Kosenko, Etude in F# minor, Op. 8, No. 8

[rachfan]

Viktor Kosenko (1896-1938) was a Ukrainian composer, but also a virtuoso pianist and piano pedagogue.  In his earlier years his principal influences were Tchaikovsky, Rachmaninoff, Scriabin and Lysenco.  A graduate of the Warsaw Conservatory, he studied piano with Aleksander Michalowski and Iryna Miklashovskaya, and composition and music theory with Mikhail Sokolovsky.  Kosenko composed about 250 works in all—about 100 of those for solo piano--and the other works being orchestral works, concertos, chamber music, chorus works, and songs.  During his short life, Kosenko also held important positions in academia, music circles, and was often a juror at important piano competitions.

I hope you'll enjoy hearing this etude.

Comments welcome.

Piano: Baldwin Model L Artist Grand (6’3”) with lid fully raised.
Recorder: Roland R-44
Mics: Matched pair of Earthworks TC-20 small diaphragm, omni-directional condenser mics in A-B configuration

[birba]

You come up with some of the most beautiful music. ( I remember the Dutra you posted and I consequently learned and played)  This is such simple direct to the heart music.  Very russian romantic.  At a time when Stravinsky and Bartok were in their prime.  It's like a Russian Strauss.  Really loved it.  And beautifully played.

[rachfan]

Hi birba,

Thanks so much for both listening and your comments!  Coming from you it means a lot to me. Yes, this was somewhat a forgotten piece.  Kosenko's Op. 8 is a set of 11 etudes inspired by old dances. Being an etude, No. 8 does present some difficulties.  To be honest, my recording does have just a few slips in it, but this music is so lush it's impossible not to like it.  I'm glad you enjoyed hearing it.

There are so many riches for piano to be found in the Late Romantic Age.

David

 

[goldentone]

If I didn't know Kosenko had composed this, my first thought would have been Bortkiewicz.  Undoubtedly a striking piece.  Through your playing it sounds like majestic waves coming in and receding from a distance, so infused is the emotion with which you convey it.

You're still at the top of your game.

[rachfan]

Hi goldentone,

I'm glad you enjoyed this etude, and I appreciate your thoughts on this music.  Yes, I believe that emotion is what lifts the paper score to a higher plane where we all can be moved by its beauty.  From what I've encountered so far, it seems that Kosenko was never at a loss for a fine melody.  Thanks again for listening and sharing your impressions.

David

[dcstudio]

hey that is really cool!! wow... thanks so much for posting this.  

great playing and a really great piece of music.  I have never heard that before...I like it.



hey Goldentone... I like the Hamlet..

for in the sleep of death what dreams may come
when we have shuffled off this mortal coil,
Must give us pause.

Cool.

[rachfan]

Hi dcstudio,

Thanks for your kudos on my playing of this marvelous etude.  In my earlier years I used to play a lot of the standard piano literature, especially from the Romantic Age.  But nowadays I'm more drawn to Late Romanticism--Bortkiewicz, Catoire, Kosenko, Liadov, Dohnanyi, Glazunov, Godowsky, Medtner, Rachmaninoff, Scriabin, etc.  I especially look now for composers who composed for piano but who are now obscure, unknown, or forgotten. There's a mine of gems there!

Thanks for listening, and I'm glad you enjoyed my recording!

David

[ronde_des_sylphes]

Thanks for recording this interesting obscurity. I'm glad to hear it performed by someone who so obviously understands and applies the nuances and characteristics of traditional "Golden Age" pianism, for in this case I think it's particularly beneficial to the music to be rendered in that manner.

[rachfan]

Hi ronde,

Thank you so much for that compliment!  I'm happy that you enjoyed this etude.  I have to say it has its difficulties! As you know, I record full takes rather than doing electronic edits. I lost count of the number of takes, but it was a lot. So, there are a few fluffs there in my recording, but I maintained continuity regardless. This one I believe was the best of the lot. Thanks for listening.

David

[ted]

I always anticipate a treat when I see you have posted a new recording, David, and this is no exception. As the others imply, you have a distinct aptitude for a certain type of what amounts to contrapuntal free lyricism, a difficult effect to impart to notated music of any sort. Why do you think he called this a study ? I had a look at the set, and only one or two of them have much of the usual properties of studies, that is to say continuity of motion and the repetition, sometimes musically irritating, of some particular physical figuration.

What exactly do you consider you were "studying" here, what specific playing function ? Or is it perhaps not a physical study at all, but a "study" of deeper musical aspects ? Just curious.

[rachfan]

Hi Ted,

I'm glad you enjoyed hearing this piece.  It's true that these etudes are quite different in character if compared, for example, to Chopin's etudes for instance.  Chopin's etudes were for agility in the left hand, playing on the black keys, playing without pedal, playing long arpeggios, etc. I believe that Kosenko tends to focus more broadly than on one single point of technique at a time.  

So what enters these studies? Quite a few things actually.  You already noticed one, being "counterpoint free". There are moments when the RH and LH match up in counterpoint, but way more often, as you suggest, we're looking at polyphony.  There we see the absence of counterpoint through the use of rests, ties, subtle rhythmic changes, alterations in phrasing, and above all, keeping the cantilena line in the forefront and taking the breathing of the soprano into consideration as well.  And interestingly, suspending the melody momentarily per the score to allow the polyphony in the left hand to play beautiful solo-like nuances.  Chopin would have loved the "chains of trills" that form the climax of this piece, ending in that small-note cadenza. I wanted a continuous sounding of trills, so while moving from one trill to the next (with hand position changes), I took the liberty to fill in the "gaps" with tremolos. Kosenko would have been OK with that--being resourceful.  And less I forget, there are also some tough leaps of the right hand.  It's not that they are long leaps, but the faster the tempo the more challenging they become.  A couple of times in executing those, I nearly ended up with "ghost notes".

Anyway, that's what I got out of the etude.  I've played beaucoup Late Romantic pieces, so was well aware of the stylistic challenges.  But there are other pianists I'm sure who would benefit from honing their technique in this music.

Thanks for listening and commenting!

David  

[visitor]

wow, I am not sure how I missed this. This is simply supberb. Cannot thank you enough for sharing.  More Kosenko is always welcome 

[pencilart3]

wow, I am not sure how I missed this. This is simply supberb. Cannot thank you enough for sharing.  More Kosenko is always welcome 

Oh really you like Kosenko?

[rachfan]

Hi visitor,

Thanks for listening and commenting.  I really appreciate it.  Prior to this etude I played his Consolation, Op. 9, No. 1, which is also here at pianostreet. Here's the link:

https://www.pianostreet.com/smf/index.php?topic=56771.0.html

At the moment I'm working on another Kosenko piece.  I think it would be great to have more recordings of his piano repertoire at this site.

David

 

[rachfan]

Hi pencilart3,

What's not to like about Kosenko's music?  In my younger days like most pianists I focused on the "standard repertoire".  (Since 2006 I've done more than 100 recordings here.) I eventually reached a point where playing the 9,760,415th rendition of Chopin's this or that no longer interested me. The wonderful thing about the literature for piano is that it's nearly infinite! And there are dusty corners there where one can find some truly amazing music.  Some of it is music of once great composers who are now obscure, forgotten or neglected from the era of the Late Romantics.  So over the years, yes I've recorded pieces by Rachmaninoff and Scriabin, favorites of mine to be sure.  But I've also recorded gems by Bortkiewicz, Catoire, Dohnanyi, Dutra, Glazunov, Godowsky, Liadoff, Medtner, and now Kosenko.  Over time many members and visitors here have enjoyed hearing this "new music".  Of course it's not really new at all, but instead rediscovered piano music.  For me it's a challenge and a pleasure.

David    

[pencilart3]

Hi pencilart3,

What's not to like about Kosenko's music?  In my younger days like most pianists I focused on the "standard repertoire".  (Since 2006 I've done more than 100 recordings here.) I eventually reached a point where playing the 9,760,415th rendition of Chopin's this or that no longer interested me. The wonderful thing about the literature for piano is that it's nearly infinite! And there are dusty corners there where one can find some truly amazing music.  Some of it is music of once great composers who are now obscure, forgotten or neglected from the era of the Late Romantics.  So over the years, yes I've recorded pieces by Rachmaninoff and Scriabin, favorites of mine to be sure.  But I've also recorded gems by Bortkiewicz, Catoire, Dohnanyi, Dutra, Glazunov, Godowsky, Liadoff, Medtner, and now Kosenko.  Over time many members and visitors here have enjoyed hearing this "new music".  Of course it's not really new at all, but instead rediscovered piano music.  For me it's a challenge and a pleasure.

David    

Sorry. Nothing wrong with liking Kosenko. I don't think I said that, I just know that visitor is crazy about Kosenko.

[rachfan]

Hi pencilart3,

OK, thanks for clarifying that.

David

[emill]

Hi David,

Thank you (for enhancing my music horizon) for posting pieces by "little known east Slavic" composers. Aside from the fact it enriches us, I have always admired your musicality and the technical aspects of your recordings which are excellently done.

emill

[rachfan]

Hi emill,

Great to hear from you!  Thanks so much for those positive comments on my playing. I really appreciate it. 

David