The 24 Preludes and the last Sonatas of Dmitri Kabalevsky figure amongst the best piano works of the forties, ranked with those of Prokofiev and Shostakovich. The first Sonata is reminiscent of the first Scriabin, whereas the second and the third are ‘war pieces’ with frankly virtuosic pages. Gilels to whom the work was dedicated was the first to play the second (1946), Yakov Zak, his senior and alter ego, newly rediscovered (PRD 350 054), the third (1947). Christoph Deluze enamid of russian music revealed by Shura Cherkassky and student of Dagobert Buchholz has become well known for his interpretation of the 24 Preludes : here he groups the 3 Sonatas and confirms their impressive stature, their intense lyricism and rythmic vigor. A demonstrative programm for those who are fond of spectaluclar and symphonic piano.
PRD/DSD 250 279