviewing this disc. How about it, Chris?That aside, I found this CD to be entirely delightful, once I got over my expectation that I'd be hearing sonata-allegro or other similar procedures. And I had already had SOME idea what to expect because Marc-André Hamelin had included the Toccatina, Op. 36, on his 'Kaleidoscope' CD (also from Hyperion and highly recommended). What we have here is a masterful compendium of piano jazz styles, everything from barrelhouse, stride and boogie to Bill Evans, Cecil Taylor, Oscar Peterson, McCoy Tyner and Art Tatum, not to speak of the introspectively melodic close-hands technique of George Shearing and Denny Zeitlin. There is no question that Kapustin, who studied with one of the best classical piano teachers in Russia, Aleksandr Goldenweiser, and who has made his living off and on as a touring jazz pianist, has the technique to play (and write) spectacular solo jazz pieces. It is to his credit that he wrote them down--although I gather getting ahold of published copies of his music is a bit byzantine--and that young British pianist Steven Osborne has learned to play them. [One understands that there are bootleg recordings of Kapustin playing but I've never run across any of them.]Leslie Gerber, a fine record reviewer specializing in piano music (and a fine pianist as well) dismisses this music as 'cocktail lounge' music. All I can say is that Gerber must hang out in better cocktail lounges than I've ever been to. This is superior jazz-making and it is no surprise to me that Osborne, whose own piano-playing credentials include a fine recording of Messaien's 'Vingt Regards' and a recently released CD of Alkan's 'Esquisses,' need not be embarrassed by this choice of repertoire. So, the bottom line is this: if you like solo piano jazz and you have a taste for something a bit unusual, try this Russian 'Third Stream' music. I honestly don't think you'll be disappointed unless you imagine you're going to be hearing something like, say, Scriabin, Prokofiev or Medtner.TT=69'11Scott Morrison"
Wonderful ,self-contained music inhabiting its own place
scarecrow | Chicago, Illinois United States | 10/30/2000
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Kapustin's piano music is not really jazz nor does it inhabit the serious classical genre,yet he taps a vein that easily utilizes in a very profound way both those worlds. I'm wondering what moments here are improvised. I was told there is a Kapustin Soceity where this music can be obtained. That will clarify where the performer's world begins. Osborne here simply plays the hell out of these pieces,he has a restrained discipline which the music needs,yet is never afraid of the forbidden density the music develops. The music is dense with a profound sense of the piano's unique timbre, broken octaves and chords, their voicings is exquisite,thunderous like basso accompaniment,which you actually hear,not simply opaque textures we usually find in the freak storms the free jazz cadres often display.The entire coloristic world of the piano is summoned by Kapustin, with a Sorabji-like density in every register,sometimes I felt as an after thought or a way of completing a musical idea,simply ascend,that will erase the idea,ready now for new content. And this music seems to be self-contained,it doesn't need a drum unit, it works very well away from other timbres,inhabiting its own voice, a remarkable aesthetic feature.The Preludes here are more etudes,but many are deeply profound and sometimes the obvious jazz language is introduced,walking bass lines, and Weill-like dark harmonies to scour."
A dour Russian....not!
Evan Wilson | Cambridge, MA | 06/21/2000
(5 out of 5 stars)
"For most people, Russian music can be summed up simply: it's passionate. Whether it's Tchaikovsky or Shostakovich, Rachmaninoff or Schnittke, the music is soulful, melancholy, dramatic, full of deep emotions.So imagine one's surprise when one puts on this charming and greatly entertaining disc. If I didn't know better, I would have thought that Hyperion mis-labelled a disc of jazz classics recorded in St. Louis! Instead, we have Hyperion and pianist Steven Osborne to thank for another great discovery--70 minutes of wonderful, jazz-inspired music by a living Russian composer which adopts classical models. In fact, much of this music calls to mind William Bolcom's sophisticated blues-inspired creations or perhaps Rzewski's occasional dives into jazz. Both sonatas are chock full of memorable tunes and fun improvisations (or are they--Osborne won't say!); but they also hold together formally. The selection of Preludes allow Kapustin more freedom to indulge his whims, which he does charmingly. (With 10 more minutes on the disc, I wish we had gotten a few more--or perhaps they're saving them for another disc! )Needless to say, Osborne has fun with the music and Hyperion provides their usual high-class production. Lest I wasn't clear, GET THIS DISC! Who said Russians can't indulge in sophisticated charm?"
