"You
have awakened not out of sleep, but into a prior dream, and that dream
lies within another, and so on, to infinity, which is the number of
grains of sand. The path that you are to take is endless, and you will
die before you have truly awakened." Jorge Luis Borges
“The music emerges with a
purified beauty that can leave you breathless.”
“Whether in the wisps of
color called forth by Crumb or the torrents of sound that mark Ustvolskaya’s
brutal and remorseless Sixth Sonata, whether in the nebulous evocations of
Brahms and Schubert in Berio’s Wasserklavier or the more direct recollection of
Chopin that closes Crumb’s “Dream Images” (and the disc), Ivanov captures the
spirit of the music with uncanny rightness. And, where appropriate, he captures
it with uncanny grace, as well.”
“Ivanov illuminates its
intimate beauties with unfailing sensitivity”.
Peter J. Rabinowitz – Fanfare Magazine
“A simply fascinating recital
from a pianist who clearly has much to say.”
“Ivanov’s liquid legato and
gradations of tone are very well caught by the superb recording.”
Colin Clarke –
Fanfare Magazine
“One can almost forget that
these 18 tracks are more than one track, because Ivanov settles us into a
suspended state.”
“Listened to as a single
unbroken experience, this turned out to be a fascinating disc.”
Huntley Dent – Fanfare Magazine
Echo
- a close parallel or repetition of an idea, feeling, style, or event/ a
detail or characteristic that is suggestive of something else.
Oxford Dictionary
Gymnopaedia - a choral dance of religious origin performed by naked youths at ancient Greek festivals.
Merriam-Webster Dictionary
"I’d also say that Ivanov’s most distinctive gift as a pianist is his
ability to draw us inward, which imparts the feeling that we’re approaching a
mystery."
Hunley Dent - Fanfare Magazine
…the infinite tango takes me towards everything…Jorge Luis Borges
In 1914 Erik Satie composed “Perpetual Tango” which was meant to be repeated eternally. Seventy years later John Cage wrote a piece with the same title, shape and structure as Satie’s tango. Separately and superimposed, these two works encircle this CD endlessly. The title, “Naked Tango” is borrowed from a stunning work (reproduced on the cover) by Argentine artist Guillermo Kuitca. I was very fortunate to know Robert Helps during the last few years of his life and he remains a great inspiration for me as a person and as a musician. His music, which is the heart of this CD, along with timeless sounds from the distant past (Tisdall, Rameau) is woven into the perpetual rhythm of the tango as expressed by Nazareth, Stravinsky, Shchedrin and Barber. Svetozar Ivanov
"There
are recital and disc programs that are so thought-provoking as to reveal a
window into the musical philosophy of the performer. And then there are
delightful rarities like pianist Svetozar Ivanov’s Naked Tango that push
the concept even further, coaxing the listener to consider links between pieces
and eras in ways rarely examined." Michael Cameron - Fanfare Magazine
"Superbly original, quite moving, personal and musically adsorbing" James Manheim - All Music Guide
I
have always been fascinated by the artistic spirit of early 20th
century Europe. Time of changes, time of experiments – the beginning of
modern times! In the next few pages I have included a painting
and a poem to accompany each of the compositions on this CD. My
intention is not to complement or represent the music through these
works; rather my hope is that they help portray the artistic climate of
the time and place in which the composers wrote these pieces. Debussy’s
impressionistic “Images II” was composed in 1907 – same year as Monet’s
“Water-Lilies, Nymphéas” and at a time when the young Apollinaire was
becoming one of the most popular members of the artistic community of
Paris. Klimt and Altenberg were part of Vienna's cultural
elite and were especially influential on young Berg at the time he wrote
his sonata op.1 – 1908. The expressionism of Schoenberg’s
op.11 from 1909 corresponds to the emotional intensity of two other
Vienna artists from that time - Schiele and George (one of Schoenberg’s
favorite poets). And finally, Ciurlionis’ idea about
synthesis of music and color reminds us of Scriabin’s grandiose, but
unfinished project for synthesis of all arts – Mysterium. Included here
is the first verse of Scriabin’s text to the Prefatory Action which was
intended as the prelude to the Mysterium. Svetozar
Ivanov
"played with aplomb, panache and complete
conviction” Robert Schulslaper - Fanfare Magazine
"interpretation filled with sensual longing, anguished
yearning, anxious dread and provocative energy” James Leonard - All Music Guide
NIKOLAI ROSLAVETS Short Works for Violin and Piano Gega New, Catalog #340 Stuart-Ivanov Duo (Carolyn Stuart – violin, Svetozar Ivanov – piano)
This collection seeks to offer a portrait of this composer who was almost erased from Russian musical history, as seen through a chronological offering of some of his distinctive short pieces for violin and piano. Alongside some of Roslavets’s signature published works, thid disc includes several unpublished miniatures, presented here in their world premiere recordings.
"In every regard a showcase for Stuart's and Ivanov's musical and stylistic mastery." Robert Maxham, Fanfare Magazine
"Carolyn Stuart and Svetozar Ivanov provide all of the expertise one can ask for in their performances of these works." Steven E. Ritter, Fanfare Magazine
