While I am unfamiliar with violinist Franziska Pietsch, her new recording caught my eye today. It features music for violin and piano by Sergei Prokofiev.
Prokofiev:
Five Melodies for Violin and Piano, Op. 35b
Violin Sonata No. 1 in F minor, Op. 80
Violin Sonata No. 2 in D major, Op. 94a
Performed by Franziska Pietsch (violin) & Detlev Eisinger (piano)
Following the successful release of the Grieg Violin Sonatas, Franziska Pietsch and her piano partner Detlev Eisinger now present music by Sergei Prokofiev on this CD.
The two Violin Sonatas, written largely between 1938 and 1946 after Prokofiev’s return to the Soviet Union, could not be more contrary: No.1 in F minor, Prokofiev’s “Appassionata”, is a tragic piece, whilst No.2 in D major, originally conceived for flute and piano, is predominantly joyful and serene.
Prokofiev arranged it himself, with David Oistrakh advising him. The reworked version of the Cinq mélodies, composed in 1919/20 for voice (without text) and piano accompaniment, was also produced by Prokofiev himself. These chamber works expose three intrinsic aspects of his artistry: his ability to create a seamless, emotionally intense melodic line; his often concealed tragic side; and his classicist inclination.
