11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
An excellent opportunity to get to know Ciurlionis better!, September 10, 1999
By A Customer
This review is from: Piano Works 1 (Audio CD)
Lithuanians believe that Ciurlionis is world famous, but he is probably very little known outside Lithiuania, which I think is a pity! The only works of his that I have found on CD until recently are his symphonic poems, "In the Forest" and "The Sea".
This recording, and its companion volume 2, is an excellent opportunity to get to know him better. It consist mainly of little piano pieces, a few minutes long. There is influence by Schumann 50 years before, but Ciurlionis is also 50 years ahead of his time sometimes. Ciurlionis is Ciurlionis! You can go to sleep with his Preludes if you wish, or use them as non-intrusive background music while you are working, but you are likely to wake up suddenly with the reaction:"Hey, that was good, which one was that?". I believe that different pieces will cause that reaction in different persons, or at different times in the same person.
The soloist, Muza Rubackyte, is a pleasant acquaintance, new to me. I will be looking for more recordings by her! She plays distinctly, sometimes vigorously, and with great variation of expression. There is never any danger of these basically lyrical pieces becoming only "beautiful"!
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