Diana Gabrielyan - STRAVINSKY, SHOSTAKOVICH, BABAJANYAN, MANSURYAN

1. 01 Igor Stravinsky – Piano Sonata (1924) – I – quarter = 112
   
2. 02 Igor Stravinsky – Piano Sonata (1924) – II – Adagietto
   
3. 03 Igor Stravinsky – Piano Sonata (1924) – III – quarter = 112
   
4. 04 Igor Stravinsky – Piano Rag Music
   
5. 05 Igor Stravinsky – Ragtime
   
6. 06 Igor Stravinsky – Tango
   
7. 07 Dmitri Shostakovich – Piano Sonata No 1 Op 12 – I – Allegro –
   
8. 08 Dmitri Shostakovich – Piano Sonata No 1 Op 12 – II – Meno mosso –
   
9. 09 Dmitri Shostakovich – Piano Sonata No 1 Op 12 – III – Adagio –
   
10. 10 Dmitri Shostakovich – Piano Sonata No 1 Op 12 – IV – Allegro – Poco meno mosso –
    
11. 11 Dmitri Shostakovich – Piano Sonata No 1 Op 12 – V – Adagio – Lento –
    
12. 12 Dmitri Shostakovich – Piano Sonata No 1 Op 12 – VI – Allegro – Meno mosso – Moderato – Allegro
    
13. 13 Arno Babadjanyan – Elegy
    
14. 14 Arno Babadjanyan – Impromptu
    
15. 15 Arno Babadjanyan – Danza di Vagharshapat
    
16. 16 Arno Babadjanyan – Six Pictures – I – Impromptu
    
17. 17 Arno Babadjanyan – Six Pictures – II – Folk Song
    
18. 18 Arno Babadjanyan – Six Pictures – III – Toccatina
    
19. 19 Arno Babadjanyan – Six Pictures – IV – Intermezzo
    
20. 20 Arno Babadjanyan – Six Pictures – V – Choral
    
21. 21 Arno Babadjanyan – Six Pictures – VI- Dance of the People of Sasun
    
22. 22 Tigran Mansuryan – Three Pieces (1970) – I – Piece No 1
    
23. 23 Tigran Mansuryan – Three Pieces (1970) – II – Piece No 2
    
24. 24 Tigran Mansuryan – Three Pieces (1970) – III – Piece No 3
    

DIANA GABRIELYAN – STRAVINSKY, SHOSTAKOVICH, BABAJANYAN, MANSURYAN

With this record pianist Diana Gabrielyan explores the musical richness of the twentieth century in Russia and her native Armenia, from  two separate historical periods: post-World War I, with sonatas by Stravinsky and Shostakovich, and post-World War II, with the compositions by Babajanyan and Mansuryan. Though characterized by strong internal contradictions, almost diametrically opposed to one another, and spanning compositional languages from  neoclassicism to serial and twelve-tone technique, they  somehow manage to represent different aspects of a single reality: man always looking for a better world.

Booklet in English, Italian, and Armenian.
Program notes by Valeri Voskobojnikov.

Reviews

“The Armenian pianist’s fingers elegantly and fluidly move in poetry of drastic works so expressive and provoking, the album is primarily an ocean of heartfelt sonic emotion.”
Alto Riot: ‘Pianistic Perfection Courtesy of Diana Gabrielyan’ / 1 May 2014

“Disc of the Day… she plays with unflagging concentration and clear understanding… Gabrielyan observes the score with absolute fidelity.”
Words & Music: ‘Russians & Americans Share Disc’ – Rick Jones / 18 May 2014

“Diana Gabrielyan is a name to watch out for as she plays extremely well. I particularly enjoyed her performances of the Stravinsky and Shostakovich.”
Music Web International – Steve Arloff / 11 July 2014

PERFORMANCE ****
RECORDING ****
“Throughout she displays a clear, delicate touch… Gabrielyan brings out the varied colours of this music, but it’s the clutch of pieces by Stravinsky which really reveal her musical intelligence.”
BBC Music Magazine – Ivan Hewett / August 2014

“… as supple as it is profound… played with great expressiveness and tension. A record that is much more than a business card: the revelation of a pianist of the most interesting personality.”
Pianiste - Stéphane Friédérich / September-October 2014

“Superb playing in Stravinsky’s Piano Sonata, especially the Adagietto… Very clean and authoritative piano playing”.
Musique classique & co - Thierry Vagne / 25 December 2016

“… passionate conviction and a breathtaking energy that unifies all contrasting climates into one momentum, revealing an underlying drama… Diana Gabrielyan has to be an astonishing pianist to draw such colours…”
Falcinelli Blog / May 2015