Artley flute 17 0 review12/25/2022 ![]() ![]() While it is evident in the first movement, it’s at its best in the final Allegro Assai. In a contrast to the brightness of the Sonata Facile, the C Minor Sonata (tracks 17-19) offers what the pianist describes as a “theatrical tragedy.” We certainly experience this from his playing, which takes on a symphonic profile. Some of the voicing changes do seem a bit forced at times, but in the larger context, they demonstrate an earnest acknowledgement of the work’s complexities. ![]() ![]() He makes some thoughtful choices in the repeats, for example a switch-up of the articulation in the accompaniment helps give rise to an unexpected shift in character. Yet still, there is a playful innocence that prevents meticulousness from dominating. From the first movement’s Alberti bass to its running scales, we get the sense that every single note has its place and importance. Second is the performance itself: whatever struggles he had with the work have clearly paid off. More importantly, it’s an honest reflection upon the intricacy and challenges of a deceptively-titled piece. The performer preempts the risk on two fronts: first, his liner notes offer a humorous anecdote about his childhood frustrations with the sonata. For what is often unfairly dismissed as a hackneyed children’s piece, a memorable performance has to offer something especially meaningful. Presenting a piece like Mozart’s Sonata Facile (tracks 12-14) can have its perilous risks. As for the A minor (track 7), a quiet but tasteful accompaniment supports and allows the somber melody to shine through beautifully. He uses pedal points in the D minor (track 4), sometimes deep in the lower register of the instrument-this is an effective move that creates dimensionality and underscores the melody’s haunting chromaticism. Ólafsson writes that the two Cimarosa sonatas are sparse in their original forms and that he has made adjustments to suit the capabilities of the modern piano. As for the flurries of arpeggios that appear intermittently, they are not just pristine: they, too, carry a sense of phrasal structure. A good example is in the call-and-response pattern (0:17-0:28) between the top and the middle voices that starts subtly but becomes increasingly pronounced as the music builds. The pianist’s interpretation blends musicality and intelligence: a mellifluous tone sets the foundation for conversations between lines that might otherwise go unnoticed. Refinement is the name of the game in Galuppi’s Andante spiritoso (track 1), which Ólafsson mentions for him has inspirational ties to Mozart’s G minor Symphony. ![]()
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