Credits:

Valery Afanassiev

Description:

Longing and lamentation, life and death, life and death - Chopin in a different form by one of the most gifted pianists of our time Valery Afanasyev, one of the most gifted pianists of our time, is now available in a live recording from his 2009 tour of Japan. Afanasyev's unique performances of Chopin's Nocturnes and Mazurkas (both session recordings) have been the subject of controversy, and on this album he continues to present his unique interpretation of Chopin. The Polonaise (three pieces), which follows the five waltzes with their seemingly blasé expressions, is a drama of life and death that unfolds with unrelenting fierceness. This is one of the best gifts of the Memorial Year, a perfect example of the recent state of affairs of Afanasyev, a seeker of the soul who never ceases to search for the truth in the depths of his works. Death can neither be affirmed nor denied. Death is neither affirmed nor denied, and life, which is inextricably linked to death, is neither glorified nor despaired of. Only the fact of life and death, of longing and lamentation, is presented in a stark manner. There is nothing to do but to shudder while listening to Chopin, who is the ultimate in beauty.Wakabayashi Koubou" (from Yasuo Taniguchi/ Liner notes)