Ukrainian Preludes

Featuring

Jascha Nemtsov
Nikolai Silvansky
Matvey Gozenpud
Evgeniya Yakhnina

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Performer Biography

Pianist Jascha Nemtsov has won multiple awards, including the German Record Critics' Prize in 2007 and an 'OPUS KLASSIK' in 2018 for his recordings of persecuted composers' works.

Compositional Technique

Matvey Gozenpud's Preludes combine a Romantic musical idiom with influences from modern popular music, including jazz, showcasing his pianistic virtuosity.

Album & Artwork

This album is a joint project between pianist Jascha Nemtsov and Alexander Plekhanov, a music-lover from Russia who discovers forgotten music by Ukrainian composers.

Composer's Artistic Vision

In Eastern Europe, the European musical tradition with its humanist spirit experienced a renaissance under authoritarian rule, with composers using forms like the prelude cycle as a declaration of humanism.

Recording & Production

All the works on this CD are world premiere recordings, with pieces by Matvey Gozenpud and Evgeniya Yakhnina never before released on any recorded media.

Composer Biography

Matvey Gozenpud, a Ukrainian Jewish composer, was a victim of antisemitic campaigns in the Soviet Union, fleeing to Kazakhstan in 1950 to escape arrest.

Composer Biography

Evgeniya Yakhnina, a Ukrainian composer, also suffered antisemitic persecution, losing her teaching post in 1948 and being excluded from musical life for five years.