Evgeny Sorkin & Natalia Andreeva - Ustvolskaya: Complete Music for Violin & Piano (2019) [Official Digital Download 24/96]

Unfairly named ‘The Lady with the Hammer’ for her uncompromising use of massive thunderous chords and ostinato rhythms, Ustvolskaya was a pupil of Shostakovich but forged her own unique way into many genres. Recently, artists have concentrated, as here, on bringing out the richness of the works and their innate lyricism. This album includes all of the composer’s music for violin and piano in two major works – the Sonata and the Duet.

Russian violinist Evgeny Sorkin was a child prodigy and performed for Isaac Stern at the age of 10 and was compared at 16 to David Oistrakh by no less than Yehudi Menuhin. He moved to Australia and balanced teaching at Sydney Conservatory with a busy recital schedule.

Natalia Andreeva is a Russian pianist who is currently Lecturer in Piano at the University of Sydney, Australia. Her 2015 recording of the complete solo piano music of Galina Ustvolskaya was very well received; she is a pianist of consummate skill who can express the power and lyricism which exist side by side in these works.

Tracklist:
1 Sonata for Violin & Piano: I. — 02:18
2 Sonata for Violin & Piano: II. — 09:36
3 Sonata for Violin & Piano: III. Piu mosso 02:25
4 Sonata for Violin & Piano: IV. Tempo I 05:28
5 Duet for Violin & Piano: I. Espressivo 04:22
6 Duet for Violin & Piano: II. Very Rhythmical Beat (Fugato) 05:47
7 Duet for Violin & Piano: III. Tempo I 02:53
8 Duet for Violin & Piano: IV. Not Faster (Fugato) 04:49
9 Duet for Violin & Piano: V. Meno mosso 01:20
10 Duet for Violin & Piano: VI. Tempo I 03:00
11 Duet for Violin & Piano: VII. (In Tempo) 07:16