The Title's Mundane, The Playing Isn't

This disk could take some sort of prize for the most mundane title, Piano Works. It is in fact a very fine debut recital from the Macedonian pianist with the unpronounceable surname, Simon Trpceski. The disk concentrates on Russian repertoire with two transcriptions of ballet music and two sonatas. The extreme promise of Trpceski shines through in his performances. I have heard that his live performances recently have been patchy but that may come with the territory for a young player finding his strengths and weaknesses. The ballet transcriptions are a concert suite from Tchaikovsky's The Nutcracker as put together by Mikhail Pletnev and the familiar melodies work well in this setting. Slightly more robust are Stravinsky's own settings for solo piano from Petrushka, a favourite work of mine anyway and reminiscent in this form of Mussorgsky's Pictures. The sonatas are by Scriabin and Prokofiev. The Scriabin ( Sonata no 5 ) is in one movement and is prefaced by lines from The Poem Of Ecstasy with which it shares a fevered sound world. Prokofiev's Sonata no 6 is in traditional four parts with something of a neo-classical feel but also touches of more radical comtemporaries like Bartok and the whole works wonderfully. Available at budget price since it is introducing a newcomer, this disk is something of a bargain.