Over the past two years, they've released albums of music from Bulgaria, Estonia, Latvia, Finland, Ukraine, and the Balkans as a region. This release features music by Juozas Gruodis, the father of Lithuanian music.
Gruodis began his studies in Moscow. He transferred to the Leipzig Conservatory in 1920. When he returned to Lithuania, he synthesized both traditions. Gruodis' goal was nothing short of a "national concept of music." And he succeeded. Many Lithuanian composers trace their inspiration back to Gruodis.
This release features two sonatas plus four other works for piano. Gruodis wrote the Piano Sonata No. 1 in C sharp minor in 1919. He was just finishing his studies in Moscow. The late-Romantic Russian style is prominent in this sonata but doesn't overwhelm it. I heard hints of Scriabin and Rachmaninoff, but I also heard something else. Some unusual melodic turns and harmonies that were perhaps Lithuanian.
Gruodis' Piano Sonata No. 2 in F minor was written during his studies in Leipzig. There's more Lizt than Lyadov to the sound. And yet once again, melodies don't always follow Germanic models.
These sonatas require a great deal of technique. And Daumantas Kirilauskas is up to the task. He plays the cascades of thundering chords with authority. And he also plays with delicate tenderness when the music demands. I especially liked his performance of 1920 Variations in B minor.
Gruodis intended the work to be an exercise in salon music. But he couldn't keep his imagination in check. By the third variation, the composition has flowered into a real showpiece.
I would very much like to hear Gruodis' orchestral music. But for now, this album is here to enjoy. And to enjoy with repeated listening. Another exceptional release of music worth discovery from Toccata Classics.
Juozas Gruodis: Piano Music
Daumantas Kirilauskas, piano
Toccata Classics
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