Kosenko, Viktor - Prelude (e-flat minor) Op. 2 No. 1 (pr3)

[visitor]

An oldy of mine (*pr3=practice run through #3), recording is about 2 years old or so.  Not a public performance audio rip but a stage rehearsal.  Strangely this has grown on me, I didn't like this version before and made some interpretative changes on stage later on but now I like some aspects of this one better.

I don't believe this has been recorded and if so, definitely not lately or commercially.  This was recorded on pretty decent SS model B (fresh refinish/resto), stage center is a small orchestra hall. There's a bit of white noise in the background caused by the generator/cooler for the house stage lights).

I'm a different pianist today, pretty sure were I to work this up again it would be noticeably different in some regards.

Hope this adds to the growing archive of Kosenko works (really only added it since sitting on it for a couple years and still no one has put one this prelude out there).

Kosenko bio is out on the interwebs.  This is a piece similar to the same opus and no from Scriabin (who's influence we see/hear in Kosenko's output and definitely here as well). This prelude was published around the time he was 15 years old.

[rachfan]

Hi visitor,

It's good to see someone other than myself playing a piece by Kosenko!  Today Kosenko is somewhat lost in obscurity, as he died at 42; however if other pianists play some of his repertoire, it will certainly become better known than it is now.

I believe that your rendition of this prelude and your affinity to this music is excellent, and the recording quality is fine too, along with the condition of the piano.  It's not unusual for a pianist to relearn a piece, believing that he can get closer to the essence and the composer's notation and wishes too.  

Thanks for sharing this!

David (rachfan)

[emill]

Hello

I am glad to hear another piece from a lessor known (perhaps not known) east Slavic composer composer.  The piece seems to me (a non-pianist) like an intro ... a buildup to something that never comes ... perhaps sort of an anticipation.  THANKS. 

I have been "introduced" to lesser known Russian composers by rachfan with his Catoire pieces and lately he has posted one also from Kosenko. My son's teacher, who is Russian has also assigned pieces for him to play like from Myaskovsky.  Again for a non-pianist like me, it takes a while, but eventually one gets to really appreciate their compositions.  I just wish more will post compositions from "unknowns"; some of which can really be gems. 

[mjames]

Beautiful stuff visitor, you should post more of Kosenkos music. thanks for sharing.

[visitor]

thank you all for taking time to listen and to comment. also sincerely appreciate the feedback and kind remarks. it's encouraging, so much so that i have been moved to review my kosneko archive for another work to bring up, hopefully something within my grasp and aesthetic but that maybe has not been recorded, or recorded often/recently.

Hi visitor,

It's good to see someone other than myself playing a piece by Kosenko!  Today Kosenko is somewhat lost in obscurity, as he died at 42; however if other pianists play some of his repertoire, it will certainly become better known than it is now.

I believe that your rendition of this prelude and your affinity to this music is excellent, and the recording quality is fine too, along with the condition of the piano.  It's not unusual for a pianist to relearn a piece, believing that he can get closer to the essence and the composer's notation and wishes too.  

Thanks for sharing this!

David (rachfan)

Thanks rachfan.  I do believe it is a good idea to sometimes circle back to a work that a pianist feels they played as best they could --years later. I think should be encouraged as much as circling back to a piece that was perhaps out of one's grasp technically or musically.  I do believe and see where a maturing of interpretive sensibilities would lend itself to pull something different from a work later on  in life. Thanks for reassuring me of that and your praise-given the source, it's so encouraging!

Hello

I am glad to hear another piece from a lessor known (perhaps not known) east Slavic composer composer.  The piece seems to me (a non-pianist) like an intro ... a buildup to something that never comes ... perhaps sort of an anticipation.  THANKS. 

I have been "introduced" to lesser known Russian composers by rachfan with his Catoire pieces and lately he has posted one also from Kosenko. My son's teacher, who is Russian has also assigned pieces for him to play like from Myaskovsky.  Again for a non-pianist like me, it takes a while, but eventually one gets to really appreciate their compositions.  I just wish more will post compositions from "unknowns"; some of which can really be gems. 

emill, many thanks.  it is a sad state that VK is so relatively obscure, he was phenomenally talented and at least he is mainly forgotten outside his country. In the Ukraine he is still a very visible historic figure, I believe there is a competition held each year bearing his name, and one of his children may still be living in his old apartment, definitely a place of honor and the pianists in the Ukraine recognize and study and perform his work pretty regularly I gather.
Just happy to be able to bring something out and give it a wider audience.
Yes your remark of the build up that doesn't quite happen hits true.  I believe that is mainly due to his still developing style and trying to find his 'voice' at that time, he was still young after all, only 15 years old or so.  But even for such an early work , it's well crafted given how consise it is (which i like a prelude, short, to the point  ).

Beautiful stuff visitor, you should post more of Kosenkos music. thanks for sharing.

mjames, we share similar tastes, so i know you have good taste   
thanks for listening and pushing me to learn/post more. will do. i always admire your open mindedness to consider works and composers outside of the standard cannon. Keep at it! 

thanks to those that listened and did not comment, i appreciate you took time to discover the piece and composer.

[ronde_des_sylphes]

What an interesting, enigmatic little work. There are some enjoyable harmonic ambiguities within it. The piano and the sound (and the playing!) are good, and suit the music's nature nicely.

[visitor]

What an interesting, enigmatic little work. There are some enjoyable harmonic ambiguities within it. The piano and the sound (and the playing!) are good, and suit the music's nature nicely.

What a wonderful comment and compliment, thanks very much!

* I really liked your assessment of 'enigmatic' it's word that escaped me but I feel it, building the motif on that tritone and then expanding on it gives it a little sense of mystery and it's an unexpected way of opening the piece.
 

[pencilart3]

It's good to see a member with a lot of posts doing some audition room-ing. It seems nobody with a lot of posts does anything in the audition room. Good playing

[visitor]

It's good to see a member with a lot of posts doing some audition room-ing. It seems nobody with a lot of posts does anything in the audition room. Good playing

Many thanks P, appreciate the compliments.

I love performing (recording not so much, so i'd rather just record a performance vs just make a recording privately, i mainly do that in various learning phases as part of performance prep). Just never get around to it much lately. I agree, more should post on this board, I will be.