Kaleidoscope

Pianist Mari Kodama’s album Kaleidoscope is a collection of transcriptions for piano. She plays a selection of string quartet movements transcribed by Saint-Saëns, Balakirev and Mussorgsky, as well as Beethoven’s own transcription of the finale of Mozart’s Clarinet Quintet. The album contains numerous world premiere recordings. BBC Music Magazine Choice

Featuring

Mari Kodama
Ludwig van Beethoven
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

Did you know?

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Composer's Artistic Vision

Beethoven believed that 'true art is obstinate' and cannot be forced into flattering forms, emphasizing individual freedom and the constant pursuit of new ideas beyond traditional thinking.

Recording & Production

This album features several world-premiere recordings of Beethoven string quartet transcriptions.

Interpretation

Pianist Mari Kodama believes that when playing string quartet transcriptions, one should not try to imitate the sound of stringed instruments on the piano, as it sounds unnatural.

Interpretation

Mari Kodama, the pianist, views musical arrangements as similar to literary translations, where the interpreter's individual taste and sense of the work play a crucial role.

Compositional Technique

Beethoven's Op. 59 string quartets, dedicated to his patron Count Rasumovsky, introduced a new musical language with expanded forms, symphonic concepts, and a more prominent role for the cello.

Recording & Production

The transcriptions for this album were chosen in close cooperation with Yukihisa Miyayama, an expert in retrieving scores of musical rarities from Japan.