Prokofiev: Piano Sonata No. 4 in C minor, Op. 29

Recording the complete Prokofiev Sonatas with pianist Peter Donohoe had been a long-cherished ambition of SOMM’s Owner and Recording Producer, Siva Oke, who had followed his illustrious career with keen interest for many years. This has now been realised with the complete recording of the Sonatas for SOMM, enjoyably recorded at Southampton University’s Turner Sims Concert Hall on their magnificent Steinway Grand, which Peter considers ideally responsive to the composer’s demands, both technically and musically.

Peter is no stranger to the Prokofiev Sonatas. He was asked by the publishers Boosey & Hawkes to prepare the definitive edition of the scores for them in 1985 and he also recorded Sonatas 6, 7 and 8 for EMI back in 1990. He has now added Sonatas 1 to 5 and 9 in this complete recording for the SOMM catalogue, for the first time.

He has, however, performed all the Sonatas in recital at some time or other over the years, and he feels – or with typical humility he thinks – that he has come as close to them as is possible for works of such infinite depth and stylistic complexity.

Peter has written the CD liner notes for this first volume as well as the rest of the cycle, in a relaxed, informed and affectionate manner.

Evgeni Koroliov, born in 1949 in Moscow, although doubtless an outstanding phenomenon in the international pianists' scene, still remains an insider tip, albeit one who has long enjoyed cult status. With his recording of the 2nd, 4th and 7th Piano Sonatas of Sergei Prokofiev, we can now finally obtain an item that was not available for a long time.

The 2nd Sonata, composed in 1912, is characteristic of Prokofiev's formally strict and sonically original personal style. It is marked by a modern aesthetic; numerous elements take up futuristic ideas of the period that "idolise speed and sing praises of modern machines", supporting the hypothesis that there is "a beauty of noises" as described in the magazine Muzika, the voice of the Moscow avantgarde consortium shortly after this Sonata was composed. The 4th Sonata of 1917 has a completely different character, its first movement beginning with restrain and archaic grace – the oppressive sounds are explained by the dedication to a friend who had recently committed suicide. After many years abroad, Prokofiev returned to the Soviet Union in the early 1930s with a downright naive optimism. The 7th Sonata was composed there a decade later, about which Glenn Gould had the following to say: "The first movement not only contains some of Prokofiev’s best music, but is, in open disregard of the Soviet musical maxim of direct accessibility, perhaps the closest to an atonal harmonic plan he ever applied."

Prokofiev’s sonatas nos. 7 and 8 are the so called 'War' Sonatas, as they were composed in one of the darkest periods of history, the 2nd World War. Though there are no direct programmatic hints to the war, the atmosphere is brooding, menacing, even sinister in places. Episodes of quasi-innocent lyricism alternate with outbursts of threatening violence.

The young Russian pianist Amir Tebenikhin presents gripping and compelling interpretations of these works. Eschewing obvious and 'sportive' virtuosity, he delves deep into hidden layers of emotions, seeking the inner power and truth of these masterworks.

Amir Tebenikhin enjoys a worldwide career, giving concerts in Carnegie Hall, Wigmore Hall, Salle Pleyel and others. He is prize winner of International Competitions (Vianna da Motta, Queen Elisabeth, Anton Rubinstein Competition), and was in 2011 awarded the Deutscher Pianistenpreis.

Yakov Izrailevich Zak was born in Odessa in 1913 to a musical family. In 1937 he won first prize in the International Frederick Chopin Competition. This made him famous and his portraits decorated the streets of Moscow. In the fifties and sixties he often toured abroad. This CD is part of the “Legends of the XX Century” series.

Avie introduces the brilliant young Romanian pianist Alexandra Silocea who offers some of her signature repertoire on her debut recording, the first five Piano Sonatas of Prokofiev. Dubbed “Alexandra the Great” by Gramophone who announced her debut recording, the 26-year-old trained in Vienna and Paris, and is now resident in the UK. In 2003, while studying at Vienna University for Music and Performing Arts, she was awarded the Herbert von Karajan Scholarship, the latest in a string of prizes from competitions throughout Europe. Alexandra made her professional debut in 2008 with the Vienna Chamber Orchestra. Recital debuts followed in 2009 at the Musikverein in Vienna, Carnegie Hall’s Weill Recital Hall in New York, and le Salon de Musique in Paris.

Alexandra says: “This debut recording serves as a journey through my own musical path. The aim of recording Prokofiev’s first five piano sonatas together was to show all the facets of Prokofiev's musical personality, from Op. 1 to Op. 138, which is the revised version of Sonata No. 5, one of the last works he completed before his death in 1953. Each Sonata is so different, so original, with such care for detail that whenever I play or listen to this music it's a revelation."

This recording extends the legacy of the late producer John Barnes, who introduced the pianist to Avie. An insatiable scout for young talent, Barnes also worked for decades behind the scenes at Glyndebourne, recording every production for the company’s archives. His successor at Glyndebourne, Sebastian Chonion, has produced Alexandra’s debut recording.