Khatia Buniatishvili - Kaleidoscope: Mussorgsky, Ravel, Stravinsky (2016)

Khatia Buniatishvili's new recording Kaleidoscope, a unique combination of masterful and challenging pieces, shows her true virtuosic playing and features the well-loved Pictures at an Exhibition by Modest Mussorgsky, Ravel's La Valse and Stravinsky's Petruschka.

Given that these pieces all have an orchestral version, the pianist must bring out this larger palette of colours on a single instrument. Khatia does just that, painting her own picture of the pieces, how they are interwoven and the special characters she wants to emphasize.

There is a strong sense of character about the programme - it is music to be seen as well as heard, and it takes in other art forms as well: dance, puppetry and painting. The movement and colours of these other art forms are encapsulated in Khatia’s playing and the album’s title, Kaleidoscope.

Khatia will be on a worldwide tour to support the album, performing the centrepiece of the album, Pictures at an Exhibition. She will be performing in the UK in London and Reading in March 2016.

Tracklist:

01. Promenade
02. I. Gnomus
03. Promenade
04. II. Il vecchio castello
05. Promenade
06. Pictures at an Exhibition: III. Tuileries (Dispute d'enfants après jeux)
07. IV. Bydlo
08. Promenade
09. Pictures at an Exhibition: V. Ballet des poussins dans leurs coques
10. Pictures at an Exhibition: VI. Samuel Goldenberg und Schmuyle (Deux juifs - L'un riche et l'autre pauvre)
11. Promenade
12. Pictures at an Exhibition: VII. Limoges - Le Marché (La Grande Nouvelle)
13. Pictures At An Exhibition: VIII. Catacombae (Sepulcrum Romanum)
14. Pictures at an Exhibition: Cum mortuis in lingua mortua
15. Pictures at an Exhibition: IX. La Cabane sur des pattes de poule (Baba-Yaga)
16. Pictures at an Exhibition: X. La Grande Porte (de l'ancienne capitale Kiev)
17. La valse
18. Three Movements from Petrushka: I. Russian Dance
19. Three Movements from Petrushka: II. Petrushka's Room
20. III. The Shrovetide Fair