Exploring Time with My Piano Sergei Kasprov

• Jean-Philippe Rameau (1683-1764)
• 1Premier livre de pièces de clavecin - Prélude02:24
• 2Renaissance, Book 1 - Menuet in A Minor04:40
• 3Renaissance, Book 1 - Sarabande in E Major02:36
• 4Renaissance, Book 1 - Rigaudon in E Major04:14
• Jean-Baptiste Loeillet (1688-1720)
• 5Lesson I in E Minor for the Harpsichord or Spinet - Allemande03:56
• 6Lesson I in E Minor for the Harpsichord or Spinet - Courante02:00
• 7Renaissance, Book 2 - Sarabande in E Minor02:58
• 8Lesson I in E Minor for the Harpsichord or Spinet - Gigue02:29
• 9Renaissance, Book 2 Gigue in E Minor03:21
• Domenico Scarlatti (1685-1757)
• 10Sonata in B Minor, Kk. 8706:28
• 11Sonata in E Major, Kk. 16205:44
• 12Sonata in D Minor, Kk. 9 - Pastorale (Transcribed in E Minor by Tausig)04:02
• 13Sonata in E Major, Kk. 20 - Capriccio (Transcribed by Tausig)02:53
• Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750): Suite in A Minor, BWV 818-A
• 14I. Prelude01:40
• 15II. Allemande03:30
• 16III. Courante01:26
• 17IV. Sarabande05:02
• 18V. Menuet00:55
• 19VI. Gigue02:08
• Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750): Partita in E Major, BWV 1006
• 20Prelude (Transcribed by Rachmaninov)03:19
• 21Gavotte (Transcribed by Rachmaninov)03:10
• 22Gigue (Transcribed by Rachmaninov)01:04
• Total Runtime01:09:59

Info for Exploring Time with My Piano

For his first recording on the Alpha label, Sergei Kasprov, a young Russian artist trained at the Moscow Conservatory, defies the laws of time. He has in fact chosen to create a dialogue between great Baroque geniuses and Russian Romantics: Rameau, Lully, Loeillet, Bach and Scarlatti revised by Tausig, Godowsky and Rachmaninov.

In the tradition of Marcelle Meyer, Glenn Gould or, more recently, Alexandre Tharaud, Sergei Kasprov pulls off the tour de force of freeing himself from ‘Baroque’ interpretative codes and, at the same time, from those of the 19th century, to better get back to the essential.

The excellent recording quality attests ideally to the discourse, respectful of the original counterpoint as well as unfailing digital dexterity necessitated by appropriate ornamentation and the amazing sound palette required by late Romanticism, all on a Steinway contemporary with Rachmaninov. A new talent, an Alpha discovery!

Sergei Kasprov, piano

Sergei Kasprov
Praised as a “powerful pianist” by The Moscow Times, Sergey Kasprov has already made himself known as an artist who “is not afraid to say too much or go too far”. His impact on the audience is due not only to “his formidable technique, but his raw emotion as well.” According to Théo Bélaud on ClassiqueInfo.com, “there is nothing artificial in the feeling of overt improvisation that he highlights.”

Sergey Kasprov’s career has frequently brought him to perform in Russia, as well as in France, Belgium, Poland and Germany. In the last two years he has made appearances at such well‐known events as La Roque d’Anthéron International Piano Festival, the Klara Festival in Brussels, Chopin and His Europe in Warsaw, the Ruhr Piano Festival and Musical Gardens in Warsaw.

Sergey Kasprov has performed with such renowned orchestras as the St Petersburg Philharmonic, the Moscow State Orchestra and La Chambre Philharmonique. In winter 2010 he made his debut at the Cité de la Musique in Paris with Liszt’s Second Piano Concerto under maestro Emmanuel Krivine.

Sergey Kasprov studied at the Moscow State Tchaikovsky Conservatoire under Alexei Lubimov, graduating in piano, early keyboards and organ in 2004. He continued his studies at the Schola Cantorum de Paris in the years 2004‐2006. Since 2007 he has assisted Alexei Lubimov and taught his own class of students at the Moscow Conservatoire.

Sergey Kasprov has won 1st prizes at the International Scriabin Competition, the International Nikolai Rubinstein Competition and the International Maria Yudina Competition. In 2008 Sergey Kasprov was awarded the Moscow City Government Prize at the International Sviatoslav Richter Piano Competition.

“... Liszt’s splendid Concerto No 2 came alive and resonated under Sergey Kasprov’s fingers, he rendered sublimely this exaltation full of contrasts, went to the most extreme nuances, from the dreamy simplicity of the main theme that comes back in the Tempo del andante, to the almost military energy of the Allegro decisio, without even talking about the unforgettable final Allegro animato, where the leaping rhythms end in surprising glissandi, that nonetheless do not disfigure this grandiose épopée. In this concerto, Sergey Kasprov, with his precision of touch, gives the impression of taking some distance to face the density of this music, and, at the same time, of underlining it’s romanticism, it’s darkness, it’s exaltation: one can only hail the excellent performance of the pianist...” Marie‐Aude Labatide‐Alanore

“Kasprov is interesting from beginning to end, handling very confidently the almost forgotten style of the fingering school à la russe in all it paradoxical dimensions. Paradox of the fingering technique combined with the sound idiosyncrasies of the Liszt and Godowsky transcriptions, paradox of the versatile and eluding attitude to the aphoristic depth of Scarlatti. We will remember above all the six sonatas by Scarlatti, especially the K. 87, played, as the other five, in detached phrases: but this charm that seems to come directly from a Moscow or Warsaw salon of the beginning of the last century works perfectly, and the clear feeling of improvisation that the listener gets is no fake. The means are all there, sufficient for this exercise de style, relaxed and articulated with the utmost precision...” Théo Bélaud, ClassiqueInfo.com

“The tall, powerful pianist is impressive not only because of his formidable technique, but his raw emotion as well. While most young pianists nowadays tend to do only the right thing and aim for pretty perfection, this is a pianist who isn’t afraid to say too much or go too far... He leaves a strong impression upon listeners.” Ayano Hodouchi, The Moscow Times

Booklet for Exploring Time with My Piano