Faure, Debussy, Szymanowski

It seems that Blechacz has done well to find Kim, too, because there's an audible meeting of musical minds across their exploration of French lyricism and Polish melancholy, heard right from the start of the opening Faure Violin Sonata No 1. First, Blechacz's picked-out melody sings out brightly with passionate amour from within lucid-textured cascading figures. Then in comes Kim, counterfoiling her equal romance with a clean, supple sound. Engineering-wise, as well, there's a nicely egalitarian balance between the two of them. What does remain constant, is the sheer energy and drive, aided by Kim's sound itself: direct and ardent, with mahogany-hued lower registers contrasting with sweetly ringing, singing upper ones. This all combines to especial effect with the Debussy, in an unusually driven, emotional-ly strong reading of this autumnal work. One of Kim's most effective gifts here is her spotlighting of Debussy's linguistic debt to the Orient; listen in the first movement to how grace-note inflections and sur la touche playing is so very husky and languorous that the parallels with Asian voice flute are unmissable. (Gramophone)

180g Audiophile Virgin Vinyl

Double LP

Recorded in Berlin, Siemens-Villa, 7/2018

From the Original Masters of Universal Music

Audiophile Analogue Mastering by Rainer Maillard at Emil Berliner Studios

Pressed at Optimal Media GmbH in Germany

3 Sides of Music

First Time Ever on Vinyl

Gatefold Jacket with Obi Strip

Import

Musicians

Rafal Blechacz piano

Bomsori Kim violin

Selections

Side 1:

Gabriel Faure (1845-1924)

Sonata for Violin And Piano No. 1 In A major op. 13

Allegro Molto

Andante

Allegro Vivo

Allegro Quasi Presto

Side 2:

Claude Debussy (1862-1918)

Sonata For Violin And Piano In G minor L 148

Allegro Vivo

Intermede. Fantasque Et Leger

Finale. Tres Anime

Frederic Chopin (1810-1849)

Nocturne No 20 In C Sharp minor op. Posth.

Lento Con Gran Espressione

Side 3:

Karol Szymanowski (1882-1937)

Sonata For Piano And Violin In D minor op. 9

Allegro Moderato. Patetico

Andantino Tranquillo E Dolce

Finale. Allegro Molto Quasi Presto