Alexei Volodin's 2011 release on BR Klassik brings together three fantastic works from the piano literature:
Robert Schumann's Kreisleriana,
Maurice Ravel's Miroirs, and
Alexander Scriabin's Sonata No. 5. Elements of brilliant fantasy and dark mystery operate in all three works, and even though
Volodin's selections come from stylistically and temperamentally different composers, from widely separated times and places, the unifying core of the music is a sustained virtuosity that takes the listener into colorful realms of the imagination. A creative artist,
Volodin brings strong characterizations to
Schumann's vignettes, which were based on the tales of E.T.A. Hoffmann, though his technical skills are more abundantly displayed in
Ravel's effervescent Miroirs, which includes the special challenge of playing rapid passages at extremely soft levels. However, the most dazzling performance of the album is
Scriabin's Sonata No. 5, which
Volodin plays with subtlety on many levels and with a refinement that is quite hard to find in recordings. The build-up through the first part of the program heightens the feeling of anticipation, and the spectacular playing here brings the recital to a magnificent close. The reproduction offers a wide dynamic range, and the levels of
Volodin's playing change dramatically, so a mid-range setting is recommended.