This first CD by Russian-American pianist Margarita Glebov gives
a potted history of the piano impromptu, from its earliest days
around 1820 to three premiere recordings from the last five
years or so. On the way she avoids the famous and multiply-recorded
exemplars of the genre by Chopin and Schubert. Instead she performs
an extended, varied programme which combines a few reasonably
well-known examples with some rarities.
According to the liner-notes (and the New Grove Dictionary),
the title 'impromptu' was first used by Bohemian composer Jan
Voříšek for a piano piece in 1817, and then
again in 1821 for his op.7, a set of six, of which the attractive
opening track of Glebov's recital is the last. In both cases,
however - and likewise for Schubert's first set, D.899 - the
title appears to have been the inspiration of publishers anxious
to entice prospective amateur players. Nevertheless, a trend
was started and this release follows some of the historical
byways of what turned out to be a very pliable art form. The
disc is subtitled "a treasury of extemporaneous piano compositions",
which is a little misleading, suggesting as it does improvisation
- whereas most of these works were as properly thought out and
composed as any more traditional form.
Not every work is especially memorable - the two by Rimsky-Korsakov,
though as well-crafted as the rest of his music, are too brief
to say very much out of context - his op.11 is properly Four
Pieces and his op.38 two. It is equally fair to say that
there is nothing earth-shattering about any of the works. On
the other hand, almost every impromptu Glebov has chosen is
attractively melodic and, within the constraints of a generally
brief time-span - three to four minutes being a typical length
- often quite freely inventive.
The pieces by Liszt, Dvořák and Fauré have
been recorded and performed many times over, Poulenc less frequently
- Glebov gives a fairly neutral account of these which is unlikely
to strike anyone as lacking in taste or finesse. Three that
will probably be widely unfamiliar are those by Felix Blumenfeld,
Arno Babadjanian and Leopold Godowsky, all exceptional pianists.
Their common features are a minor key and plenty of virtuosity.
The Godowsky, a fourth premiere recording by Glebov, teems with
simmering chromaticism, whereas Babadjanian's Armenian heritage
pervades his own nostalgic work; Blumenfeld's piece goes from
darkness to light and back to darkness in the space of two and
a half minutes.
The impromptus by Cui, Balakirev and Mussorgsky obviously share
a certain Russian essence, but otherwise are fairly different.
Balakirev's torrid Impromptu on Two Preludes by Chopin
is typically demanding and the way he transforms Chopin's material
beguiling. Mussorgsky's Impromptu Passioné is,
unusually for an impromptu, programmatic; it is also strangely
calm for a work entitled Passioné, but lyrical
and comely all the same, as is Cui's - the dramatic key change
for the second section supplying the 'capricious' element.
The Fantaisie-Impromptu by Moszkowski bears a famous
title, but as a work is not as well-known as it ought to be
- possibly the only other recording is Seta Tanyel's ten years
ago on Hyperion's Helios label. Vivid and vivacious, this is
a fond homage to the creator of this 'sub-genre', Chopin.
The last three works in Glebov's programme provide contemporary
takes on the impromptu. In a sense they are giving new life
to a form that is quintessentially 19th century. Russian pianist
Nikolai Mazhara, 2004 winner of the International Prokofiev
Competition, wrote his Impromptu in 2008. In her liner-notes,
Glebov says this 'alternative' spelling is popular in Russia
- which is odd, because Russian uses the Cyrillic alphabet,
and the transliterated Russian word for the musical impromptu
is the linguistic hybrid 'eksprompt'. Language aside, Mazhara's
work is pianistically adventurous whilst being true to the tradition
it draws on. Written in the same year, Albanian-born composer
Altin Voltaj's Impromptu is unorthodox in that it consists
of seven movements, alternately slow and fast, varying in character
but unified by a minor third interval. This highly virtuosic
work is the longest on the disc, and the one with the least
melodic appeal. In a way it is not an impromptu at all,
yet paradoxically it comes closest of any to at least appearing
extemporised. In any case, its considerable invention makes
this quite a treat for lovers of contemporary piano music. Both
Mazhara's and Volaj's pieces were commissioned by Glebov. The
final work is a probably unique Tango-Impromptu by Italian-Norwegian
composer Antonio Bibalo. The tango element lies in the convulsive
rhythm, jumping dynamics and posturing pauses.
Glebov performs admirably throughout on a Steinway D, although
some of the quality of this instrument is lost through the recording
which, though reasonable, tends to sound a little desiccated.
The glossy CD booklet, with a colourful expressionist painting
by Bauer on the front cover, provides a detailed listing and
good quality notes on each of the pieces.
Byzantion
Note: The CD spines erroneously give the catalogue number as
CD-12345.
Track listing
Jan Václav VOŘÍŠEK (1791-1825)
Impromptu in B, op.7 no.6 (1821) [4:13]
Franz LISZT (1811-1886)
Nocturne-Impromptu in F sharp (1872) [3:29]
César CUI (1835-1918)
Impromptu-Caprice in E (1896) [3:57]
Mily BALAKIREV (1837-1910)
Impromptu on Two Preludes by Chopin (1907) [4:52]
Modest MUSSORGSKY (1839-1881)
Impromptu Passioné (1859) [2:51]
Nikolai RIMSKY-KORSAKOV (1844-1908)
Impromptu, op.11 no.1 (1878) [1:27]
Prelude-Impromptu, op.38 no.1 (1896) [0:42]
Moritz MOSZKOWSKI (1854-1925)
Fantaisie-Impromptu, op.6 (1870) [6:35]
Antonín DVOŘÁK (1841-1904)
Impromptu in D minor, B.129 (1883) [4:15]
Gabriel FAURÉ (1845-1924)
Impromptu, op.25 no.1 (1881) [3:58]
Felix BLUMENFELD (1863-1931)
Impromptu in B minor, op.28 (1898) [2:37]
Leopold GODOWSKY (1870-1938)
Impromptu in E flat minor (1929) [2:16]
Arno BABADJANIAN (1921-1983)
Impromptu in B minor (1944) [3:13]
Francis POULENC (1899-1963)
Five Impromptus (1920/1939) [6:25]
Nikolai MAZHARA (b.1977)
Impromtu [sic] (2008) [6:36]
Altin VOLAJ (b.1974)
Impromptu (2008) [10:42]
Antonio BIBALO (1922-2008)
Tango-Impromptu (2004) [5:18]
Margarita Glebov (piano) 
