Two takes on Satu Vanska in one day, and this one in the wondrous brutalist space of the High Court foyer playing Shostakovich and the like, for which I have a new awareness and love, and with a fellow hugely capable pianist. I think I was the first to stand for an ovation and normally I never stand. Oh, and front row, close, getting a seat as the recordist for the session. What's not to like. But it's more than like, of course. This is powerful, challenging, unrelenting, mind-altering, in its time dangerous music which makes for much of its power, no doubt. Konstantin Shamray and Satu Vanska performed a program called Echoes of the Iron Curtain with music by Galina Ustalskaya, Shostakovich, Arvo Part and Prokofiev. We heard of Shostakovich's love of Galina and this work as perhaps her response (suffice to say negative). I was struck by relentlessness note patterns as a harmonic underlay and unexpected flourishes and the demands of the whole, although perhaps more from Ustvolskaya and Prokofiev than from the Shostakovich, which here seemed more melodic, and the Part. The program was Galina Ustvolskaya Sonata for violin and piano, Shostakovich selections from preludes for violin and piano op.34, Arvo Part Fratres for violin and piano and Prokofiev Violin sonata no.1 Fmin. Just overwhelmingly capable playing, huge sound, imposing space, challenging music, exceptional seating. This just had it all and I remain in awe.
Satu Vanska (violin) and Konstantin Shamray (piano) performed Ustvolskaya, Shotakovich, Part and Prokofiev for CIMF at the High Court.
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