Piano Dreams
Johann Sebastian BACH (1685-1750)
Goldberg Variations, BWV 988: Aria [3:20]
Wolfgang Amadeus MOZART (1756-1791)
Piano Sonata in A Major, K. 331, No. 11: Alla Turca [3:14]
Ludwig van BEETHOVEN (1770-1827)
Piano Sonata in C Minor, Op. 13, No. 8 'Pathétique': II. Adagio
Cantabile [4:16]
Für Elise, WoO 59 [2:46]
Franz LISZT (1811-1886)
Grande Étude de Paganini for piano in G-Sharp Minor, S. 141:
La Campanella [4:56]
Liebesträume in A-Flat Major, No. 3: O Lieb [4:26]
Antonin DVOŘÁK (1841-1904)
Humoreske in F-Sharp Minor, B. 138: Vivace [3:22]
Robert SCHUMANN (1810-1856)
Kinderszenen, Op. 15, No. 7: Träumerei [2:31]
Claude DEBUSSY (1862-1918)
La Fille aux Cheveux de Lin, L. 33 [2:44]
Clair de Lune, L. 32 [4:38]
Fryderyk CHOPIN (1810-1849)
Grande Polonaise Brillante in E-Flat Major, Op. 22, No. 2 [6:45]
Nocturne, Op. Posth.: Lento Con Gran Espressione [3:28]
Etude in E Major, Op. 10, No. 3: Lento Ma Non Troppo [3:43]
Nocturne, Op. 9, No. 2: Andante [3:48]
Felix MENDELSSOHN (1809-1847)
Sechs Lieder Ohne Worte, Op. 19: I. Andante Con Moto [3:22]
Isaac ALBÉNIZ (1860-1909)
Suite Espagnole, Op. 47, No. 5: Asturias [6:35]
Sergei PROKOFIEV (1891-1953)
Romeo and Juliet; Montagues and Capulets, Op. 75 No.10 [3:36]
Yuko Yamashiro (piano)
rec. Kerzlin, August 2012
BELLA MUSICA BM312449 [67:39]
Bella Musica has a line in lighter aspects of the
repertoire, and in producing discs such as this, which may appeal to
the casual browser. It’s a ‘best of’ piano recital,
the kind of thing that existed even back in the days of shellac, when
little ten or twelve-inch albums of well-known pieces were available.
The Japanese pianist Yuko Yamashiro is the protagonist, born in Yonago,
and who studied in Tokyo from 1993 to 1997. She then continued in Berlin
for five years and this is where she began giving concerts, winning
third prize at the Paris International Piano Competition in 2002, and
first prize the following year at the Maryse Cheilan competition. She
has since returned to her native country where she performs and teaches.
Her Mozart is more successful than her Bach, though it’s hardly
fair to judge her on the basis of just the Aria from the Goldberg
Variations and the Alla Turca from Mozart’s K331. The slow
movement from the Pathétique sonata is straightforward,
but her Liszt La Campanella could be both tidier and more thoughtfully
shaped. It sounds like it needs work. Her Dvořák Humoresque
sounds like a bit of a Gondola-study and it’s not very romantic,
whilst her Debussy is stymied by a rather one-dimensional tonal palette,
though the technique is clean and clear. Chopin’s Grande Polonaise
brillante, Op.53 lacks power - I’m assuming from this performance
that she has small fingers. There’s a distinct lack of weight,
and it’s not down to the recording level. It’s also an inconsistent
performance with some serio-comic voicings. Significantly better is
the Nocturne Op. Posth.: Lento Con Gran Espressione arguing for
her stylistic acumen when she has the right repertoire. Alas, the companion,
the famed Op.9 No.2 Nocturne is a bit heavy-handed. Asturias
replenishes the good and her Liebesträum No.3 knocks spots
off her disappointing La Campanella.
Jonathan Woolf
