A taste of Impressionistic music from 20th century Ukrainian composer, Vasyl Barvinsky, is featured next in the album through his piano preludes op. 8, nos 1 and 5. Vasyl Barvinsky wrote his Piano Preludes in 1908, at the age of 20. The tranquil first prelude and heroic fifth prelude contrast and combine well as the first prelude’s climax section foreshadows the fifth prelude. This music features song-like variations that enchant the listener in the first prelude, and fast uneven waves of passionate music guided by beautiful melodies in the fifth prelude. As I wrote in my Master's theses on Barvinsky's music and these preludes: "Barvinsky elevated Ukrainian national music to a classical world standard while preserving its unique cultural essence."

Radiant Classics

Piano Preludes Op. 8: No. 5 in C minor "Heroic"

This set of tracks features Johan Sebastian Bach's Toccata in D major (BWV 912) which is uplifting, happy, and energetic, as well as gorgeous in the contrapuntal language of its Adagio middle section. The piece is divided into three tracks to allow easy selection among the Allegro, Adagio, and Fugue sections.

Toccata in D major, BWV 912: Adagio

Toccata in D major, BWV 912: II. Adagio

Romantic music is featured next with two études of Frédéric Chopin, Ocean (Op. 25, No. 12) and Sunshine (Op. 10, No. 8), which feature, in the former, rich textural arpeggios resembling waves of an ocean or perhaps of human emotion. In Sunshine, many light, crisp, and brilliant passages in the right hand combine artfully with a balancing, joyful, and rhythmical theme in the left hand.

Etude Op. 10: No. 8 in F major "Sunshine"

This set of tracks features Johann Sebastian Bach's Toccata in D major (BWV 912) which is uplifting, joyous, and energetic. The gorgeous Adagio middle section, with its elegant counterpoint, weaves its way to the final fugue. The piece is divided into three tracks to allow easy selection among the Allegro, Adagio, and Fugue sections.

Toccata in D major, BWV 912: III. Fugue

Etude Op. 25: No. 12 in C minor "Ocean

The album concludes with Beethoven's great and much loved Piano Sonata No. 23 in F minor, Op. 57 (aka Appassionata), which is presented, appropriately, with much passion and a love for music and beauty, which Beethoven so masterfully expressed. The middle section is tranquil and calming, while the outer movements are exciting and dynamically rich with a great range from soft pianissimo to powerful fortissimo.

Nina Soyfer