Arthur Lourié, the composer, was born Naum Israilevich Luria and adopted the name Arthur in homage to Arthur Schopenhauer and Vincent in admiration of Vincent van Gogh.
Composer Biography
Lourié's early life details, including his birth year and place, are uncertain, partly because he was known to embellish facts to advance his career or personal life.
Performer Biography
Giorgio Koukl, the pianist on this album, is considered one of the world's leading interpreters of Bohuslav Martinů's piano music, having recorded his complete solo piano works.
Performer Biography
Giorgio Koukl has recorded the complete solo piano works of several composers, including Paul Le Flem, Alexander Tcherepnin, Alexandre Tansman, Arthur Lourié, Vítězslava Kapràlovà, and Witold Lutosławski.
Critical Reception
For several decades after his death, Arthur Lourié was largely forgotten, but in recent years, his work has enjoyed a significant revival.
Composer's Artistic Vision
Lourié was profoundly influenced by the Russian Futurists, who repudiated 'static' past art, and he fully embraced the idea of transforming human consciousness through spiritual revolution, a hallmark of Russian Symbolists.
Historical Context
After the formal establishment of the Soviet Union in 1922, Arthur Lourié's music was proscribed in Russia.
