8 Etudes, Op. 42: No. 5 in C-Sharp Minor

Each of these composers takes us on a personal journey with their music. They allow the performer and the listener to enter their private sound world, and they are willing to share their deepest emotions.

Inspired by the music of the Italian Vivaldi, Bach composed his "Concerto in the Italian style" and dedicated it to "music lovers, to refresh their spirit." Bach returns to the baroque concerto, imitating its solo and tutti contrasts. Written originally for a two manual harpsichord, the pianist imitates these contrasting keyboards with their alternating dynamics. There is a sense of joy and triumph throughout, especially in its opening and closing movements. The middle movement is a touching vocal aria, sung over a moving ostinato bass. The Concerto joyfully concludes with the presto finale- a brilliant and virtuosic tour-de-force. According to Bach, all of his music was written to glorify God.

Ravel was thirty years old when he composed his "little" Sonata. There is an elegance, a purity and a peacefulness to this miniature gem. No sense of struggle here- Ravel knows the pathway he is following. My favorite movement is the 2nd movement Minuet- minimally written- not one note too much or too little- perfection in every way. The last movement is a virtuosic finale and according to Ravel, this movement was much too difficult for him to play. He wasn't a virtuoso like the great Franz Liszt.

Liszt struggled all his life with his personal relationship with God, and his Sonata in B minor serves as his spiritual confessional. Since a young child, Liszt was torn as to how best serve the Lord- whether he should enter the church with a life devoted to prayer or whether as an artist he could still serve. He finally resolved this conflict in his fifties when as Abbé Liszt, he took minor orders in the Catholic Church . His Sonata in B minor is one of the masterworks of the entire piano literature and represents his personal journey, running the gamut of emotion. He takes us from birth through life and then to what lies ahead. The ending of this work is extraordinary for Liszt makes us experience in its last measures the ascension of the soul towards a higher place. We feel its peaceful acceptance before the final low B- It's quite a journey!
For me as a performer, this work is always evolving- every time I perform it, it lets me know exactly where I am- where I've been and where I'm headed- a bit like taking my musical pulse.

Scriabin also walked the pathway of discovery. I think if he were alive today, he probably would be dressed in flowing robes and beads, and be living and seeking truth somewhere in an ashram in India. I adore his early Etudes; we can hear Chopin's influence but we also can feel Scriabin's Russian romantic soul. He wrote his Etude, Op. 2 No. 1 when he was only fifteen and it's a beauty. In his Etude, Op. 8, No. 10 in double thirds, we are reminded of Chopin's Etudes but also combined with lots of Lisztian virtuosity. With the Etude, Op. 42 No. 5, the passion and sense of forward momentum that Scriabin creates is just dazzling. Scriabin studied to be a pianist and while practicing Balakirev's Islamey, injured his right hand. That's why he wrote the Nocturne for the left-hand alone. Hard to imagine that only one hand is responsible for this beautiful composition.

We conclude with the virtuosic showpiece of Balakirev, Islamey. Balakirev was basically self-taught and became one of the leaders of the "Russian Five." This group of composers wrote music linked to their homeland- nationalistic music inspired by Russian folklore and history. In this "Fantasy-Orientale" Balakirev includes the folk songs of Central Asia. You might recognize the middle section tune that we know as "Stranger in Paradise." The piece might sound a bit dated nowadays but it is fun for the pianist to play and entertaining to hear occasionally.

From Bach to Balakirev- it's been quite a trip!!

“Nissman's opening movement raptures me out and tells me something new about Ravel's music. Nissman shows the passion and the "lovely bones" beneath. She plays the second-movement minuet so beautifully, it stops your breath. This may be the finest recording of the Sonatine I've heard, at least equaling my benchmark, Gieseking.”

“She also provides the bonus of bringing clarity to Liszt's complex textures and made me realize how truly contrapuntal the work is. There's plenty of excitement and genuine tenderness in her account. She also shares with Argerich a spontaneity. I can't predict how she will finish a phrase or what subtle adjustments in tempo and dynamics she will make to a line, but it nevertheless sounds not merely individual, but right.”

“Since Nissman plays Chopin so beautifully, she turns each of these Scriabins into gems. She actually makes Scriabin sound as natural as breath, like Fred Astaire dancing.”

"an impressive series: brilliant, technically and musically. Lifelike sound and totally satisfying discs.”

“A true transcendental performance. In her journey to the spiritual, technique, intellectual structure and dramatic structure have all been transcended.”