Turkish-born pianist
Zeynep Ucbasaran teams up with fellow pianist
Sergio Gallo, with whom she was acquainted as a student at the Liszt Academy of Music in Budapest, on this Eroica album of music for two pianos. The program the two artists have selected is remarkably far reaching, from Mozart to
Lutoslawski with Brahms and
Khachaturian rounding out the middle. While
Ucbasaran's strength in the past has been muscular, pyrotechnic performances of composers such as Liszt, this program necessitates a broad arsenal of colors and interpretations. Regrettably, such variety is notably missing from start to finish on this disc. Even some overly aggressive playing might be welcome, but what listeners are subjected to instead is non-stop blandness from both pianists. Tempos are extremely rigid across the board, making the "Fantastic Waltz" of
Khachaturian much less than fantastic and the sparkling K. 448 Sonata dull and listless. Even dynamics are rather staid, a shame given the sonic possibilities of two pianos joined together. Interpretation is equally unvarying between pieces, and given the diversity of the program such unimaginative variation is simply unacceptable. While technically proficient, the vast musical and interpretive shortcomings of this album likely make it one to pass on for most listeners.