Solomiya Ivakhiv Masterfully Performs Ukrainian Sonatas

Full disclosure: I have been a fan of Ivakhiv's playing since I reviewed her debut recordings. And I follow her on Facebook. So I know first-hand her work to get the music of her native land before new audiences.

Ivakhiv plays with a full, rich sound that often bristles with intensity. And perhaps never more so when she's playing music by Ukrainian composers.

The three composers represented here draw deep inspiration from Ukrainian culture. And Ivakhiv taps into that inspiration.

Seven Beck makes an able partner. I've always been impressed with his solo recordings and his work with Quattro Mani. He plays with energy and feeling, a perfect complement to Ivakhiv's performances.

"Masters" is an accurate word for these composers. Viktor Kosenko is one of the fathers of Ukrainian classical music. He melded classical traditions with Ukrainian folk music. His 1927 Violin Sonata is indeed a masterwork.

Myroslav Skoryk goes a step further. In addition to folk, he draws from jazz and pop for his musical creations. In the case of his 1991 Violin Sonata No. 2, he gives us a cheeky little work that's full of good humor and attitude.

Sergei Bortkiewicz's Violin Sonata in G minor is the most traditional-sounding of the three. His 1922 work has a Rachmaninov-like post-Romantic sound: lush and gorgeous.

Highly recommended.

Ukrainian Masters
Kosenko, Skoryk, Bortkiewicz
Solomiya Ivakhiv, violin; Steven Beck, piano
Naxos 8.579146