Classical Music: Nicolai Kapustin Piano Concertos 2 & 6

Nicolai Kapustin Piano Concertos 2 & 6

Variations for piano solo and big band, Op. 3 (1961); Toccata for piano solo and big band, Op. 8 (1964)*; Concerto No. 2 for piano and orchestra, Op. 14 (1972); Nocturne for piano and orchestra, Op. 16 (1972); Concert Rhapsody for piano and orchestra, Op. 25 (1976)+; Concerto No. 6 for piano and big band, Op. 74 (1993)*;

* World premiere recording + World premiere commercial recording

Frank Dupree, piano; Jakob Krupp, bass; Meinhard “Obi” Jenne, drums; SWR Big Band; SWR Sinfonieorchester; Dominik Beykirch, conductor

Capriccio C5528
http://www.capriccio.at/


This is pure unadulterated fun from start to finish. A rollercoaster ride making it a thrilling and joyous exuberance of a disc. Nicolai Kapustin was a Soviet composer and pianist who played with early Soviet jazz bands and his compositions often fused jazz and classical forms.

The notes tells us that when Kapustin’s music was discovered by a wider audience in the West, it certainly came as a shock: Who was this Soviet composer, whose music mostly resembled an Oscar Peterson improvisation, but was notated in heavily detailed scores?

Although the jazz idiom is strong, Kapustin never really considered himself a jazz musician because he was not interested in improvisation; everything he wrote was written down. “What is a jazz musician without improvisation?” he said.

The rhythmic pulse that beats throughout every piece and the use of a big band convey a crisp sparkle and brilliance as German pianist Frank Dupree breezes through these short pieces. Dupree is a fine exponent of Kapustin’s piano scores and on this disc he is joined by the SWR Big Band and SWR Symphonieorchester, bassist Jakob Krupp and percussionist Meinhard ‘Obi’ Jenne as well as conductor Dominik Beykirch.

There are references to I Got Rhythm and Ol’ Man River all performed by the virtuosic Dupree who deals with fast-paced and changing tempi brilliantly. The slower, sensual Nocturne transports the listener to another world - Hollywood of the 1950s - that is also felt in the two movement Concert Rhapsody.

A rich opulent sound with beautiful harmonics and musical ideas make this a disc with never a dull moment.